Texas Hikers Catch Mountain Lion Staring Them Down In Tense Video

Mountain lions — also known as cougars, pumas or panthers — are confirmed to have established wild populations in 16 U.S. states, with all but one (Florida) lying to the Mississippi River’s west.

Colorado is home to the biggest estimated mountain lion population in the U.S. with roughly 7,000, while Texas ranks close behind with an estimated 5,600 of the big cats roaming the Lone Star State, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation. (RELATED: Gargantuan Bison Nearly Clips Yellowstone Tourists After Charging At Them In Scary Video)

Mountain lions’ territory spans mainly in the southwestern region of Texas, home to Big Bend National Park. Hikers exploring that vast 1,250-square-mile area are warned to stay alert for mountain lions, and a few were doing just that when they suddenly found themselves being stared down by one while on the trail.

According to the Houston Chronicle, three hikers who set out before dawn Saturday on the Boot Canyon Trail got more than they bargained for when a mountain lion suddenly bolted across the path in front of them, then climbed a nearby hill and paused to stare back at the group — a moment the hikers managed to capture on video.

WATCH:

Joey Thometz, who recorded the encounter, told the Houston Chronicle that he and his friends began shouting and banging their poles on the ground.

The tactic worked, with the mountain lion eventually going back into the brush. Once it was gone, the shaken hikers continued their trek and reported the big cat sighting to a volunteer at the park.