By Benjamin Cox on March 17, 2022 at 1:58pm

Photo Courtesy of the IL Dept. of Natural Resources

Illinois brought back the hunting of bobcats almost six years ago. Sightings of the animal have increased rapidly across the state. West Central Illinois appears to be the prime place to come looking for one during its regulated hunting and trapping season during the winter. Prior to 2016, the species was considered a protected species due to over hunting in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Program Manager for the Wildlife Diversity Program Stan McTaggart says that the bobcat population and species is a true conservation success story. He says over harvest of the animals occurred due to a lack of any conservation laws. He says that over the past century the state was able to bring back…