LAKE WALES, Florida -- Wildlife officials say a Lake Wales hunter claims he was attacked by a Florida panther while calling turkeys near Lake Kissimmee.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, if the hunter's claims are true, it would be the first recorded panther attack on a human since the 1800s.
The problem is the hunter waited three weeks to report the attack. That means state biologists can't verify that the attack occurred. The man's wounds have almost healed and rain has washed away any paw prints the panther may have left.
Byron Maharrey says he's sure it was a panther that pounced on him from behind on March 17. The 77-year-old outdoorsman says he waited so long to report the attack because he "figured nobody would believe me."
