Another big cat

Dear Editor,

The picture and article of the mountain lion sighting described in the Oct. 9-10 issue of the Gazette brought to my mind a mountain lion sighting that took place in Southwest Nebraska long before the Pine Ridge hunter killed one in 1991.

The incident I'm describing happened about the mid-1950s in Grant Precinct near the Kansas line in Red Willow County. One of our neighbors, Mrs. Barnett Leitner, looking out her window in the middle of the night, saw a large cat-like animal halfway down their lane. She thought it was a mountain lion.

The Leitners told Dr. J.H. Donaldson about it and he suggested that they make a plaster cast of the footprint they found in some mud. The did this. He confirmed it was some large cat.

I believe there was some skepticism by the Game Commission; however, the Harrises took precaution to protect their baby colts.

Sincerely,

Louise Harris,

Jameson, Mo.