Bobcats had nearly vanished from eastern Massachusetts by the mid-1900s, and their return to places like Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and Blue Hills Reservation tracks the regrowth of forest across land that used to be farmed. They’re elusive and mostly solitary, so most confirmed sightings come from tracks in snow rather than a direct look at the animal.
Records peak sharply in December and January, when fresh snow makes a bobcat’s distinctive gait easy to follow and read, not because the cats themselves are more active. The quieter months from spring through fall likely reflect the same bobcats moving just as much, simply without the snowpack that turns a passing track into an easy find.
Full species profile
