Cougar Track In Michigan

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Well the Michigan DNR has finally admitted to the possibility of cougars roaming the Michigan woods. Last night they officially released a press release and a photo of the track found in Delta County which is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was all the buzz on the Michigan Sportsman web site this morning. The DNR has finally admitted to what we all have been saying for years. Why does the DNR continually deny the fact that cougars are in the area. This doesn’t just happen in Michigan either. Last year Bob Rich from The Bob Rich Shooting Journal actually saw a cougar in the wild and the Connecticut DEP had basically no reaction to the incident.

Below is the picture the DNR took of the cougar track in Delta County.

I don’t understand why the DNR doesn’t want to validate these sightings. Is it for fear of crying wolf, or is it simply just not wanting to alarm the public? I believe it was last year someone in Menominee County in Michigan’s U.P. hit one with a car (not fatally) and the DNR obtained a DNA sample from a tuft of hair left on the bumper, but would neither confirm nor deny the cougar. The land where I deer hunt is a club my father belongs to (No fences, free roaming animals, I want to make that clear) had an interesting incident about 4 years ago. During the middle of winter, one of the members found a freshly killed deer carcass on the small lake on the property. He went out to investigate and found large cat-like tracks leading to the deer along with drag marks and tracks leading away from it. The deer was positioned in such a way that it was clear that it was being dragged by the neck and left on the ice. I don’t know of any other cat in Michigan that could kill and then drag a deer! Is it proof positive, no, but it is just another instance of a good case along with other indicators that they are in fact here in Michigan.

It is nice to finally see the DNR giving some validity to these reports and sightings of cougar here in Michigan. Now that they say there is a good chance that they are here, what would you do if confronted with the situation of facing a cougar? Drop us a comment on the link below. If you do come into contact with one here is the official DNR response of what to do:

The DNR would like to remind citizens what to do if they come into contact with a cougar.

Stop, stand tall and do not run. Pick up small children. Do not run. A cougar’s instinct is to chase.
Do not approach the animal.
Try to appear larger than the cougar. Never take your eyes off the animal or turn your back. Do not crouch down or try to hide.
If the animal displays aggressive behavior, shout, wave your arms and throw rocks. The idea is to convince the cougar that you are not prey, but a potential danger.
If the cougar attacks, fight back aggressively and try to stay on your feet. Cougars have been driven away by people who have fought back.

The cougar is a classified as an endangered species in Michigan. It is unlawful to kill, harass, or otherwise harm a cougar except in the immediate defense of human life.

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Tim Ford

Back about a year or so ago when this cougar debate was really going here in Michigan I heard serveral people say that the reason that the DNR did not want to admit that there were cougars in Michigan was beacuse then they would have spend money on them developing a management plan for them. Now I don’t know if this is true and to be honest I don’t even know if cougars are considered endangered or anything but I with the way money is right now for the DNR it would surprise me if that was the case. Personally I think that it is kind of cool that we have cougars here but I’m sure that the livestock farmers really don’t want them around. This makes me wonder if that wolverine is still running around in the thumb.
http://www.savethecougar.org SaveTheCougar.Org

We have a gallery of the Delta County cougar track photos online from the photographer, visit http://www.savethecougar.org
http://www.simplyoutdoors.net Arthur

It is about time that they admitted they are in fact here. I know plenty of hunters are happy to hear the DNR finally admit to what they have known for years.

I’m not sure why the DNR would keep everything quiet for so long. Maybe they were waiting on some good hard evidence.

I think it’s pretty cool that they are in our state as well although I’m sure the farmers don’t feel the same way about it.
http://brshootingjournal.blogspot.com/ Bob Rich

Thanks for the info on what to do if you see one Mike. It’s a scary thought to come across a mountain lion at close range. The cat I saw at Roraback WMA was huge and with only my 22 in hand, I don’t think I would have won. In Connecticut, if you come across a mountain lion it will be almost on top of you before you see it. I for one will no longer walk into the woods without a sidearm and if I come across one at close range, I assure you I will unload on it no matter what the law says. You can’t defend yourself in court if you’re dead. I spoke to a farmer that had a horse killed by one last year. I have a feeling that there’s a liability issue here, so the DEP is playing dumb… “Daaa, what mountain lion..?” I’ve heard that they brought them into CT to control the coyote population and that they released them in upstate NY and they have migrated across the state line. Who knows. I just think it strange that the DEP responds to mountain lion sightings as if someone was reporting a UFO. I’ve come across MANY hunters who have personally seen them in the area or know someone who has. The only unbelievers I know of work for the state.

Regards,

Bob Rich
Connecticut
Keith Kreitzer

I live in Bothwell Ontario Canada which is about a hour north of Windsor or a or a little more then an hours drive north of Detroit Michigan. The last few winters there have been Mountain Lion (Cougar) tracts out side are back door in the snow by our Garbage probably because we through out chicken and beef and pork scraps outside for the animals and they probably track the smell back to the house because there are usually some scraps in the garbage outside our back door too. We live in front of a huge bush which is populated by a large number of dear which I read are one of the Mountain Lion’s (Cougar’s) main food sources. There have been a few sightings around or area. For instance a couple kids just down the road about a mile away where riding their bikes and seen a black colored Mountain Lion (Cougar) and few others have sighted Mountain Lions (Cougars) both Black colored and brown and have seen tracks as well up till yesterday I had just heard about the sightings and them being in the area and had only seen the Mountain Lion’s (Cougars) paw prints in the winter in the snow outside my back door the last few years. Although last night went to open up the back door to our garage which is part of the house to have a smoke I only opened it about five inches when I heard this really loud hissing sound like a cats when it is scared because it’s cornered by a dog or something I must have scared it when I opened the door. My first thought was a raccoon because we had had raccoons tipping over our garbage before. Anyways I shut the door right away and grabbed a stick and went to our other back door and went out side to see. Long behold I seen a Mountain Lion (Cougar) it was a light brown color with black and dark brown markings it had a long tall and was around I’d say 5-6 feet long including its tall and stood around two and a half feet tall. I stood there for about 3-4 seconds until I moved then it took off running down to our big ditch then off to the bush behind our house this was around 7 O’clock at night. I ran back in my house and told everyone what had just happened. My grandfather went outside to see but of course it was long gone. Well that’s my experience with my first Mountain Lion (Cougar) s sighting I would really like to be able to see one again hopefully for a little longer next time they are really beautiful animal but are scarry too I wouldn’t want to get any closer then I did I would have hated to see what would have happened if I had just continued opening the back garage door and had walk out the way it was hissing scared the crap out of me I sure if I would have opened that door all the was I probably would have been attacked because I know I startled it.
http://www.upnorthjournal.com MikeAdams

Keith sent me another email today about another sighting, here is what he wrote:

Hello I can’t believe it!!! I just went out side five minutes a go out my back door of my garage to have a smoke again and I stood there and had my smoke and just as I was about finished I was thinking about the cougar which I had seen which I have been for the last few nights every time I go out that back door to have a smoke since I had seen it. I always take a look out side the door know just to make sure before I step out to have my smoke. Like I said I was just finishing up my smoke and randomly thinking about the cougar I seen the other night and I looked to my left and not five feet in front of me I seen these glowing eyes one the grown. I first thought it was a raccoon again because we have alot of raccoons in our area too but as I looked closer I seen that it was a cougar it was in a crouched down position like a cat does when it is waiting for prey and about to attack it was just sitting there staring at me I looked at it for a few seconds then I grabbed a gardening stick which was sitting to my right against the side of our house right outside the door which I was standing. When I did that I made a like noise and It stood up still facing me then it turned to my left and start walking slowly I seen that it was a black cougar this time though which was really neat that It wasn’t the same one as before this one was a lot smaller though it looked like it was probably a young one by it’s size. It was the size of a small dog about two feet tall off the ground it was nice when it turn to walk away I got a really good look at it I got a lot better look at this one then the one before. Well anyways as it was walking away I dropped the stick and ran in the house screaming for everyone to come see but they took there sweet time at first so by the time they all got outside it was gone which really makes me mad because I really wanted everyone to see it too but at least I got to see it and get a good look at it and I feel lucky for that and not one see one but seeing two different cougars days apart I mean most people never get to see one and I got to see two. You can believe though I be watching my butt every time I go out side for a smoke especially at night and looking for them since I know there definitely here. I’m sure now though that its the smell from the garbage thats attracting them we had just through in out some chicken a couple hours before.

I think he needs to get something bigger than a gardening stick if these things keep hanging around!! Yikes!!!!
Patty Hornby

I came to this site looking for some evidence that there are mountain lions in Michigan. I saw one this morning at 7:30 am about 100 yards from my home. I was on my way to work and it was about 10 feet from me.It was beside the road and leapt into a ditch like it was pouncing. I have seen bobcats arounds here and plenty of coyote, but this looked nothing like that. I knew what it was as soon as I saw it. Long tail..I just went down into the woods near where I saw it and am pretty sure I found a track. I am going to go back and get a picture of it. I have contacted the local DNR. They didn’t act like I was nuts. In fact, seemed excited about the siting. Heck, I am excited about it. Made my day.
I live in Sanilac county where we have a VERY healthy deer population.
Doc Kirkland

I just saw a young cougar last sunday morning, September 21st, 2008, on 20 Mile Road just outside of Tustin. I have hunted property in Lake County for twenty years and seen bobcats, but this was the first cougar. I was driving and saw something in the middle of the road. At first I thought it might be a dead dog. I stopped about 15 feet from it and saw it was crouched down, then it looked directly into my headlights for two seconds, and quickly ran into the tall grass and trees on the side of the road. It appeared to weigh around 30 pounds or so, with small round ears, light tan coloring and a long tail. I called the DNR in Baldwin and they said they believe the sightings are of released pets, and that their position is that Michigan has no breeding population. They did confirm that there have been several sightings in recent years around Luther, which is only a few miles from where I saw this one.
Betty Haro

My husband and I live on Lahti Road, Portage Twp., near Houghton, MI. While turning into our driveway at dusk on 17 Sept. 2008, our headlight swept over a young cougar standing between our house and Lahti Road (about 12 feet from us). We both saw it and it froze in place and stared back at us. We stopped the car for a minute or so and noted that it had pointy ears, a wide face, and a long tail. It was DEFINITELY larger and more muscular than any domestic cat we had ever seen. (I have seen a bob cat and it certainly wasn’t one of those either). In the area we have deer, coyotes, and bears . But this animal was certainly new to us.
Bob Deverney

Nice reports above.

My 15 year old son, Blake and I were traveling along M-22 in the Sleeping Bear Dunes and saw a cougar November 8th, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. We were riding slowly in our jeep when I noticed something on the side of the road. It had yellowish glowing eyes in my headlights, which I thought didn’t look like a deers eyes. When we got closer within 30 feet, a very large cougar crouched down and watched us as I slowly drove by. we both yelled simultaneously “COUGAR” It definitley had all the characteristics. It was just unbelievable to have the opportunity. I still ask myself why I didn’t stop. I think I still couldn’t believe it and to be honest…. If you ever see one, it is pretty scary.
Heather Blanchard

hello my name is Heather. I came in contact with a cougar. it was about 3-4 years ago when i was out by my drive way when a large cat jumped about a foot infont of me. A week or two later this large cat was shocked by the fence around my grandfathers garden(My grandpa lives right next to me). We took plaster moldings and pictures of the prints. and have them still today. I woiuld like to hear back from you.
Brian Derowski

I live in Sanilac County. Four days ago my dog Benny and I went rambling in the woods behind my house around 9:00 PM. About a quarter mile west of my house my dog crouched down, his fur went up and he let out a low growl with his eyes wide, looking into the deep woods towards the west. I had been training my flashlight on an unusual set of prints in the snow. I have been hiking my property for over 30 years and have never seen prints quite like this. I went to several websites, and they sure could be cougar tracks. My dog is about 8 years old and usually does not get riled up at anything but a ride in the car or dinner. The set of large tracks without claw marks went diagonally from a wooded ravine onto one of my trails and then into the woods abut 2.5 miles west of Port Sanilac. The prints were spaced about 2 feet apart. I called my dog and backed away slowly back towards home after a low growl rumbled from the woods about 300 feet west of us. Then a branch snapped. The neighbor’s dogs about 1/2 mile north were baying and very agitated. The next morning, the prints were still there but filled in with snow flakes and distorted from the nighttime winds and light snow. In the past couple days, there have been no fresh tracks like those large ones…only turkey, rabbits, and deer. My suggestion, keep your eyes open when hiking between Carsonville and Port Sanilac…..happy trails. Brian

Cougar Track In Michigan

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