Hunting Bobcats now Legal in Illinois

You'll have to wait until later next year, but soon you will be able to hunt bobcats in Illinois under a new law signed by Governor Rauner.

As reported here back in May, the law will initiate a hunting and trapping season for bobcats in Illinois

WIFR-TV reports that regulatory officials said after the signing Tuesday that the first hunting season won't open until late 2016 because the state must get federal and other permits.

Former Governor Quinn vetoed a previous version of the measure on his final day in office. He said that animals, which were considered a threatened species until 1999, still need protection.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources would issue tags for about 10 percent of the 5,000 total bobcats in Illinois per year.

Governor Rauner says that state officials regulators will closely watch the population and suspend hunting if necessary.