Evansville Police Chief Mike Thompson decided to set up a trail camera after seeing signs of a mountain lion lurking in the area and leaving behind large game carcasses. However, the Wyoming law enforcement leader’s inner prankster came out instead.

Despite failing to capture the elusive big cat on camera, Thompson saw an opportunity to play an epic prank for viewers on social media.

The department posted some pictures captured by the trail camera, saying, “Here are some photos of what is running in the wilds of Evansville along the river. If you know anyone that is scared of the dark please pass this along to them so they can see there is nothing to be afraid of.”

The shots are mostly images of various wild and domestic animals, including turkeys, raccoons, skunks, deer and cats, as well as local residents and their dogs enjoying the wooded area near Veterans Bridge. There was no sign of the mountain lion in any of the photos. But what caught everyone’s attention were the three frames revealing a sinister figure wearing a ghastly mask — none other than Thompson himself.

“We thought we could have some fun with it. The post was kind of a practical joke,” Thompson shared, mentioning that the mask he used was for a Halloween event organized by the Evansville P.D. and Fire Department.

“We’re kind of known for scary things anyway. That was the mask I used in the haunted hay maze,” Thompson told Cowboy State Daily. “People have responded to the post mostly in a positive way. There have been a few negative comments, but most people appreciated it.”

Thompson said that after city maintenance crews reported finding antelope and deer carcasses near Veterans Bridge, he and his team investigated the area and found more carcasses that had been dragged into nearby thickets of trees, along with fresh mountain lion tracks. Given Evansville’s location in the northeast corner of the Casper metro area, and its proximity to the Platte River and Casper Mountain, wildlife sightings were not uncommon, but a mountain lion stalking the area raised concerns.

“One set of tracks went under the bridge into the riverside park area,” Chief Thompson said.

He had the big game carcasses removed and then set up the motion-activated trail camera near the bridge to capture evidence of the mountain lion’s presence. The camera recorded plenty of wildlife activity, which Thompson attributed to heavy winter snows, but the cat was nowhere to be found.

The chief then decided he couldn’t let the opportunity for the prank slip by, especially as the department is currently embroiled in a Halloween Prank competition with the nearby Barnum Police Department.

The post garnered significant attention on Facebook, reaching approximately 36,000 people. While some expressed fear or suspected a real threat, many immediately recognized Thompson’s joke, noticing the familiar mask and the humorous attire worn by the creature in the photos.

“Brilliant practical joke,” one person said.

“That’s the entire cast of Bambi right there…and a couple of new characters too,” another commented.

“I’m wondering if it wasn’t someone from the PD that knew it was there… but one could only hope,” said one clever netizen.

“Probably an officer having some fun!” someone else suggested.

“This is the police chief!” another person correctly surmised.

Chief Thompson said police will continue monitoring the area for actual mountain lion tracks, and confirmed plans to reinstall the trail camera within a few days to ensure public safety for the upcoming 100-year anniversary of Evansville event.

If the presence of the mountain lion can be verified, he intends to involve the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

“They’re the specialists who know how to deal with that,” he said.