The guy in this video is extremely fortunate that he was prepared to defend himself with a firearm after being stalked by a mountain lion out west somewhere on an archery elk hunt.
Details on when and where the incident was recorded are scarce, but it’s one of the wildest videos you’ll ever see.
I can’t imagine a more terrifying situation to be in while you’re alone in the wilderness than staring down a big cat that shows no signs of fear or backing down. The video starts rolling with the cougar already within frighteningly close proximity to the hunter, who already has his gun drawn and pointed.
Given the circumstances, the man had no other option but to stand his ground and draw his weapon, as trying to run from the cat or play dead at that point likely would have just triggered an attack.
He speaks calmly and commandingly and tries to deliberate the animal into backing down, but the cat only seems more agitated with each passing word. The recording goes blurry as the man presumably drops his phone, and a commotion can be heard moments before a single gunshot pops off.
“You get back! You get back! You get back! You get back! Back! Ahh ahh No! No!”
As he picks up his phone, the dead cat comes back into view, and the man explains the absolutely insane situation that he just escaped from thanks entirely to the firearm he used for self-defense.
Pulling the trigger was the last resort and something the man did not want to do, but ultimately it was either his life or the cats.
“Motherf*cker. I just had to shoot this f*ckin mountain lion. It f*ckin pounced at me and I popped it in it in the f*ckin face… Holy shit. Holy f*ckin shit. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh, God….
It’s young. Stupid, stupid cat. I shot it right in the face. Oh my God. Oh my God. Ahhhh.
He came creeping up right through here—That’s right where he was at… 1,2,3,4 maybe 5 yards.”
You can hear the lament in his voice, but sometimes… it’s kill or be killed.
“I told him over and over to get back. No, don’t do it. But he reared back, and I had my Glock on him, and I was about to pull the trigger, but I was hoping he would leave, and he freaking went to pounce.
Oh my God. I can’t do it. Man, I didn’t want to do it. Oh my God! You never know, guys. You never know. Always watch what you’re doing and pay attention. Watch your back.
Wow. Such a pretty creature. Hate to do it. Such a pretty, pretty creature. Sorry, kitty.”
The footage is so crazy you just have to see it to believe it.
