Watch: Florida Woman Has Close Call with Cougar on Bridge

by
posted on April 1, 2016
woman_cougar_camera.jpg

Photo Courtesy Facebook Video

Hunters—outdoorsmen and women in general, really—occasionally have run ins with some of this planet's more dangerous creatures. Bears, wolves, big cats—anything's possible when you venture into the wilderness. That said, close calls with mountain lions aren't particularly common for anyone, given the big cat's tendency to avoid detection at all costs. Still, human/cougar interactions can and do occur, as one Florida woman learned in what assuredly was a scary moment. In a video posted to the Facebook page of one Tina Dorschel, a woman is walking along a wooden bridge/path in what the details say is the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples, Fla. when she's accosted by one of the very large, very scary kitties.

A few seconds into the video, the camera operator pauses and starts whispering "Oh my God, oh my God." The viewer doesn't have to wait long to see what has her so agitated—a mountain lion (or panther, as Florida folks tend to prefer—they did name a hockey team after them, after all) comes barreling down the path toward her. The big cat seemed just as surprised and scared as whoever was behind the camera—it quickened its pace, nearly slamming into the rail of the bridge in doing so, and got out of there in an awful hurry. No one was harmed, though I'd wager the owner of the camera/phone was probably a little shaken up.

Check out the video for yourself and get a closer look—it's embedded below. Warning: There's some minor profanity involved as the cat approaches—not that I can blame anyone for that.

Latest

LEDE Henry Handguard On White
LEDE Henry Handguard On White

XS Sights Introduces Handguard for Henry Lever-Action Rifles

Designed for modern lever-action enthusiast who want to upgrade their Henry rifle, this highly customizable handguard is equipped with six M-LOK slots on each side and seven on the bottom to accommodate a wide array of accessories.

Montana FWP Announces 2025 Migratory Bird Stamp

A trio of tundra swans winging their way through a gray sky in the shadows of Rocky Mountain peaks is captured brilliantly in the 2025 Montana Migratory Bird Stamp.

Tested: EAA Witness2311 10mm Auto Hunter Pistol

This 2011 double-stack pistol is available with a six-inch barrel and an optics-ready slide for less than you might expect.

New for 2025: Escort Shotguns WS Youth 20-Gauge Shotgun

Youth shotguns are often the first introduction to hunting for many individuals, and Escort Shotguns is looking to help continue that tradition with its WS Youth shotgun.

Busting the Roost Myth: Why You Shouldn't Tree Talk to Toms

Should you call to a roosted tom? Mike Roux fills his readers in on why this popular strategy may be the reason they don't fill all their tags this spring.

Pennsylvania Antlered Deer Harvest Best in Four Decades

Pennsylvania hunters harvested about 11-percent more deer in the 2024-25 hunting seasons than they did the year before, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission estimates released late last month.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.