I recently wrote an article titled “Florida Gobbler Trashes Stuffer Decoy” for this website, and it highlighted an entertaining video captured in the field on opening day by outfitter/guide Travis Daniels of Cypress Roost Outfitters.

Daniels not only puts his clients on turkeys and hogs, but he also does an outstanding job of filming his hunts. In the video below, a Florida panther rushes from thick cover toward turkey decoys. When the birds don’t move, the cat appears confused. Daniels and his client are well hidden in the brush — my estimate is about 20 yards from the decoys — so the cat doesn’t see them. That said, I’m surprised it isn’t bothered by the human odor on the decoys and on the ground. As you’ll see, the panther eventually beds near the decoys. 

Toward the end of the video, you’ll see the panther’s body language change after the hunters reveal their ambush location. According to Daniels, it hung around for about 30 minutes.

FYI: This isn’t the first time Daniels and his clients have encountered a Florida panther. In the 25-second clip below, Daniels had just finished taking pics of a successful turkey hunter when they spotted this big cat on a two-track. I’m by no means an expert when it comes to judging Florida panther size, but the cat in the video below looks much larger than the one that stalked the turkey decoys.