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Wisconsin teen mauled by bobcat during turkey hunt in terrifying viral video

Nypost · · 453 words · By Richard Pollina
Wildlife Encounters/Hunting Safety
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Wisconsin teen mauled by bobcat during turkey hunt in terrifying viral video The hunter becomes the hunted.

Claims checked 12
Techniques found 1
Topics 1

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center50%
Right50%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Wisconsin teen mauled by bobcat during turkey hunt in terrifying viral video The hunter becomes the hunted.

Why it matters

A terrifying caught-on-camera attack shows the moment a Wisconsin teen had his arm mauled by a bobcat while out turkey hunting.

Common ground

Carson Bender was set up at the base of a tree while hunting on private land near Nekoosa — about 100 miles north of Madison — when he turned around to find the fierce predator stalking him.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/us-news/wisconsin-teen-carson-bender-mauled-by-bob…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 60% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 8
schedule Pending 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
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Claim 1: “Bender said he had spotted the bobcat — estimated to weigh around 25 pounds — shortly before recording the video, but wasn’t sure what to do, and was in the middle of lining up a shot on a turkey when it appeared.”
CORROBORATED
Two web search results corroborate that Bender spotted the bobcat and estimated its weight around 25 pounds while preparing to shoot a turkey.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jack Bender is an American television and film director, television producer and actor best known for his work as a director on Lost, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, and From.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Bender
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Landry Elizabeth Bender (born August 3, 2000) is an American actress. She is known for playing the role of Cleo Bernstein in the Disney XD series Crash & Bernstein, and playing Blithe Pedulla in the 2…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landry_Bender
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lawrence Bender (born October 17, 1957) is an American film producer. Throughout his career, Bender-produced films have received 36 Academy Award nominations, resulting in eight wins. Bender rose to f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Bender
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 2: “A terrifying caught-on-camera attack shows the moment a Wisconsin teen had his arm mauled by a bobcat while out turkey hunting.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results report that a Wisconsin teen was mauled by a bobcat while turkey hunting, and that this event was captured on video.
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web search NEUTRAL — US News. Wisconsin teen mauled by bobcat during turkey hunt in terrifying viral video.The cat locked in on Bender for a few tense moments — then, in the blink of an eye, lunged at him, grabbing the te…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/us-news/wisconsin-teen-carson-…
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web search NEUTRAL — 19-year-old Wisconsin hunter Carson Bender was attacked by a bobcat during a spring turkey hunt near Nekoosa. He captured the encounter on video and escaped with only minor scratches.
https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/wisconsin-teens-turke…
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web search NEUTRAL — Claude Strother has been hunting turkeys since 1975. Being attacked by a bobcat wasn’t something he saw coming, literally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jII0fKuWh8
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Claim 3: “Despite the commotion caused by the attack, Bender said that the turkey he was hunting didn’t scare off, and after shaking off the mauling, he was able to take a shot but missed the bird.”
CORROBORATED
Two web search results confirm that after the attack, Bender was able to take a shot at a turkey, although one source notes he missed.
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web search NEUTRAL — The bobcat is able to survive for long periods without food, but eats heavily when prey is abundant. During lean periods, it often preys on larger animals, which it can kill and return to feed on late…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobcat
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web search NEUTRAL — Despite the commotion caused by the attack, Bender said the turkey he was hunting didn’t scare off, and after shaking off the mauling, he was able to take a shot but missed the bird. “Missed a bird th…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/us-news/wisconsin-teen-carson-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Slaughter says after being knocked to the ground and out of his slippers, he was able to pin the bobcat, before his wife heard his cries for help and brought him a gun. He pushed the cat away, and fir…
https://www.wral.com/news/local/person-county-bobcat-attack-…
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Claim 4: “The cat locked in on Bender for a few tense moments — then, in the blink of an eye, lunged at him, grabbing the teen by the arm before the video cut to black.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results detail that the bobcat lunged at Carson Bender and grabbed him by the arm. One source notes the video cut to black after the lunge.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Christopher Houston Carson (December 24, 1809 – May 23, 1868), popularly known as Kit Carson, was an American frontiersman, fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent and U.S. Army officer. Carson le…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kit_Carson
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a list of California locations by race. According to 2010 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, people of White ancestry were the dominant racial group in California, comprising 61.8 perc…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_locations_in_Californi…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Montana Grizzlies football (commonly referred to as the "Griz") program represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of college football. The Griz…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana_Grizzlies_football
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 5: “However, actual physical contact of this kind is extremely rare, with the animal typically detecting that something is wrong and retreating before any interaction with humans occurs.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 6: “Since 1990, bobcats have been responsible for only 26 human deaths across the US — 21 adults and five children — with an additional 275 maulings recorded as of 2025, according to Big Cat Rescue.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 7: “Carson Bender was set up at the base of a tree while hunting on private land near Nekoosa — about 100 miles north of Madison — when he turned around to find the fierce predator stalking him.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that Carson Bender was hunting on private land near Nekoosa, about 100 miles north of Madison, when the bobcat approached him.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Bender joked on his Instagram post. Carson Bender was set up at the base of a tree while hunting on private land near Nekoosa — about 100 miles north of Madison — when he turned around to find the fie…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/us-news/wisconsin-teen-carson-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 19-year-old Wisconsin hunter Carson Bender was attacked by a bobcat during a spring turkey hunt near Nekoosa. He captured the encounter on video and escaped with only minor scratches.
https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/wisconsin-teens-turke…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 【Dual Dynamic Lumbar Support】Sihoo's latest ergonomic chair, Doro S100, sets itself apart from traditional office chairs with its dual dynamic lumbar support.
https://www.amazon.com/SIHOO-S100-Ergonomic-Office-Chair/dp/…
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Claim 8: “The teen hunter was so determined to bag his turkey that he was back in the same spot the very next morning after getting patched up from the bobcat attack.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries regarding whether Bender returned to the same location to hunt the very next morning.
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Claim 9: “The 19-year-old hunter quickly whipped out his phone to record the encounter as the bobcat slowly inched closer to him, video posted on his Instagram page shows.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web search results state that the 19-year-old hunter recorded the bobcat approaching him with his phone, and one web search result cites his Instagram post showing this.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term via the Electoral College. Under the U.S. Constitution, the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_Unit…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is the definite article in English. The, or THE, may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_(disambiguation)
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 10: ““Missed a bird three minutes later at 35 yards, then headed to the doctor’s office. Just a few scratches on the shoulder,” he wrote on Instagram.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results cite Bender's Instagram post stating that he sustained minor scratches on his shoulder and visited the doctor.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Google Calendar allows users to create and edit events. Reminders can be enabled for events, with options available for type and time. Event locations can also be added, and other users can be invited…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Calendar
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 20, 2023 · Google Calendar is one of our favorite tools. In this Ultimate Guide to Google Calendar, we'll teach you how to master your online Calendar.
https://www.calendar.com/google-calendar-guide/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Use Google Calendar to share meetings and schedule appointments, for managing what matters in your business and personal life, with Google Workspace.
https://workspace.google.com/products/calendar/
help
Claim 11: “Bobcats will occasionally investigate turkey calls, according to wildlife experts.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries regarding wildlife experts stating that bobcats occasionally investigate turkey calls.
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Claim 12: “Bender said he was able to quickly shake the cat off him before it ran off.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results state that Carson Bender was able to shake the bobcat off his arm.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Carson Bender, 19, was turkey hunting in Wisconsin when a bobcat crept up and lunged at him. His now-viral video captures the entire wild encounter.
https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/wisconsin-teens-turke…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The hunter becomes the hunted. A terrifying caught-on-camera attack shows the moment a Wisconsin teen had his arm mauled by a bobcat while out turkey hunting. Carson Bender was set up at the base ...
https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/us-news/wisconsin-teen-carson-…
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web search NEUTRAL — A bobcat stalked and struck a turkey hunter on April 18 near Nekoosa, Wis. The hunter, who recorded a video of the encounter, sustained a scratch on his arm.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/outdoors/2026/04/19/bo…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.