WEAR-TV — Rare Florida Panther Sighting Reported on Blackwater Heritage State Trail
An Escambia County man says he and his nephew experienced an unforgettable encounter after spotting what they believe was a Florida panther while walking along the Blackwater Heritage State Trail near Milton.
Tim Mayhair said he and his nephew, Easton Mayhair, were walking on the paved trail just north of Milton on Thursday, June 25, when they noticed what initially appeared to be a dog lying on the path.
“At first we thought it was a dog, maybe something like a golden retriever,” Mayhair said.
As the animal slowly stood and turned sideways, Mayhair said it quickly became apparent they were not looking at a dog.
“It had a stealthy stalk with its shoulders going up and down — very majestic looking, definitely a cat,” he said.
The pair said the animal began walking toward them, crossing and zigzagging back and forth across the trail as it slowly moved with them in the same direction. They described backing away while continuing down the trail, occasionally turning to move more quickly.
Mayhair estimated the animal stood about 2 1/2 feet tall, measured roughly five feet in length including its tail, and said it had brown fur that shined in the sunlight. Realizing they were facing a big cat, the two called 911. The dispatcher ultimately connected them with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, “Florida panthers are the larger of Florida’s two native cat species (panthers and bobcats). Florida panthers have been documented throughout much of the peninsula and even into Georgia. The core population, however, is found south of Lake Okeechobee. Panthers are listed as an Endangered Species under the Endangered Species Act and it is illegal to harm or harass them in any way. There are approximately 120-230 adult panthers in the population.”
The men continued southwest toward Milton through the wooded sections of the Blackwater Heritage State Trail. Mayhair estimated the animal remained roughly 1,000 feet behind them but continued following them for approximately 20 minutes.
“If it chose to attack, it would dominate,” Mayhair said.
Preparing for the possibility of a closer encounter, Mayhair says he picked up a stick about three feet long and removed his shirt, saying he had no other means of defending himself. He rated his fear level as a six or seven on a scale of 10.
“I kept thinking, ‘Is this really happening?’” he said.
Despite the unusual encounter, Mayhair did not take a photograph of the animal.
“I’m not a social media person and don’t just grab the phone to take a pic,” he explained. Mayhair says he doesn’t take a lot of photos but did say, “My beautiful wife Anna texted me and asked about my day so I sent her a pic of the trail.”
Mayhair described it as a peaceful day and says he passed along a photo of the trail to his wife.
A photo that Tim Mayhair says was taken on Thursday, June 25th of the Blackwater Heritage State Trail, the same day he believes he encountered a Florida panther.
Mayhair does not have any photos of him, his nephew or the animal from the day of the encounter.
Tim Mayhair seen here in an undated photograph.
As the pair approached homes and other structures on the trail, Mayhair said the animal eventually disappeared into the woods. He was soon met by officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, whom he described as very inquisitive and eager to gather details about the encounter.
The Mayhair relatives used the trail parking lot and hiked a portion of the trail west of Munson Highway in Santa Rosa County. The two hiked in a southwest direction toward Milton. After the encounter, they decided not to return to their car on foot via the trail but say they used an Uber to get back to their car.
This Google screen grab of a map shows the portion of the Blackwater Heritage Trail where Mayhair believes he saw a Florida panther. The area of the encounter is circled in yellow.
Asked whether he would return to hike the trail, Mayhair said the experience has not discouraged him.
“Yes,” he said. “I would not go out without some protection like bear spray or some line of defense.”
When asked if the encounter really happened as described, Mayhair’s response was unequivocal. “Yes, very much so,” he said.
You can visit the FWC website for more info by clicking here.