The Beast of Bladenboro Lecture Notes

Overview

• Location: Bladen County, North Carolina
• Date of Initial Incident: December 29, 1953
• Population: Small town of Bladenboro, approximately 800 residents
• Terrain: Primarily rural with significant wood and swampland

Initial Sighting (December 29, 1953)

• A woman in Clarkton reported a large cat-like creature.
• All neighborhood dogs were barking wildly.
• This marked the beginning of sightings of the so-called "Beast of Bladenboro."

Reign of Terror (December 31, 1953 - January 6, 1954)

• Incident Reports:
  • December 31: Two dogs of farmer Johnny Voss were found beheaded and mutilated.
    • Descriptions of the scene included blood and saliva.
    • One dog was found three days later, significantly damaged.
  • January 1, 1954: Another dog was discovered, unrecognizable due to severe mutilation.
• Autopsy Results: Dogs had blood drained in a vampire-like manner.

Creature Description

• Estimated length: 5 feet
• Characteristics:
  • Bushy hair, long tail, big head with long fangs.
  • Resembled a bear or panther, brownish tabby color with short hair.

Additional Reports

• January 6: Mrs. C.E. Kenlaw spotted the beast; her husband rushed outside with a shotgun.
• Reports of livestock deaths (pigs, cows, goats), all showing signs of bloodsucking and skull crushing.
• Unusual noises reported: cat-like sounds, baby sobbing, and woman screaming.

Search Efforts

• Search parties included local hunters and police, totaling hundreds on several occasions.
• January 3 - January 7: Extensive search efforts included tracking the beast's prints and sightings.
  • Various sightings reported but the creature was elusive.
  • Plans to use dogs as bait were halted due to safety concerns.

Conclusion of the Hunt

• On January 13, 1954, a creature was killed, later termed a "bombcat."
• Questions arose regarding the capability of this creature to have caused the earlier havoc.

Subsequent Sightings and Incidents

• September 2007: 60 goats were found dead and drained of blood in Lexington, NC.
• October 2007: Reports of eviscerated dogs and other animal mutilations.
• 2010: Strange claw-like prints and damage to vehicles reported.

Current Status

• Annual "Beast of Bladenboro Festival" attracts visitors to the region.
• Monster Quest TV program suggested sightings were cougars, though experts dismissed this due to the extinction of cougars in the region.

Discussion Points

• What do you think of the Beast of Bladenboro?
• Opinions vary on the nature and existence of the beast.

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