Incredible moment wild animal freed from car grill after being accidentally hit while roaming the streets

OFFICERS in Wisconsin had to respond to an unusual 911 call that left them "baffled" after a wild cat was stuck in a car.

Late on Tuesday night, a driver was forced to call the authorities after they hit something and were shocked to realize what it was when they checked the front of the car.

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Deputies from Portage County Sheriff's Office were sent to the scene to free the animal.

In what has been described as "a first" for the officers, they were met with a bobcat stuck behind the car's front grille.

The caller informed the dispatcher: "I have a bobcat in my car."

Speaking to first responder the driver noted that they did not see anything but felt the car make contact with something.

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Incredible body-worn footage from one of the deputies reveals how the team freed the wild animal while keeping their distance.

The officers called in reinforcements from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

In the video, conservation warden Bryan Lockman approached the grille with a long stick with a loop at the end.

As the stick got closer to the car, the scared animal panicked and lashed a paw out while hissing and growling.

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"That is a big paw. Bobcats, where I live, have smaller paws than that," one of the deputies said.

The big cat did not deter the conservation warden who managed to get the loop into the grille.

Deputies then dropped the tailgate at the back of a truck opposite the car and prepared to extract the dangerous animal.

Lockman confirmed to the group: "Yeah, I've got him. Ready?"

He slowly eased the pole out of the grille and with it came the cat through the crack that it originally fell through.

The bobcat struggled against the loop which had it restrained and ensnared.

With one smooth flick, Lockman lifted the pole up and flung it over toward the truck.

The bobcat, attached at the end, was launched into the air and dumped into the hatch of the trailer before officers slammed the tailgate shut.

The big cat was released again in the same area where it got picked up by the vehicle.

Sheriff Mike Lukas said on Facebook: "Ok this is a first, dispatch gets a caller stating, 'I have a bobcat in my car.'

"You can only imagine what everyone was thinking at the time, so when they dispatched over the radio, numerous deputies were curious.

"You can imagine the shock they were in when low and behold there was a bobcat in the vehicle.

"My deputies are really good at solving problems but this one baffled them so we called in reinforcements with Conservation Warden Bryan Lockman.

"As you can see on the bodycam footage Warden Lockman was a pro at getting the critter out and in his truck and returned it to the wild.

"All in a day’s work at the Portage County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin DNR."

Facebook users were shocked at the post and the footage with one calling it "crazy" and another adding: "Can't believe how massive that thing is! Wow!!"

Others praised the team for their "bravery" and "great work."

One police officer commented: "Being a police officer, for many years, that’s one I never had to deal with… Great job guys !!

"Now I know the real benefit of having a tailgate release button from inside the cab

"When you have to tactically release your bobcat/mountain lion loose when you pull back up to the forest or wherever they get taken to. Lots of respect for Bryan Lockman!"

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According to National Geographic, bobcats are one of four species of lynx and are around two times the size of the average domestic cat.

They are found throughout North America in a number of different habitats including forests, swamps, and suburban areas.

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