Army Veteran Fights Mountain Lion with Bare Hands to Rescue Dog in Wyoming: 'That Thing Was Strong'

An Army veteran defended his pet Labrador retriever against a wild predator in Wyoming recently and lived to tell the tale. Adam Borkhus told Cowboy State Daily he and his dog, Diesel, had driven out along South Fork Road near Cody to try and get photographs of elk in the area, the outlet reported September 25. However, their nature walk turned dangerous when Borkhus, who was carrying bear spray and a pistol just in case, heard Diesel yelp and saw he was in a tussle with a juvenile mountain lion. Borkhus said he kicked the animal to rescue his dog and fought with the mountain lion for about 20 seconds, noting he tried to punch it and the big cat kept swiping at him. The animal eventually ran away, leaving the dog owner with minor scratches. Borkhus recalled that during the altercation, “I was trying to keep his mouth away from my neck and face. I think it was just as panicked as I was. It was so fast I didn’t even have time to really realize what happened,” according to KTVQ. He did not use the spray or pistol because he wanted to avoid hurting Diesel. Borkhus also explained to the Daily just how strong the wild animal was. “I’m 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, and that cat couldn’t have been more than 70 pounds. He hit me in the chest and put me right down. That thing was strong,” he said, noting Diesel ran straight back to the car. According to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department, mountain lions are elusive and rarely seen creatures. “Their cryptic behavior is a result of the successful stalk and ambush predation strategy they use to survive. Mountain lions’ primary food source are deer and elk, although based on research conducted in Wyoming they eat a variety of mammals including porcupines, raccoons, beavers and coyotes,” the department said. Mountain lions are also known as cougars, according to the Wyoming Wildlife Advocates website. Now, Borkhus has been undergoing rabies vaccine shots even though it is nearly nonexistent in mountain lions, per the Daily report. As for Diesel? His owner told the outlet he was unharmed and his behavior had not changed one bit, stating “He’s just his own dumb self.” Click here to watch KTVQ’s interview with Borkhus.