Amherst Abuzz Over Bobcat Sighting

On Thursday several town residents say they spotted a Bobcat, which generated plenty of activity on the Amherst NH Facebook page.

Clo Knibbe posted the first news about the sighting in the Holly Hill neighborhood. "Just saw a bobcat in my backyard. It was about the size of a house cat, but with a slightly heavier build, shorter legs, and a short tail. Its ears were a little stubbier than a house cat's."

Paul Koehler, who lives near Ponemah bog, said he often sees Bobcats where he lives. "We actually get bobcats in the woods behind our house. There seems to be a lot of wild life around the Bog. There's a bear that roams thru occasionally and plenty of coyote. I go out there in the Spring and you see all kinds of scat. When we get the first little snow fall of the year you usually see all kinds of tracks. Mostly deer."

Dan St. James said he saw a Bobcat earlier this month in another part of town. "We're pretty sure we saw one up here on Georgetown Dr. A few weeks ago, same description!"

According to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, bobcats are very indigenoous to New Hampshire and thrive in the southwestern part of the state. "Bobcat populations are found throughout New England. Rhode Island is considered to have a lowest population. In New Hampshire, bobcats are thought to have had a historic presence in the southwest corner of the state. Sighting data and roadkill losses indicate that bobcats now reside in all New Hampshire counties. Based on observation reports, bobcat numbers appear to have increased in New Hampshire over the last 20 years," reads the state agency's web site.

Have you see any bobcats around town in the past few weeks? If so, tell us where in the comments below.