MICHIGAN CITIZENS for COUGAR RECOGNITION
CASS County Sightings



1970s Mother and 2 cubs seen crossing US 12 by Frank MalewitzKITTENS
1993-1996Pine and Anderson, Saw 4 Times Observed by Sandra S. of Niles
1966Near Niles. Black panther by railroad track US12 west of US 31BLACK
1/1/001/4 mile W of Conrad Road on Yankee Street
10/0162 and Twin Lakes Road
11/02Observed by Mitchell H. of Cassopolis
10/01/02M-40 and Dutch Settlement Road S of Marcellus appx. 5 miles heading E crossing —40 close to Dutch Settlement Road
04/03Idle ease on gravel lake near Lawton
06/04Observed by Mitchell H. of Cassopolis
06/24/04Not far from corner of School and Sink Streets on Sink Road
07/04/04Idle ease on gravel lake near Lawton. 94th Street to 30th, S on 30th to 96yh Street, west on 96th to Idle ease
07/10/04SE corner of Knight and Wolf Road 2 miles E of MarcellusBLACK
05/02/05VeoniaPAIR, BLACK
11/25/05End of Teter Trail Street, just E of Five Points Road/Grange Street, Mason Township, Paw prints and kill carcass only
06/28/063 miles N of US 12 on Cassopolis Road
07/11/06N of Shavehead Lake Road on campground access trail, Tracks
09/07Scott H. saw cat in the backyard just inside pool fence and watched it jump the back corner fence a few miles southwest of the Redfield/Adamsville Road intersection.
10/07Redfield Road east of Edwardsburg. Cat crossed the road in front of driver about 1000 yards from Redfield/Adamsville Road intersection.
10/07Southeast corner of Redfield/Adamsville Road intersection standing in front of a farm gate in the early morning
10/10/071 mile West of US-12/M-40 intersectionBLACK
08/18/08Phelps Road about 5 miles north of Dowagiac. Large cat cross the road. Second sighting in this area
10/09/08Cougar chasing deer through the woods in wooded area between Decatur and Dowagiac
UnknownRedfield Road, Niles
UnknownBowhunter on Twin and Dewey Street near Dowagiac sees cougar running through woods chasing a deer


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