Fish & Wildlife Proposed Rule Changes
Bobcat proposed rule changes
In March 2024, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation (SEA 241-2024) directing the Indiana DNR, by July 1, 2025, to have rules in place for bobcat harvest. The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) gave preliminary adoption to the proposed rule changes at their meeting on Sept. 17, 2024, to allow the limited, regulated trapping of bobcats.
The proposed changes in 312 IAC 9-3-18.1 set forth a bobcat trapping season in 40 counties in southern Indiana that includes a bag limit of one bobcat per trapper and a season quota of 250 bobcats.
Proposed changes include allowing bobcats and their parts that are legally acquired to be able to be sold under 312 IAC 9-2-3. This would include their hides as well as other parts.
The proposed changes in 312 IAC 9-3-9 would allow bobcats that are found dead to be kept by people with a permit.
The proposed changes to 312 IAC 9-3-18.4 remove the additional requirements for documentation for bobcats since they would be able to be legally harvested in Indiana under the proposal in 312 IAC 9-3-18.1.
The department is also requesting to add bobcats to the list of species for which a game breeder’s license is required in 312 IAC 9-10-4, as well as clarify application requirements and make other changes to conform with the Indiana Rule Drafting Manual.
Additional changes are also proposed to 312 IAC 9-10-12 governing the Fur Buyer’s license to clarify application requirements and remove requirements that bobcats be obtained from outside Indiana.
The public comment period for these rule changes ended Jan. 16, 2025.
The NRC will likely consider the proposed changes at its meeting in March of 2025. Agenda items will be posted prior to the meeting. The changes must also be approved by the Attorney General’s Office and Governor’s Office before taking effect.
Movement of sick, injured, and orphaned deer in a Chronic Wasting Disease Positive Area & Release of deer by wildlife rehabilitators
In April 2024, the first case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) was detected in an Indiana deer. As a result, the Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) proposed rule changes to reduce the movement of deer that may be infected with and carry this disease to another location in the state.
The proposed rule changes limit the movement of fawns to individuals who hold wild animal rehabilitation permits in the CWD positive areas, as well as restrict the area where an individual who holds a wild animal rehabilitation permit may release a deer. The intent of the proposed change is to reduce human-assisted movement of CWD prions out of the infected area in potentially infected deer. Moving a fawn from an infected area to a rehabilitation facility outside of the CWD positive area could lead to the introduction of CWD to a new area of the state, which would cause more deer to die from CWD. Due to the desire to avoid the suffering of injured or abandoned fawns, fawns may continue to be rehabilitated if they are not moved outside of the CWD positive area.
The public comment period for this rule proposal has ended. The NRC gave final adoption to the proposed rule changes at its meeting on Jan. 21, 2025. The changes must also be approved by the Attorney General’s Office and Governor’s Office before taking effect.