The track of the cat

Set in the early 20th century at an isolated ranch in the Sierra Nevada mountains, cattle are disturbed and one family member Curt thinks it is a "black panther" (a puma or mountain lion). He and a brother set out in pursuit of the beast in the midst of winter. Left brotherless by the marauding cat, Curt continues his hunt and has a long and painful demise in the face of a harsh blizzard.