‘She chewed it up with her mouth and shook it and made sure it was dead. I was not expecting that.’
Mississippi Clarion Ledger
Dec. 18, 2025, 4:50 a.m. CT
- A Mississippi hunter shot a bobcat and witnessed a black bear attack the dead animal.
- The mother bear appeared to be teaching her cubs that the bobcat was no longer a threat.
- The hunter noted that the local black bear population in Mississippi is visibly increasing.
A Mississippi man was deer hunting in Sharkey County when he got the opportunity to harvest a bobcat, but before he went to recover it, a black bear attacked the dead animal.
“It was Nov. 27 about 4:20 (p.m.),” said Kade Lott, who lives near Rolling Fork. “I noticed this small cat walking about 40 yards in front of me.
“I saw the short tail and said, ‘Wow, that’s a bobcat.’ I’d never killed a bobcat.”
Lott shot the bobcat, but stayed in his stand and continued to hunt. About 20 minutes later, things got interesting.
Lott said a black bear cub walked into view and stepped on the bobcat. It scared the cub and the little bear ran to a tree and climbed up. All the while, the cub was making a humming sound.Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
“It’s hard to explain,” Lott said. “It was a unique noise.”
The little bear’s mother was not far away and charged into view with another cub. The mother bear grabbed the bobcat with her mouth.
“She chewed it up with her mouth and shook it and made sure it was dead,” Lott said. “I was not expecting that.
“You think bears just eat berries or whatever they eat, but you wouldn’t think they would attack a bobcat. I was astonished.”
Satisfied the bobcat was dead, the mother bear carried it to her cubs, who were both in a tree at that point, as if to show them it was no longer a threat.
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Lott said the bear dropped the bobcat and she and her cubs stayed in the area until Lott’s sister and her boyfriend, who were hunting nearby, came to pick up Lott.
“The bear eased off into the woods, and I was able to get down from the stand and go home,” Lott said.
More: Mississippi’s bear population is growing. What are they good for and why do we want more?
Mississippi’s bear population is growing
Lott said at no point did he feel concerned about the encounter because he’s familiar with bears. In fact, he had seen the sow with her cubs before.
He said there are about 16 on the property. Lott said he lives not far from Onward and knows of two more bears in that area and their numbers are growing.
Lott said he has lived and hunted in the area his entire life and never saw a bear until five years ago.
“The numbers are increasing as it’s going,” Lott said.
So, for him, it was an exciting experience.
“It was incredible,” Lott said. “It was just a cool experience. These creatures are amazing.”Bears are on the move in Mississippi: Here’s what to know and do if you see one
MS wildlife department says hunters need to be bear aware
Although it’s currently not known how many black bears are in Mississippi, it’s clear the population is increasing and that means the chances of encountering one are increasing, too.
So, with hunting in full swing and thousands of hunters in the woods, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is asking hunters to be aware of bears and take steps to avoid unwanted encounters and conflicts.
Following are some recommendations from the MDWFP if you’re hunting in an area with bears.
- If you see a bear, stay calm and watch from a distance. If you have one approach too close, loud noises and big movements will encourage it to leave.
- If you shoot a deer with bears nearby, try to dispatch and recover your deer in as short a time and distance as possible. Bears can sometimes learn to associate gun shots with free meals.
- If you think a bear has found your deer, recover your deer with a partner and/or vehicle.
- Carry bear spray. It is legal to use lethal force to defend yourself against a bear, although it’s extremely rare, but bear spray has been shown to be more effective. It’s harder to miss with bear spray and can be used more safely.
- Taking any food, drinks and scents out of your stand or blind after each hunt can help keep a curious bear from investigating and possibly causing damage.
- Remove foam padded seats when possible. The foam used in many seat cushions smell like the scent given off by insect larvae. Bears will target foam seats for this reason.
- If possible, bury your deer carcasses instead of leaving them for scavengers. The smell can draw bears for an easy meal.
Exposing the Big Game 
lead bullets?
I think all hunters need to think about that.