Find camping and overnight lodging options, reservation info, rules and regulations and more. Example video title will go here for this video. There's not a lot of trees [and] not a lot of great habitat for cougars. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE ORV HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Information on DNR shooting and archery ranges, rules and regulations, resources to get started and more. Though originally native to Michigan, cougars were driven from the states landscape due to several factors, including habitat loss, around the early 1900s. This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness. Minnesota Minnesota does not have an established breeding population of mountain lions. Cougar sightings are on the rise in Michigan. Thanks for being here. The state agency does not know how many of the sightings in recent years were unique, according to Pepin, but assume that several reports may involve the same animal or animals based on some studies as well as the close geographical locations of some sightings. At least one confirmed sighting of a Michigan mountain lion has been made in the Lower Peninsula. DNR forest resources professionals maintain healthy forests, manage wildfire, maintain responsible harvesting certifications and improve wildlife habitat. "In 2020, we confirmed actually 14 cougar reports," said Cody Norton from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Also known as pumas, panthers, mountain lions, cougar sightings remain extremely rare in Michigan. The DNR urges people to report cougar sightings on its website. This is about 34 miles from where an October 31 photo was captured in Houghton County. On Sept. 16, 2021, a trail camera photo was taken of a cougar in southern Dickinson County, reported Cody Norton, large carnivore specialist for the DNR. While mountain lions are native to Michigan, their numbers diminished to almost zero by the 1900s. On May 24, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in western Marquette County. They might cover them up with a bucket or something like that, and we physically had to go out there and try to be out there quick enough before some of that evidence disappeared. State wildlife experts say theres no evidence of a breeding population of cougars in Michigan, and that some of the cougars being spotted may have come from faraway states. Eleven confirmed panther sightings were made in 2019, 15 mountain lions were spotted in Michigan in 2020. WKAR Public Media | Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. And in 2020, Michiganders reported seeing cougars 14 times, the most since the team formed. On May 13, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in eastern Dickinson County. For a full listing of help desk numbers, field offices, and other ways we can help, please visit our contact page. Dog steps benefit all kinds of dogs, from toy breeds to dogs that shouldnt do a lot of jumping. Check out her best picks before buying anything. June 6, Chippewa County: A trail camera photo was captured of a cougar on the east side of the county. Most of our sightings of cougars which weve been able to confirm, which is about 40 different sightings, have been with only one exception, in the U.P., Pepin added. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This is about 40 miles from where tracks were found in. This is about 127 miles from where the April 24 photo was captured in Delta County. Classes & Workshops; On July 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Ontonagon County. Whitmer Signs Historic New Legislation to Curb Gun Violence in Michigan. However, the team was able to investigate the report after the owner of the photo saw a newspaper story about it and contacted DNR. If this trend continues, the Upper Peninsula appears poised to have a modern record for cougar sightings in 2021, topping 15 in 2020. In addition to full time positions, we also hire many seasonal positions including park workers, interpreters, rangers, wildlife workers and more. We have literally shot millions of images and not come up with a cougar on any of the game cameras. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. MICHIGAN (WPBN/WGTU) -- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released the latest information on confirmed cougar sightings in the state. In 2020, the DNR has 12 confirmed reports of cougars in Michigan, all in the Upper Peninsula. DNR confirms cougar sighting near Lansing, Rare cougar photographed by Upper Peninsula trail camera, Cougar spotted in Michigan county is DNRs 40th confirmed sighting, Chicago men rescued near Drummond Island were found clinging to overturned boat. Eleven confirmed panther sightings were made in 2019, 15 mountain lions were spotted in Michigan in 2020. There's only been one sighting outside the Upper Peninsula, and that was in Clinton County in 2017. By. On October 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in western Mackinac County. Thoseare relatively new devices that trigger themselves when there is movement in the frame, andarestrapped to trees and left there. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. If youre shopping for top products on the market, here are the best 14 products the BestReviews Testing Lab loved in March. This is about 5 miles from where another photo was captured on October 13 in Mackinac County. Volunteer Opportunities; Support local journalism by becoming a new WKAR donor and get ad-free feeds of your favorite NPR podcasts with NPR+ when you donate $8/month or more! August 13, 2020 9:18 am EDT. This Ones for Sale in Lake Superior, Former Michigan GOP Lawmaker Who Lobbied Against Lobbyists is Now a Lobbyist, Whitmer Signs Historic New Legislation to Curb Gun Violence in Michigan. Published Oct 21, 2021 10:35 AM EDT. And so, in those two poached carcasses we've had that we were able to do DNA analysis on and try to figure out what populations they were from, they most closely related to populations in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming. After an increase in sightings around 2008, the state Department of Natural Resources created a team to keep track of animals. It's the most confirmed sightings in one year in at least the last 12 years, according to DNR . So basically, we do, you know, everything we can to make sure that when we get a photo or evidence from a cougar that it did take place in Michigan, and that everything lines up. Thank you for joining me. One of the things the DNR is trying to find out is whether cougars are going to establish themselves here. Weve received numerous cougar or mountain lion reports from folks across Michigan, said John Pepin, Deputy Public Information Officer for the DNR. But thats mostly because sightings are relatively rare theres been about 55 total in the last 12 years, and all but one of those officially recorded have been in the Upper Peninsula. A second trail camera photo caught a cougar on Aug. 30 in southcentral Luce County, about 1 mile from the first photo taken on the same day. Norton: Honestly, if you look back, you know, when the cougar team was formed back in 2008, in those early years of having the team, most of our reports came through as tracks that people would find in the woods. law enforcement, legislation, rules and regulations, Accessible recreation opportunities in Michigan, All DNR-related boards, committees, and advisory groups, Find seasonal, part-time and full-time job openings with the DNR, information about volunteer and donation opportunities. This is about 10 miles from where August 30 photos were captured in Luce County. Here is a list of the confirmed sightings from this year: Feb. 19, Delta County: DNR members identified cougar tracks while conducting wolf track surveys. Raise your arms. 100 Days Later: What Happens When Voters Put Democrats in Charge of State Government? But if you do see a cougar, Skeldon asks that you try and . Your source for Local information & breaking news across southeast Michigan plus 4Warn Weather providing you with accurate forecasts so you can plan your day. These photos provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources show cougars in the wild.Michigan DNR. (WXYZ) The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported 13 confirmed cougar sightings across the state in 2020. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below. Michigan now has confirmation of no less than 74 mountain lion sightings in the state over the last 14 years. The head is relatively small compared to the body. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE ORV HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Information on DNR shooting and archery ranges, rules and regulations, resources to get started and more. The Michigan DNR says. On May 17, 2020, a DNR trail camera captured a photo of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) The Michigan Department of Natural Resources released trail camera photos and other pictures as evidence of cougar sightings in the Upper Peninsula from 2020. Its the most confirmed sightings in one year in at least the last 12 years, according to DNR records. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. What else does your team do once you have that information? This is about 18 miles from where the June 1 photo was captured in Mackinac County. The Iowa DNR confirmed about 16 cougar sightings from 1995 to 2014. The photo was taken in Dickinson County in Michigans Upper Peninsula in September. Cougars are primarily nocturnal although they can be active during the day. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Please view our directory listingfor general contact information. That's the highest number reported since 2008, when the DNR first began tracking cougars. We'll take, you know, GPS coordinates for that location. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Michigan trail cam photo from the Upper Peninsula. This is about 120 miles from where a November 27, 2020 photo was captured in Schoolcraft County. Just five days later, a trail camera caught a cougar in eastern Chippewa County, about 18 miles from the location of the June 1 photo. Today, the Cougar Fund says, viable breeding populations are found in only 16 states after centuries of attempts to exterminate them that began during the European colonization of North America. All Six Cougar Sightings Recorded in Upper Peninsula for 2020. This is about 50 miles from where the May 13 photo was captured in Dickinson County. 100 Days Later: What Happens When Voters Put Democrats in Charge of State Government? If cougars are here, where did they come from? (WXYZ) The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported 13 confirmed cougar sightings across the state in 2020. A wolverine was once spotted in the county, Hanson said, and a black bear was sighted multiple times in the Upper Thumb about 20 years ago. A full list of confirmed cougar sightings in Michigan since 2008 can be found here. Or, they could be transient or dispersing cougars from the nearest known breeding populations in North and South Dakota. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. Should you encounter a cougar: Copyright 2020 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below. On April 24, a trail camera caught a cougar in Delta County, about 45 miles from where the tracks were found on Feb. 20. The six confirmed reports of cougar sightings in Michigan have all been recorded in the Upper Peninsula for 2020: one each in Chippewa, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft Counties and three in Delta County. Never run from a cougar or other large carnivore. They are fairly certain some of the reports are the same animal, moving from place to place. Its important to note the predatory cats range widely, so photos and sightings of the same cougar can be made in a number of locations. The media . July 12, Delta County: A trail camera photo was captured of a cougar. All rights reserved (About Us). This is about 40 miles from where tracks were found in Schoolcraft County on February 20, 2020. At least one confirmed sighting of a Michigan mountain lion has been made in the Lower Peninsula. RELATED: State Parks Now Open for Midweek Campers, Remote Workers as Michigan DNR Unveils New Booking Tool. Saliby: Cody Norton is a large carnivore specialist with the DNR. This is about 125 miles from where tracks were found on May 12 in Luce County. A TRAIL CAMERA photo Sept. 16 shows a cougar in southern . On Wednesday, the DNR shared an update of the latest crop of cougar sightings in Michigan, and their findings show just how isolated and wide-ranging the animals have truly become. The last known wild cougar legally taken in the state occurred in 1906 near Newberry. (DNR). Click the box above to see all species, or click the species group below. Classes & Workshops; USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE SNOWMOBILE HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Want to find tasty morel mushrooms in the forest? If attacked, fight back with whatever is available. Find cross-country ski, ice fishing , snowmobiling info and much more. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. On August 30, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. The DNR has a ton of information on cougars in the state. only one of those coming in the Lower Peninsula, Report the encounter to local authorities. On February 20, 2020, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in southeastern Schoolcraft County while conducting wolf track surveys. All rights reserved. In February, DNR Wildlife Division staff confirmed two of those reports after finding cougar tracks while conducting the U.P. winter wolf track survey. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This Beloved Ann Arbor Farm Is Surviving the Pandemic Without PPP, Blueberries, Blackberries, Peaches, Raspberries: Heres Where to Find U-Pick Farm, State Parks Now Open for Midweek Campers, Remote Workers as Michigan DNR Unveils New Booking Tool, A 2021 Michigan Beer Lovers Bucket List: Must-Try Beers, Breweries, and Locales, The Ultimate Michigan Wine Tour: Must-Visit Vineyards, Tasting Rooms and More, Michigan Schools and Tribes Encouraged to Apply for Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Grants. Six separate cougar sightings have been confirmed this year in Michigan, according to a mid season update from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Local 4 News every morning. At least 6 cougars have been spotted in Michigan so far this year. On April 24, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County, on the Stonington Peninsula. This is about 95 miles from where a November 12 photo was captured in Baraga County. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE WINTER FUN HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Find facility info, overnight info, an event calendar and much more. comcar industries board of directors; problems of prescriptive grammar. This is about 10 miles from where a July 19 photo was captured in Marquette County. "DNA analysis of two cougars poached in the U.P., for example, showed the animals likely dispersed from their established populations in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska," said Cody Norton, large carnivore specialist with the DNR. In the early 2000's, many big cat sightings were . It is the most in a. According to Michigan Fox affiliate TV-6, a DNR team of biologists that investigates cougar reports had seen the trail cam photo, but initially couldnt confirm the source or location o fwhere it was taken. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below. The last photo was taken on Nov. 7 in southwest Barage County, about 145 miles from where the Oct. 13 photos were taken. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Norton: Yeah, so you know, just because we get a photo of a cougar doesn't mean that it necessarily came from Michigan or that it hasn't been altered in some way. The DNR occasionally receives reports of illegally owned large pet cats including cougars, and has confiscated these animals. This was about 120 miles from where the July 12 photo was captured in Delta County. We administer grants that enable our local partners to promote the lifestyles we all enjoy by providing recreational opportunities, enhancing wildlife habitat and ensuring public safety. DNR officials say the greater use of cameras by hunters and others is adding to the increased number of cougar reports. So, that helps if the animal is in a field or you know, without something as a size or scale reference. So, you look at the reports, now, towards you know, the last couple of years, the vast majority of those come from trail camera photos or cell phone pics of tracks or scat. In a state where animals like deer dominate . Feb. 20, Schoolcraft County: DNR members identified cougar tracks while conducting wolf track surveys. July 13, Ontonagon County: A trail camera photo was captured of a cougar. The odds of encountering a cougar in the wild are very small and attacks are extremely rare. Face the animal and do not act submissive. A record 11 sightings came from the Upper Peninsula in 2019. But a rise in sightings does not necessarily mean more of the animals are reclaiming Michigan as their home. Ever Wanted to Own an Island? And in 2020, Michiganders reported seeing cougars 14 times, the. These steps are often compact, practical and easy to move. The DNR Wildlife Division staff confirmed two of those reports after finding cougar tracks while conducting its annual UP Winter wolf track survey. On Why Theyre Recording More Cougar Sightings In Recent Years, On Why Its Not Likely Cougars Would Reestablish Themselves In Michigan, On What To Do In The Rare Chance You Encounter A Cougar. Our general advice for any big game is to try and keep your distance as best you can, but if you were to come across one close up on the trail, the advice we give is to slowly back away, he said. This was about 165 miles from where the June 6 photo was captured in Chippewa County. Visitor Centers across the state provide education programs, field trips, archery, fishing, trails and much more. And yeah, if anything like that happened, you'd want to report it to the local authorities or the DNR as soon as possible. When we get them, we go out and investigate them and try to substantiate the reports.. All . The species, which have the largest relative hind legsof all the members of the cat family and can jump up to 18 feet from the ground, were once the most widely distributed land animal in the Western Hemisphere, according to the U.S. The DNR said last year that sightings could be increasing because more people are using trail cameras and reports, in general, are more frequent. Wdiv ClickOnDetroit - all rights reserved captured a photo of a cougar in southcentral Luce County of... Clinton County in Michigans Upper Peninsula in September Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has offer. 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