Cougars are primarily nocturnal although they can be active during the day. Saliby: Is it a good thing or something that we should be concerned about, seeing more cougars in Michigan? Thank you for joining me. In 2011, one cougar traveled a record-breaking 2,100 miles from South Dakota to Connecticut. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below. At least one confirmed sighting of a Michigan mountain lion has been made in the Lower Peninsula. June 6, Chippewa County: A trail camera photo was captured of a cougar on the east side of the county. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. In Michigan, cougars are an endangered species and protected by law. We'll take, you know, GPS coordinates for that location. The most recent sighting in Michigan, confirmed by the agency in October, was on Sept.16, when aphoto was captured of a cougar in southern Dickinson County. Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Is there a population of wild cougars in Michigan? "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. Four additional sightings were confirmed after residents submitted trail camera photos of cougars. Classes & Workshops; Use the button above to visit the fishing home page, or go directly to your area of interest below: Get all your hunting information here, including hunting season dates, rules and regulations, and much more. All except one were spotted in the Upper Peninsula. 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. When we get them, we go out and investigate them and try to substantiate the reports.. The last known wild cougar legally taken in the state occurred in 1906 near Newberry. 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. In 2019, at least 11 cougar sightings were confirmed in the state. Nick Meyer, Originally Published This is about 1 mile from where another photo was captured on August 30 in Luce 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. Should you encounter a cougar: Copyright 2020 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. In its midseason update, the Department of Natural Resources said all of the sightings of the mysterious cats have been in the Upper Peninsula: one each in Chippewa, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft counties and three in Delta County. "In 2020, we confirmed actually 14 cougar reports," said Cody Norton from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Are there pet cougars or exotic big cats like leopards and African lions in Michigan? We'll take photos from the viewpoint of that camera to line up the background in the photos. Reports for Michigan State map of individual report locations (requires Adobe SVG Viewer plug-in for your browser) State terrain & political maps with report totals & population density by county Most Recent Reports February 2022, Mackinac County (Class B) - RECENT: Wood knocks at night in UP: Big Manistique Lake, east side of Seney Refuge The head is relatively small compared to the body. No new permits are being issued. (DNR). All of the sightings were in the Upper Peninsula. 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 is about 95 miles from where a November 12 photo was captured in Baraga County. The number is down 40 percent from 15 sightings in 2020, according to the DNR's data. Six separate cougar sightings have been confirmed this year in Michigan, according to a mid season update from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). On December 23, 2021, cougar tracks were found in southwestern Delta County. These steps are often compact, practical and easy to move. Cougars have been known to migrate 20 to 50 miles. On May 12, 2021, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in southern Luce County while conducting field work. The media . 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. 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. The tail is long and thick with a black tip. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Find camping and overnight lodging options, reservation info, rules and regulations and more. 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. On August 30, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. Also known as pumas, panthers, mountain lions, cougar sightings remain extremely rare in Michigan. This is about 18 miles from where the June 1 photo was captured in Mackinac County. This is about 45 miles from where DNR staff found tracks on February 20th in . 2020 sightings On February 19, 2020, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in Delta County while conducting wolf track surveys. This is about 127 miles from where the April 24 photo was captured in Delta County. is a contributing writer for The Gander and a longtime journalist who has covered everything from pro sports teams to politics, inspirational community stories, and much more. Eleven confirmed panther sightings were made in 2019, 15 mountain lions were spotted in Michigan in 2020. This is about 50 miles from where a July 20 video was captured in Baraga County.. 100 Days Later: What Happens When Voters Put Democrats in Charge of State Government? The last known wild cougar taken legally in the state happened over 100 years ago in Newberry, the hometown of the Tahquamenon Falls. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now. So, that helps if the animal is in a field or you know, without something as a size or scale reference. Anything you can do to make them second guess whether you're a prey species or not and you should not be tangled with. DNR forest resources professionals maintain healthy forests, manage wildfire, maintain responsible harvesting certifications and improve wildlife habitat. MICHIGAN (WPBN/WGTU) -- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released the latest information on confirmed cougar sightings in the state. A few people who owned cougars or large cats prior to 2000 are still permitted to own these animals. We're getting better with the new technology at being able to confirm them and find them when they do show up here. There were 11 in 2019. . What should I do if I encounter a cougar? On July 20, 2021, a trail camera video was captured of a cougar in southeastern Baraga County. We did have some data a couple of years ago where the DNR has all kinds of animal studies going on out in the woods with game cameras. Saliby: It seems very rare that our listeners would ever spot a cougar here in the Capital Region. DNR forest resources professionals maintain healthy forests, manage wildfire, maintain responsible harvesting certifications and improve wildlife habitat. Other states include Washington, California, North Dakota and Texas. In 2020 alone, there were 13 confirmed sightings - the most in the team's history. Confirmed sightings of the animal, also known as a puma or mountain lion, hit double digits for the first time in 2019, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resourcesrecorded more sightings in the last three years than it did in the 10 years prior. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has confirmed six sightings of cougars in 2020. By . Two illegal harvests have also been recorded in the Upper Peninsula. comcar industries board of directors; problems of prescriptive grammar. While mountain lions are native to Michigan, their numbers diminished to almost zero by the 1900s. DNR educators provide classroom lessons, field trip opportunities, professional development and experiential programs to teachers around the state. This is about 120 miles from where a November 27, 2020 photo was captured in Schoolcraft County. On December 22, 2021, a security camera captured video of a cougar in southwestern Delta County. DNR officials say the greater use of cameras by hunters and others is adding to the increased number of cougar reports. They are also encouraged to protect, fence and shelter livestock, especially at night, and to avoid feeding wildlife nearby as it may attract potential prey sources. About a month later, a DNR trail camera caught a photo in southcentral Luce County, which was about 72 miles from the last sighting in April. 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. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. They are fairly certain some of the reports are the same animal, moving from place to place. Cougars, also called mountain lions, were originally native to Michigan, but were extirpated from Michigan around the turn of the century. What were seeing is sort of a migratory population where a family of cougars is established in one area. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Even though the animal was at one time native to the state, Michigan residents today are veryunlikely to encounter onein the wild, according to DNR, andthey also rarely attack those whose paths they do cross. On June 1, a camera caught a cougar in eastern Mackinac County, about 127 miles from where the April 24 photo was captured. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. So, when he heard that a cougar may have been seen . This is about 40 miles from where tracks were found in Schoolcraft County on February 20, 2020. This is about 120 miles from where a November 7 photo was captured in Baraga County. winter wolf track survey. Because cougars are not an established game species in Michigan and they dont have an established population, Pepin says it would not be legal to just shoot one. In the early 2000's, many big cat sightings were . Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. 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. Then, a day later, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in southeastern Schoolcraft County, about 40 miles from the tracks found the day before, and 12 miles from a trail camera photo taken in November 2019. Ten mountain lion sightings have now been confirmed in Michigans Upper Peninsula in 2021, according to the DNR. Saliby: Cody Norton is a large carnivore specialist with the DNR. The highest number of Michigan cougar sightings has occurred during the past three years. This Ones for Sale in Lake Superior, Accountability By. He's been with WDIV since 2013. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below. This is about 36 miles from where the January 12 photo was captured in Schoolcraft County. We've had DNA samples, and then sometimes just from trail cameras, we can actually get a good clear view and determine that the animal is a male, but we've never been able to document a female or kittens or any sign of reproduction. 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. This is about 125 miles from where tracks were found on May 12 in Luce County. 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! The photo was taken in Dickinson County in Michigans Upper Peninsula in September. Every so often we have numerous verifications due to a similar situation., (Find a complete rundown of the 12 sightings in 2020 right here), From 2018: Cougar captured on DNR camera in Michigans Upper Peninsula. Use the button above to visit the target shooing and archery home page, or go directly to one of the pages below: Find snowmobile trail permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. However, the team was able to investigate the report after the owner of the photo saw a newspaper story about it and contacted DNR. Confirmed sightings of the animal, also known as a puma or mountain lion, hit double digits for the first time in 2019, and the Michigan. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Classes & Workshops; 2023 Michigan State University Board of Trustees, Credit Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Michigan now has confirmation of no less than 74 mountain lion sightings in the state over the last 14 years. Just a day later, a trail camera captured a cougar in Ontanogon County, 120 miles from the picture on July 12. On July 12, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County. What do they look like? Cougars are an endangered species in Michigan and are protected by law. Pepin says the reports help them understand behavior as well. Michigan Life This is about 5 miles from where another photo was captured on October 13 in Mackinac County. Click the box above for tips and tricks to fill your basket. Though originally native to Michigan, cougars were driven from the states landscape due to several factors, including habitat loss, around the early 1900s. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. But a rise in sightings does not necessarily mean more of the animals are reclaiming Michigan as their home. Dog steps benefit all kinds of dogs, from toy breeds to dogs that shouldnt do a lot of jumping. There have been periodic reports of cougar sightings since that time from various locations in Michigan. This is about 47 miles from where a May 24 photo was captured in Marquette County. 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 Michigan DNR has confirmed 12 cougar sightings in 2020, all in the Upper Peninsula. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. It was the highest amount of cougar sightings in one year over. We asked BestReviews cooking expert Andrea Boudewijn for her best recommendations for Mothers Day gifts. Volunteer Opportunities; (WXYZ) The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported 13 confirmed cougar sightings across the state in 2020. On January 12, 2021, a security camera captured and tracks were found from a cougar in Southwestern Schoolcraft County. In addition to full time positions, we also hire many seasonal positions including park workers, interpreters, rangers, wildlife workers and more. SEE ALSO: Blueberries, Blackberries, Peaches, Raspberries: Heres Where to Find U-Pick Farms in Michigan. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. A full list of confirmed cougar sightings in Michigan since 2008 can be found here. It is possible that escaped or released pet cougars account for at least a portion of the sightings in Michigan. 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