Wild Mountain Lion Photographed in Wyoming Town

In early January 2020, a mountain lion showed up in the town of Jackson, Wyoming and caused quite a stir. This rare sighting brought together many people hoping to catch a glimpse of the beautiful wild predator.

The mountain lion had made a kill near a gas station in Jackson and inadvertently became a public display. On January 10, as commuters filled up their tanks and got coffee, they became curious about the forming crowd, and joined numbers to gaze up at the hillside. Eventually a group of about 75 people were now patiently watching the large cat and hoping for some action. Photographer Steve Mattheis was among them and shares his experience in this video.

Mattheis said that the mountain lion made a total of three scrambles from the tree it was hiding in down to the deer it had killed to scare off the birds that were eager to get a piece. The short-lived action was “epic” according to the professional wildlife photographer, “[and] I don’t use that term lightly.” Check out the video above for a sequence of photos as the cat pounces down the snowy hillside in this incredibly rare public area sighting.

Ryan Mense's picture

Ryan Mense is a wildlife cameraperson specializing in birds. Alongside gear reviews and news, Ryan heads selection for the Fstoppers Photo of the Day.

Log in or register to post comments
4 Comments

Is this the Mountain Lion that says "Well hi" in a southern accent?

Don't Vlog and drive......

What a magnificent creature. Thanks for the post.

I have now watched this three times -- what a wonderful animal, and a wonderful presentation of it.