There are six species of native North American wildcats: the puma, bobcat, ocelot, Canadian lynx, jaguar, and jaguarundi. The second largest is the bobcat, a majestic and powerful predator that still roams wild in several U.S. habitats. Here, you can discover 17 American states with wild bobcat populations roaming their forests, deserts, swamps, and scrubland.
California
The Golden State boasts the highest natural bobcat population in the U.S., largely thanks to its mild climate and diverse variety of ecosystems. Bobcats can be found in Northern California’s redwood forests and the chaparral shrublands in the south. Surprisingly, bobcats in California tend to be smaller on average than their counterparts in other regions.
Texas
Texas Tech University lists bobcats as “common” in Texas, citing their adaptability to various habitats and seeming tolerance of human development. The state offers several prime habitats, including arid shrubland in the Chihuahuan Desert and its eastern pine forests. Texan bobcats prey on a broader variety of animals than those elsewhere, including rattlesnakes and javelina.
Florida
Florida is the only place in the eastern U.S. with a native bobcat population. Despite its tropical climate and high human population, it has its own sub-species of bobcat—the Florida bobcat—which is smaller than its northern cousins and well suited to the state’s wetlands and forests, including the famous Everglades National Park in the state’s southern region.
Washington
The dense forests of the Pacific Northwest provide an excellent habitat for bobcats, with plenty of thick cover, prey, and places to build dens. The Cascade Mountains and Olympic Peninsula are exceptionally well populated, and native bobcats are known to be excellent tree climbers. While they may climb to catch birds, their most prevalent prey are rabbits and snowshoe hares.
Montana
Montana’s vast wilderness areas and rugged mountains are ideal bobcat habitats and offer plenty of prey. K99 asserts, “In 2016, the FWP estimated there were 6,515 bobcats living in the state.” Although this figure is approximately 2,000 less than in 1983, the bobcat hasn’t suffered a significant decline in Montana in the past 40 years, despite urbanization.
Arizona
Like Texas, nearby Arizona has diverse landscapes and a warm climate that provides a perfect home for southern bobcats. These solitary and elusive big cats can be found in the Sonoran Desert and the cooler pine forests of the north. If you’re hiking in Arizona, there’s a chance you might just spot a bobcat perched on a rocky outcrop, scanning for prey.
Oregon
Oregon has a habitat similar to Washington’s and also attracts tree-climbing bobcats! Dense forests offer a haven for bobcats, despite the high rainfall. The Cascade Range and Coast Range are popular hunting grounds, with large prey like deer for adults and small mice and voles for smaller, less experienced individuals—they even help control Oregon rodent numbers.
Colorado
The Rocky Mountains of Colorado provide an excellent habitat for these agile felines, who easily navigate steep terrain. They also stalk prey such as rabbits and pikas in the state’s abundant alpine meadows. Bobcats in Colorado have much thicker fur compared to their southern counterparts in Arizona and Florida, helping them survive the harsh winters.
Wyoming
According to a study in the British Ecological Society journal, Wyoming was home to an estimated 17,066 bobcats in 2007. Vast wilderness areas, like sagebrush plains and remote mountains, provide ample space for bobcats to roam and limit potentially harmful interactions with humans. Bobcats prey on native prairie dogs and rabbits.
Nevada
Despite its arid desert landscape, Nevada offers suitable habitat for bobcats, particularly in the mountainous regions of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin ranges. While prey is more scarce than in wetter areas, bobcats are resourceful hunters and survive on desert cottontails and lizards. Nevada bobcats are also known to be particularly vocal, especially during mating season!
New Mexico
The natural landscapes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Chihuahuan Desert are home to southern bobcats that prey on cottontail rabbits and javelina. Bobcats are found in every county in the state, and hunting them for their pelts is permitted (although seasonal and regulated). The bobcat is also the official state mammal of New Mexico.
Idaho
Idaho offers bobcats a variety of suitable habitats with its mix of forests, mountains, and rangelands. There are plentiful prey, such as rabbits, rodents, and even small ungulates. As in Oregon, bobcats play a crucial role in the ecosystem by controlling rodent populations and maintaining biodiversity. However, their numbers have recently been reduced by habitat loss.
South Dakota
The rolling plains and grasslands of South Dakota offer suitable habitat for bobcats, particularly in the Black Hills region, where they prey on small mammals like rabbits and voles. Bobcats are found all over the state, in most counties adjacent to the Missouri River. The GFP reports that hunting bobcats is restricted to one cat per hunter east of the river but unrestricted on the west bank.
Maine
Maine has plenty of suitably dense forests, particularly in the northern and eastern parts of the state. As in other more northerly locations, they prey on rodents and small mammals like voles, mice, and snowshoe hares and are essential for controlling prey populations and reducing the number of vermin (mice and rats) in human settlements.
Vermont
The lush landscape of the Green Mountains and surrounding forests provide a haven for bobcats, who use the dense foliage for cover and are well-suited to rocky, steep, and uneven terrain. Prey like rabbits and squirrels are also readily available here. Unlike in several other states, Vermont bobcats are protected by state law, and hunting them at any time is illegal.
New Hampshire
Bobcats can be found throughout New Hampshire, from the White Mountains to the southern forests, although the cold climate is at the northern limit of their range. They would need bigger paws and thicker coats (like the Canadian Lynx) to exist further north. Historically, they were predominant in the state’s southwest corner but are now found in all counties.
North Dakota
Like its neighbor to the south, North Dakota’s grasslands and mixed-grass prairies provide suitable habitat for bobcats and are a crucial controlling predator of rodent populations in the state. In North Dakota and nearby states, bobcats are typically most active at dawn and dusk, so if you want to see one, your best chance to spot one is during these times.
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