Turkey Hunter, FL Panther Standoff Caught On Video: Report

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FL — A Florida man got quite the furry surprise when he stumbled upon an endangered panther while turkey hunting Monday in the Babcock Ranch Preserve in eastern Charlotte County, NBC 2 reported Thursday.

Punta Gorda resident Jason Francis told the media outlet he was about 10 to 15 feet away from what he estimated to be a 200-pound panther, a moment he captured in a cell phone video.

The Panthers of South Florida shared via Facebook the 30-second clip that had gotten at least 50,000 views as of Thursday afternoon. In the video, the panther is seen standing still as it seemingly stares toward Francis. Seconds later, the panther is seen heading back into the woods.

NBC 2 reported Francis' wife was glad he made it home that night.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said of Florida's two native cat species, panthers are larger than the state's bobcats. There are at least 120 adult panthers in population, state officials said.

"Florida panthers have been documented throughout much of the peninsula and even into Georgia. The core population, however, is found south of Lake Okeechobee," state officials said.

Panthers are protected under the Endangered Species Act, making it illegal to hurt or harass them, state officials said.

The commission advises the following tips when encountering Florida panthers:

• Keep children within sight and close to you.
• Give the panther space. Most Florida panthers will avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
• Do not run. Stand and face the animal. Make eye contact.
• Avoid crouching or bending over. Squatting or bending over makes you look smaller, resembling a prey-sized animal.
• Make yourself appear larger, open your jacket, raise your arms, throw stones, branches, etc. without turning away.
• If attacked, fight back with whatever is at hand (without turning your back).