A 19-year-old Wisconsin hunter captured terrifying video of a bobcat lunging at him during a turkey hunt, grabbing his arm in a rare physical attack before he managed to shake the predator off and continue his hunt just minutes later.

Bobcat Stalks Then Strikes Hunter

Carson Bender was positioned at the base of a tree on private land near Nekoosa, approximately 100 miles north of Madison, when he turned to find a bobcat stalking him. The teenager quickly grabbed his phone to record the encounter as the predator slowly approached. The cat locked eyes with Bender for several tense moments before suddenly lunging forward and grabbing his arm. Bender told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel he immediately knew something was wrong when he spotted the animal staring at him.

The video, posted to his Instagram page, shows the bobcat’s calculated approach before the attack caused the recording to abruptly end. Bender managed to shake the animal off within seconds, and the bobcat fled the scene. Despite the shocking encounter, the teenager demonstrated remarkable composure. The turkey he was hunting never spooked from the commotion, and Bender lined up a shot just three minutes after the attack, though he missed the bird at 35 yards.

Back Hunting The Next Morning

Bender visited a doctor’s office after the encounter, where medical staff treated him for scratches on his shoulder. The injuries proved minor enough that the determined hunter returned to the exact same hunting spot the following morning. Wildlife experts note that bobcats occasionally investigate turkey calls made by hunters, but physical attacks remain exceptionally rare. The animals typically detect something wrong and retreat before making contact with humans. The bobcat that attacked Bender weighed an estimated 25 pounds.

Rare But Dangerous Encounters

According to Big Cat Rescue statistics through 2025, bobcats have caused only 26 human deaths across the United States since 1990, with 21 adult victims and five children. An additional 275 maulings have been recorded during that same period. Bender told reporters he never felt genuinely threatened during the incident and relied on his instincts throughout the encounter. He joked on Instagram that he discovered he’s skilled at calling both cats and turkeys, turning the frightening moment into humor while acknowledging the unusual nature of the attack.