MICHIGAN CITIZENS for COUGAR RECOGNITION
BARRY County Sightings



1997Observed by Beverly S.
02/10/025 miles S of Middleville, near Barlow Lake. Video of tracks
10/02Observed by Jennifer F. of Delton
02/03Observed by Bob J. of Delton
02/28/03Mullenhurst Golf Course b/w Norris Road and Lindsey Road, Tracks confirmed by DNR at location 1 mile NW of this sighting on 2/27/02
03/03/03Wildwood Road near Gun Lake and Barry State Game Area
09/11/032 ½ miles SW of Middleville b/w Bender and Norris Roads, S of Adams Road
10/15/03Orangeville, 1/4 mile N/S of 114th Avenue, Marsh RoadPAIR
11/17/03Terry Lane off Cobb Lake Road at SW corner of Lake
11/19/03Terry Lane off Cobb Lake Road at SW corner of Lake
12/03Observed by Dave C. of Kalamazoo
08/07/04Close to Barger Road near Nashville
08/29/044 miles N of Hastings, Furrow Road and M-43
10/04Orangeville
12/12/04N side of State Road b/w Algonquin Lake/Middleville, Chasing Deer
2005Otis Lake Road
2005Woodland
02/14/05River Road close to Charlton Park Road, Chasing Deer
11/05Observed by Ray B. of Middleville
11/28/05Loop and Irving
01/05/06S side of Hickory Road, E of Mann Road, W of Stuck Road by Augusta Creek Crossing
02/19/06M-37 and Misty Ridge Road, Walking on downed treeBLACK
07/06Yankee Springs Golf Course close to Barlow Lake; Observed crossing the road by a retired field biologist
09/05/06Gilkey Lake Road and Kellogg School Road
09/12/06Brown Road and Coldwater River
05/07Nashville; Large as German Shepherd
06/07Cougar observed running into woods from yard behind house
07/08/07Loop Road, Middleville - Crossed in front of two boys on a deer path
07/21/07Long Lake Trail in Yankee Stprings from 200 yards. Observed about 1/2 mile from the Long Lake Trailhead on Chief Noonday Road, 7:00 a.m.
09/24/07Cougar crosses Norris Road near Keller Road and into a corn field. Very thin - could see rib and hip bones
10/05/07Observed about 1/4 mile east of M37 Highway in a cut cornfield. Tails were long and curled like Js. Barry County Sheriff's Department called but ignored sighting.PAIRS
06/11/08Large cat prints in the driveway estimated the animal to be 150-200 pounds
09/08Son of Lisa M observes black cougar during early doe season while sitting in his deer blindBLACK
07/09Lisa M and her husband watched two black cougars approximately 3' long without tails walk through their front yard in Woodland. They were playing with each other in the sand. Observed with binoculars and watched them walk into the woods.PAIR BLACK
UnknownKeller Road and Lindsey
UnknownMullenhurst Golf Course, Orangeville
UnknownYankee Springs Park
UnknownJudy Hicks reports to Detroit Free Press she and two other retired teachers observe cougar cross the road in front of them in Hastings.
-5/18/UnknownHastings Banner Police Beat states that a Barry Township resident was attacked by a cougar outside her home. Animal jumped, spun around in the air, and ran off into the night.


Using information compiled by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, it was determined that approximately 50% of anecdotal reports (as listed below), can be classified as probable or verified.
Reports by the public, when carefully screened for reliability, and used in conjunction with other information and evidence, can aid in assessing population status.
Thank you to the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Retired DNR Forester Mike Zuidema, and the media for this valuable research information.




DENISE N. MASSEY