Wisconsin teen mauled by bobcat during turkey hunt in terrifying viral video

ny post ^ | 04/21/226 | Richard Pollina

[BenLurkin]

Carson Bender was set up at the base of a tree while hunting on private land near Nekoosa — about 100 miles north of Madison — when he turned around to find the fierce predator stalking him.

The 19-year-old hunter quickly whipped out his phone to record the encounter as the bobcat slowly inched closer to him, video posted on his Instagram page shows.

“I pan over with the phone, and the bobcat is just staring at me,” he told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “I was like, uh-oh.”

The cat locked in on Bender for a few tense moments — then, in the blink of an eye, lunged at him, grabbing the teen by the arm before the video cut to black.

Bender said he was able to quickly shake the cat off him before it ran off.

---

TOPICS: Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS:

[Responsibility2nd]

The 19-year-old hunter quickly whipped out his phone to record the encounter as the bobcat slowly inched closer to him, video posted on his Instagram page shows.

 

When death and destruction gets right in your face - whip out your phone.

Darwin Award nominee wannabe.

[bigbob]

Soiled raiments for sure...

[Clay Moore]

I was sitting on a game trail in a little mot of trees and called up a coyote with turkey call. I shot it at maybe 7 yards and hit low because I didn’t figure for the 1 1/2” between the barrel and scope center.

[1Old Pro]

He hunts Turkey’s with a phone? I’d think he’d be holding a shotgun.

[Resolute Conservative]

Don’t kill it. Cat just being a cat. Boy was unaware of his surroundings and could have just shooed it off.

[PAR35]

the fierce predator

The ones around here are only fierce predators of squirrels, rabbits, tiny dogs and maybe an occasional cat.

If one attacked a human around here, I'd be worried about rabies. Otherwise, they ignore humans that leave them alone.

[HartleyMBaldwin]

A few years ago I was hunting quail in Arizona and walked up on a sleeping gray fox. The first I saw it was when it jumped up from between two rocks about 20 feet away, then stood there and looked at me. I was going to shoot it if it took even one step toward me, as foxes can be rabid.

After 10 or 15 seconds it trotted away, in no particular hurry.

[Deaf Smith]

Same. Wearing full camo including a face net, predators are keying and following the eyes.

[wildcard_redneck]

A bobcat is a 30 pound bundle of fur and death.

[shotgun]

I totally get that. But if I’m being stalked by a wild cat, it’s either him and his claws and teeth or me and my trusty 12ga.

[heartwood]

Since 1990, bobcats have been responsible for only 26 human deaths across the US — 21 adults and five children — with an additional 275 maulings recorded as of 2025, according to Big Cat Rescue.

That would be mountain lions, surely.

[rlmorel]

Most people don't realize just how dangerous even a common house cat can be if it is angry and becomes aggressive.

I got bit on the back of my hand by a cat that belonged to a good friend, and the cat and I were known to each other, and friendly. We had a New Year's Eve party, and I picked him up to give him a rub as I had done many of times before, but he was bugged out by the dozens of noisy strangers in the house, and he nipped me on the back of my hand. I washed it and cleaned it out, seemed to be no big deal, until I woke up still semi-hammered at 4 AM with my hand swollen up like a softball.

I went to the emergency room, ended up spending five days in the hospital, and nearly lost my hand. Apparently, the tooth had penetrated the tendon sheath and it got infected with a bacteria called Pasteurella that lives natively on cat's teeth.

This guy below tried to capture a large tomcat with a snare, and was either careless or didn't know what he was doing, and as you can see, he lost control of the animal and it wasn't inclined to just run away:

Now, take that 18 pound tomcat, and make it 30 pounds that lives in the wild and hunts as a Bobcat would.

Or 800 lbs, and views humans as prey, as a tiger would:

Kind of gives a whole new meaning to the image below...can you imagine this?

[rlmorel]

I heard a “click” in the recording, and I was sure it was the safety on a gun coming off...I guess not!

[NorthMountain]

Cats are quicker than pit vipers and cobras, and will kick the serpent’s ass (metaphorically) should push come to shove.

[CommerceComet]

He should have listened to my dad who used to say that “it’s easier to catch a bobcat than it is to let go of it.” To this day that visual image makes me chuckle.

[Jan_Sobieski]

Woah… 😳 Remind me to stay away from cats 🐈!

[wildcard_redneck]

That is funny! It could be a meme of the game Iran is playing with America.

[Chewbarkah]

Bobcat: That’s MY turkey, Phone Boy!

[Disambiguator]

https://youtu.be/SqHMJY-syg4?si=32hcszCJ8d_pyQsh

[Hebrews 11:6]

A hearty “Welcome back!”, Mike. I hope the Lord has blessed you regarding the difficult issues you and the Mrs. have been facing.