Can you tag and keep a Bobcat taken in the act of protecting your animals??

[Magnum40]

A friend has a problem with a Bobcat killng his ducks/chickens/turkeys.  He has it on camera doing such.  We know you can legally shoot it while its actively attacking your animals and then you call WDFW and they come out...question is if you had a tag but the season hasn't started yet (Sept 1st this yr) could you tag and keep it or does WDFW take it?  Looking for people who actually know the answer not just assumptions...thank you!

[Ridgeratt]

So why wouldn't you just call the WDFW and ask them what you can do?   

[Jonathan_S]

 

Well he certainly would not tag it since there is no "Bobcat Tag" only a small game license or trappers license is needed for taking bobcats in Washington.  There is a specific season for it...standby on the RCW

As an aside, and as someone who raises a lot of chickens and game birds, your friend would be so much better off by fortifying his pens than trying to catch perpetual predators.

[Magnum40]

They did talk to someone...I want to hear other peoples experiences though.  What 1 LEO may do, may be different than another and there is no RCW or WAC to reference.

[Jonathan_S]

Chapter 77.36 RCW

WILDLIFE DAMAGE

77.36.030 look it up.  It's not my problem so I'm not going to dig deeper.

If the topic was, "if a deer is eating my tomato crops for the farmer's market, can I shoot it and eat it?"  what would you think?  It's not far from that 

[Woodchuck]

 

[Ridgeratt]

I would venture to guess you will have a hard time finding a taxidermist to seal the hide this time of year. If your goal is to get it mounted.

[jackelope]

Nobody has a "tag" for a bobcat. If you shoot one, you have to take it either way and have the hide sealed.
Not sure about this particular situation...just clarifying there are no bobcat "tags".

[Ridgeratt]

There are some trapper's on here perhaps you could get one of them to come trap it and "Re-home" for you

[Magnum40]

I was using "tag it" in a generic sense...sorry I wasn't more clear but wasn't expecting anyone to take it in a different direction.  I understand there is a small game license and you have the hide sealed etc.  What I'm getting at is would WDFW give you written permission so to speak so that you could take it to a taxidermist and it would be legit. 

When you use Deer eating crops as an analogy I can see where it would probably go though and if it that is the case I assume it would be wasted as food banks dont take Bobcat meat that I know of and I doubt the State would pay to have the hide done.  Thus, without another purpose for it other than the garbage can, it seems reasonable for the property owner to "tag it" but I don't expect common sense

RCW/WAC does not say which is why I asked for actual experiences...I have done the online research.

He has since kept the birds penned up unless someone is actively outside.  The issue is not having $$ needed for a bigger pen for the number of birds he has and that kinda of defeats the purpose of free range and all that birds do for the yard/garden etc while roaming.

[Woodchuck]

Call the local Warden and ask. 

[pianoman9701]

"Can you tag and keep a Bobcat taken in the act of protecting your animals??" Why would you want to tag and keep a bobcat that's protecting your animals? Syntax. It's not the extra money you pay for beer and cigarettes.

[Humptulips]

This gets a little complicated because bobcats have dual status furbearer/small game. Right now if we trap something either a WCO or a landowner on a damage complaint the dead animal if it is a furbearer becomes the property of the land owner so a beaver or mink, yes you could keep it. On a cat I'm not 100% sure because of the small game status but I believe you could keep it. I would call the regional office and ask to talk to someone from Enforcement to be sure. Don't rely on what the receptionist tells you. You may have trouble getting it CITES tagged if you do not have some paperwork so I would at least ask them to e-mail me the answer. You might also try e-mailing Stephine.Simek@dfw.wa.gov
She is in charge for the Nuisance Wildlife Program.
You will not be able to get any taxidermist to touch it without a CITES tag on it so that is important.
The laws on this are likely to change in about a month if the F&W Commission passes the new Wildlife interaction rules. Then it will be illegal for you to possess if taken outside established seasons.
My question is why bother. An August caught bobcat is going to be a pretty poor pelt. Hardly worth fooling with.

[boneaddict]

Hide is worthless, why bother.

[bhawley76]

Neutralize the lil bird eater for tresspassin, Then just say he was coming right at you.  

[lokidog]

I'm pretty sure any animal taken out of "season" for depradation purposes needs to be turned over to the state as you are not supposed to "profit" from it.  I've been told not to worry about the raccoons I shoot around my chickens, but think this may partly be due to my location.   

[Humptulips]

I'm pretty sure any animal taken out of "season" for depradation purposes needs to be turned over to the state as you are not supposed to "profit" from it.  I've been told not to worry about the raccoons I shoot around my chickens, but think this may partly be due to my location.   

No, currently furbearers taken outside of trapping season for damage control purposes become the property of the landowner. Changes to that are coming soon.

[lokidog]

Interesting that it would be less strict for furbearers.  I assumed the mink I shoot would have to be tossed as well.  Guess I'll have to keep them when the weather is colder.

[Humptulips]

Interesting that it would be less strict for furbearers.  I assumed the mink I shoot would have to be tossed as well.  Guess I'll have to keep them when the weather is colder.

I expect the law to be changed by September.