Notes other protections for animals

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The Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife Board voted Tuesday to lift the quota on the number of bobcats killed each year during the hunting season.

The state Fisheries and Wildlife Board voted unanimously Tuesday to remove a limit on the number of bobcats killed each hunting season, a decision that drew fire from animal rights activists, who say the change was based on anecdotal evidence and pressure from the hunting lobby.

In years past, the 2½-month hunting and one-month trapping seasons came to a close when 50 bobcats were killed. The regulation change removes that limit, allowing bobcat hunting to continue for the duration of the two seasons.

The measure also removes the former requirement that hunters check a killed bobcat at an official weigh station within four days of making the kill. Now, hunters must check the killed animal within four days of the close of the hunting season.

The hunting season goes from Dec. 20 to the following March 8. The trapping season goes from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30.

Joseph Larson, a member of the board, said members had concluded that the quota had little impact on the bobcat population in Massachusetts since it has only been reached once in its 32 years in existence. The quota was surpassed for the first time last year when 52 bobcats were killed.

"We were persuaded that the quota is not a factor for the bobcat population," Larson said in a phone interview Tuesday. The state Legislature's decision to remove the animal from a "varmint list," lifting of the bounty placed on the species, the closure of parts of the state to bobcat hunting and a shortened hunting season are a better means of managing the bobcat population, Larson said.

Helen Rayshick, executive director of the Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition, disputed Larson's take on the quota.

"We don't feel there is enough scientific data behind their decision," Rayshick said. "Some of their reasons include anecdotal information, like the number of bobcats seen by the public and the fact that it is too much work to take the time to count the number of bobcats killed each hunting season. Until the number of bobcats is known, we don't feel it is prudent to lift the quota."

Laura Hajduk, a state wildlife biologist, said Tuesday by phone that the population estimate is compiled using a density analysis, home-range estimates and the amount of available habitat, among other factors. She said population indices such as the number of bobcats killed by hunters, the age and sex range of those animals, the number of sightings and road kills are used to monitor their population.

Speaking about the quota at a public information session in Northampton last week, Hajduk said, "The number 50 really is an arbitrary number relative to the population."

She noted that the estimated bobcat population in Massachusetts is 1,200 to 1,300. "Twenty percent of the estimated population, or 120 bobcats, would have to be taken in order to negatively affect the population."

Rayshick also took issue with that logic Tuesday, saying, "First, we don't know what the population is, so we don't know what 20 percent of the population is."

She noted that the bobcat was not considered a nuisance, a pest or an overpopulated species and said she felt that the decision to change the regulation was meant to appease the hunting lobby.

"I believe the (lobbyists) put a huge amount of pressure on the division," Rayshick said.

Larson disputed that charge, noting that the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the U.S. Humane Society had not lodged any complaints concerning the proposal.

"I think they understand that what we are doing does not fundamentally impact the bobcat population," Larson said.

He said the lack of opposition from those groups made it hard to agree with the claim that only a small segment of residents was in favor of the change.