Hunting and Trapping for Bobcats to Close in Region 4 on Wednesday

February 10, 2026
6:32 am

▶

Listen to Article

Montana's Fish and Wildlife Commission just dropped a quota hammer on bobcat hunters and trappers in Region 4, slamming the door shut effective midnight on Wednesday, February 11th. If you're chasing those elusive cats in that neck of the woods—think the wide-open expanses around Great Falls and the Missouri River breaks—your season's over unless you've already locked in your tags. The Commission's move underscores their quota system, designed to prevent overharvest while keeping populations sustainable, and hunters are urged to hit FWP's website for real-time status checks. It's a stark reminder that even in Big Sky Country, where wildlife roams freer than in most states, bureaucracy can clip your wings mid-stride. Digging deeper, this closure isn't just about fur quotas; it's a microcosm of how state-level wildlife management intersects with the rugged individualism that fuels our 2A ethos. Bobcat pelts fetch decent prices—often $20-50 each in raw form—and trapping them hones skills in stealth, tracking, and precision marksmanship that translate directly to self-defense scenarios. When regs tighten like this, it squeezes small-scale operators who rely on these harvests for supplemental income, echoing broader fights against overregulation that mirror gun control encroachments. We've seen it before: quotas start with sustainable management, but they can snowball into broader access restrictions, chipping away at the hunter's autonomy that's core to Second Amendment culture. For 2A advocates, this is a call to stay vigilant—support groups like Backcountry Hunters & Anglers who lobby for science-based policies over knee-jerk closures. The implications ripple outward: with Region 4 off-limits, pressure might shift to adjacent areas, potentially spiking harvest rates there and testing the Commission's overall quota math. It's a prime opportunity for the 2A community to rally around public land access, pushing for transparent data and hunter input in future decisions. If you're in Montana, double-check those regs before heading out, and consider voicing your take with FWP—because preserving these traditions means keeping the wild, and our rights, in our hands. Stay armed, stay informed, and keep hunting.

Best FFL Software Ranked and Compared!

Montana’s Fish and Wildlife Commission just dropped a quota hammer on bobcat hunters and trappers in Region 4, slamming the door shut effective midnight on Wednesday, February 11th. If you’re chasing those elusive cats in that neck of the woods—think the wide-open expanses around Great Falls and the Missouri River breaks—your season’s over unless you’ve already locked in your tags. The Commission’s move underscores their quota system, designed to prevent overharvest while keeping populations sustainable, and hunters are urged to hit FWP’s website for real-time status checks. It’s a stark reminder that even in Big Sky Country, where wildlife roams freer than in most states, bureaucracy can clip your wings mid-stride.

Digging deeper, this closure isn’t just about fur quotas; it’s a microcosm of how state-level wildlife management intersects with the rugged individualism that fuels our 2A ethos. Bobcat pelts fetch decent prices—often $20-50 each in raw form—and trapping them hones skills in stealth, tracking, and precision marksmanship that translate directly to self-defense scenarios. When regs tighten like this, it squeezes small-scale operators who rely on these harvests for supplemental income, echoing broader fights against overregulation that mirror gun control encroachments. We’ve seen it before: quotas start with sustainable management, but they can snowball into broader access restrictions, chipping away at the hunter’s autonomy that’s core to Second Amendment culture. For 2A advocates, this is a call to stay vigilant—support groups like Backcountry Hunters & Anglers who lobby for science-based policies over knee-jerk closures.

The implications ripple outward: with Region 4 off-limits, pressure might shift to adjacent areas, potentially spiking harvest rates there and testing the Commission’s overall quota math. It’s a prime opportunity for the 2A community to rally around public land access, pushing for transparent data and hunter input in future decisions. If you’re in Montana, double-check those regs before heading out, and consider voicing your take with FWP—because preserving these traditions means keeping the wild, and our rights, in our hands. Stay armed, stay informed, and keep hunting.

Share this story