MICHIGAN CITIZENS for COUGAR RECOGNITION
BERRIEN County Sightings



Late 1960sDan Smith Road
09/28/93Galien Township - East of Galien on US-12 past cemetery near Gardner Road; ran in front of car; observed by Claire S.
07/01/03Wooded stream, some homes, corn field, Amtrack tracks, WNIL Radio Station, Track Photo
10/03/03B/w Niles and Edwardsburg on Leet Road at Wolverine pipeline intersectionBLACK
12/25/03Highway 51 along Brandywine Creek close to where 51 intersects US 12 N of South StreetBLACK
03/15/0415 miles from the IN border on 94BLACK
07/28/04Niles Township, 7 miles N of Niles-Buchanan Rd on Morris Drive - second driveway N of intersection of Platt Street and Morris Drive - east side
11/09/04S of Galien
04/15/053 ½ miles N of Niles
05/05/05Chikaming Township, Section 21, Mile Marker 8 or 9 on I-94, Chasing deer
11/05Watervliet Horse attack
01/16/06Red Arrow Highway to Kruger Road
01/22/06Warren Dunes State Park area
01/29/062 miles out of Three OaksPAIR, BLACK
02/06/06Witt Road in Three Oaks Township, Track photos
02/07/06Witaker Golf Course, N of Wilson, W of Lake side, E of Yasko, M39, Railroad tracks
02/13/06 W of California Road, 1 block S of Sawyer RoadYOUNG
02/14/06W on 94 at 48 Mile MarkerBLACK
02/15/06Southard Lake, Deer carcass and tracks
02/17/06 Naomi and Park Road, 3 ½ mile W of M-140
02/26/06½ mile N of Hagar Shore Road on Blue Star Highway (M63), Track photos
02/27/06B/w Union Pier and New Buffalo, 1/4 mile from Lake Michigan
03/30/06Kayking on Garwood Lake, Galien Township, Tracks, Scat
05/23/062 miles SWS of Niles, 100 yards N of Weiser Road, ½ mile w/o Chicago Road, 400 yards w/o railroad tracks, Stalking fawn
06/14/06 Warren Dunes State Park, Yellow Birch Trail, Observed by Park Ranger
06/27/06Flynn Road, 3 miles E of Warren Dunes State ParkYOUNG
07/12/06SE corner of Shawnee and Holden
07/28/06 ½ mile W of Buchanan between Town Hall, Tracks, Dead Rabbit
08/25/061/4 mile E of M51 on Pucker Street
09/14/06SE corner of Terminal and Lake, Inside National Standard Fence
11/22/06Floral Lane/Warren Dunes State Trail, SawyerBLACK
12/15/06Holden between Snow and Shawnee - tracks and photosMOTHER and TWO KITTENS
04/07Animal Services reports three cougar sightings in the last week
Early July, 2007Darrin S's wife observes large black cougar standing in middle of road on Cleveland BLACK
07/24/07Mary S sees cougar in a field on Napier Avenue in Benton Harbor about 9:00 p.m. close to Lake Michigan College
02/04/08Observed by Roger and Pamela M. On M-51/5th street about 3 miles north of downtown Niles; 1/2 mile north of Pucker Street, Dowagiac. Tracks were along fence line, chicken coop, work shop, and bird/squirrel feeders. Sent photos of pictures to DNR. Prints were 4" long and 3 1/2" wide - stride about 5'
03/08Large tracks observed by Don and Elaine B. DNR observed tracks and determined to be a large feline.
May, 2008St. Joseph Valley Parkway (US 31) and observed a large cat along the fence the size and color of a large Labrador with a long slender tailBLACK
05/08WAUS-FM employee traveling south on US 31 in the early evening and had to apply brakes to keep from hitting large tan cat with black-tipped tail. About 2 miles north of Walton Road, Niles Township
05/08Near the corner of Garr and Lemon Creek Roads, a large cat attempting to enter a pasture with goats when it touched the electric fence and jumped back leaving paw prints in the mud. Animal retreated to Garr Road where it walked down the roadway until an oncoming car scared it into the wild area along the road.
05/03/08Near East Road and Red Arrow Highway, Lakeside. Large cat bounded out of woods and ran across the road in front of driver. Bigger than a large dog with a large head, short ears, big paws, tan.
05/13/08Very large black cat observed and paw prints estimating a 100+ pound animal 4' in length foundBLACK
Early June, 2008Red Arrow Highway, north of Bridgman about one-half mile just South of Lemon Creed Road, south side of the Sieman's Ford Dealership. Large cat bounded out from small residential compound and disappeared into the other side of the road.BLACK
08/08Growls and track at Galien River at the Red Arrow Highway Public Access
04/09Black cat seen at corner of Flynn and Wee-Chik Road in Sawyer - same spot observed on two other occasions in last two yearsBLACK
05/09Baldwin Road in Bridgman, east side, halfway between Lake Street and Railroad tracksBLACK
08/09Bill and his mother observe a large orange looking cat about the height of a large dog cross in front of them on Red Arrow Highway near Hagar Shores near Benton Harbor about 10 minutes outside of downtown St. Joseph. It stopped on the side of the road as they drove up next to it. Observed long, busy tail
UnknownCougar observed in area of Andrews University as reported by Herald Palladium
UnknownLarge printed observed by Animal Control in Niles area
UnknownWarren Dunes and Red Arrow


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