A Wisconsin teen’s turkey hunt turned into a rare and tense wildlife encounter after a bobcat lunged at him, grabbing his arm in an incident captured on video. The attack happened near Nekoosa, about 100 miles north of Madison, on private land during the spring turkey hunting season.
Nineteen-year-old Carson Bender, an avid hunter from Wisconsin Rapids, was dressed in full camouflage and seated at the base of a tree when he noticed the bobcat creeping closer behind him. Bender began recording the unusual encounter with his phone as the estimated 25-pound animal watched him intently for nearly a minute. In the blink of an eye, the bobcat lunged, striking Bender’s left arm before quickly fleeing when Bender shook it off. Bender later joked on Instagram, “Found out I’m good at calling cats and turkeys!”
Despite the commotion, the turkeys Bender had been targeting did not scatter. He attempted a shot at one of the birds minutes after the attack but missed. Bender suffered only minor scratches and visited a doctor for treatment as a precaution.
Bender, who also studies arboriculture and works as a mechanic, said he never felt seriously threatened during the incident and relied on his instincts. Remarkably, he returned to the same spot the next morning to continue his turkey hunt.
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