Source: Smith 1981. Click graph icon to view data:

Smith gives detail on five of the "good" sightings that he classes as intriguing:     Sighting 1.     "In 1970, a group of 6 well-respected people from a farming community in the North-East were travelling one night between Launceston and Scottsdale when, at 12:30 am, an animal 'about the size of a sheep dog' loped slowly across the road in the car headlights, 'half trotting and half walking'.  There were stripes around the butt of the tail, which 'was very thick at the base and carried straight off the body, unlike the tail of any other animal'.  All of the party were familiar with native fauna and felt sure that the animal was not one they had seen before.  They felt certain that it was a Tasmanian tiger, but did not report it immediately for fear of ridicule".

. Distribution of sightings graded "Good" 1960-1980.  Source: Smith 1980.

    Sighting 2.

    "In 1971, a reliable and experienced hunter was stalking a group of 4 deer in remote 'high country' in Eastern Tasmania.  At 4:20 pm as he crawled over a clump of dead wattles, downwind from the deer, a large animal shot out from underneath him, brushing its head against the barrel of his gun.  Its build was like a cross between a corgi and a kelpie, about 18 inches high at the shoulder.  Its coat was "the colour of yellow beach sand" except for dark brown stripes across its back.  The stripes were about 1½ inches wide and disappeared 2/3 of the way down its sides.  It ran, not very fast, with a peculiar swaying, seesaw motion of the back-bone.  As the hunter was sure that Tasmanian tigers were extinct, he thought that the animal was 'some kind of cross between a devil and a wild dog', or that if it were a dog then it must have been deformed.  The strange animal ran straight towards the deer, which scattered breaking in all directions.  A stag lashed out twice at the animal, with its hind legs, and then fled, passing within a metre of the astonished human observer.  The animal remained in view for about 150 metres before disappearing into dry sclerophyll forest.  The hunter did not believe that he could have seen a thylacine until he later saw a stuffed museum specimen".  Note

    Sighting 3.

    "In 1972, a local workman in the North West was driving alone along a remote road at 9 pm.  As he rounded a sharp corner he had to swerve and brake to avoid an animal the size of a big dog.  It was a 'dirty yellow colour' and had stripes across its back. It had a large ugly dog like head with erect ears.  The animal walked stiffly away into dense rain forest".

    Sighting 4.

    "In 1977, 2 local policemen in the North East were driving home through open dry sclerophyll forest at 10:30 pm, when they had to brake to avoid hitting a light coloured, striped, dog-like animal.  The animal was moving at a slow lope or trot and did not change pace.  The officers submitted signed statements to the Police Commissioner about the incident, and both felt certain that they had seen a Tasmanian tiger".