Book by Ralph Pomeroy "The Big Cats" IP: 50.241.112.193 Posted on February 17, 2015 at 01:47:05 AM by weather01089
The Blandford Historical Commission has reprints of a small book written by Ralph Pomeroy, Titled "The Big Cats of Western Massachusetts", 1948-1956. Ralph was a crack tracker that had trained dogs that trailed bobcats. While on the hunt for bobcats, he started encountering huge tracks, that the older locals told him were "panthers", the old New England name for Cougars. I don't want to spoil anyone getting this book, but I did find an interesting encounter. Ill post a few details of it:
1951, In the Granville Watershed, he came across "huge cat tracks". He had the dogs trail the tracks, but did NOT release them. They caught a glimpse of a female cougar with one kitten. The kitten was jumping around and playing in the snow. They had left two clear sets of tracks, the huge adult ones, and the little ones.
1949 Goss Heights, Huntington
While hunting bobcats, spotted a "huge" cat track. Followed it for some distance with anxious dogs. The cat broke through some ice at a small spring and left a couple more HUGE tracks. He though this had to be the biggest cat in the state. Caught sight of it at one point tracking a deer. It tried to hunch down in the snow and left tail drag marks. They looked "like a rope between the footprints". The story continues but you will have to get the booklet to get the rest LOL. The cat was tracked for many miles.
BOTH these areas are areas that recent sightings have been made again, by credible witnesses. One other account mentioned is at the EXACT spot a policeman observed one in 2012.
The Blandford Historical Commission will give you one of these reprints for a donation. Although Ralph passed away, the family is still around and supports this effort.