An evaluation of hunter surveys to monitor relative abundance of bobcats.

ABSTRACT We examined the utility of bobcat ( Lynx rufus) detections by deer hunters in New Hampshire, USA, as an index of relative abundance. To validate the index, we compared the number of hunter outings that detected bobcats per 1,000 outings (hunting seasons 2009 through 2013) with a statewide model of habitat suitability after we partitioned both by wildlife management units (WMUs). We also compared annual hunter-detection rates with tallies of road-killed bobcats. The habitat-suitability model and bobcat road mortalities were correlated with hunter-survey indices. Linear and exponential trends in hunter-detection rates of ±10%/year could be detected with power ≥99% over 5-year periods. As a result, we believe that major changes in bobcat abundance could be detected by the hunter-survey index. However, without information needed to calibrate the relationship between the index and bobcat populations (e.g., linear or exponential), it was not possible to estimate the extent of change in bobcat abundance by a specific change in detection rate. We consider hunter detections a useful approach to monitor bobcats if applied in concert with other indices (e.g., road-kill tallies, trapper harvests, etc.) to obtain a reliable gauge of population trends. © 2016 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]