“Aggressive Bobcat” Attacks Turkey Hunter in Massachusetts

Last updated: 2023/05/10 at 3:38 AM

Afield Daily

Police officers in southern Massachusetts issued a warning over the weekend after a man was attacked by a bobcat while hunting turkeys. The attack occurred near the community of Monson on the morning of Saturday, April 6. The cat that attacked the hunter is still at large, according to Monson Police Department (MPD).

“Environmental and Monson Police officers conducted a search of the area described by the victim but were unable to locate the bobcat,” reads a recent post on the MPD Facebook page. “Persons [in] the area should remain vigilant and call 9-1-1 if anyone encounters a bobcat acting suspiciously.”

According to Boston.com, the man was hunting alongside a dam on land owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when the bobcat pounced. Monson is in the rural south-central portion of Massachusetts, not far from the state’s border with Connecticut. MPD officials described the bobcat as “aggressive” and said they’d hoped to locate it in order to check for signs of rabies. It’s unclear if the search has been discontinued or is still ongoing at this point.

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Bobcats aren’t uncommon in Massachusetts. The animals are known to inhabit the central, western, and northeastern regions of the state, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife states on its website, and they’re currently expanding their range back into the southeast. Wild turkeys are a frequent menu item for the state’s last remaining wildcat—so it’s not surprising that an unsuspecting hunter might have enticed one while attempting to call in a strutting tom.

While the Monson Police Department didn’t respond to requests for more details about the incident, there have been plenty of similar scenarios caught on video over the years that don’t leave so much to the imagination. See some of them for yourself below.