MICHIGAN CITIZENS for COUGAR RECOGNITION
MANISTEE County Sightings



09/11/01Tomsonville Road and Highway 669 by Copemish
10/01Observed by Art S. of Copemish
10/05/01T23NR13W17 Swamp Area next to Field
08/02Observed by Jim M. of Eastpoint
09/06/02Between 11 Mile Road/Portage Point Road
09/19/02S of 115 No f Kaleva on Healey Lake Road before Clover Road
09/28/02Huff Road area, by bridge, outside of Brethren, Seen many times in 3 yearsBLACK
09/29/02Less than .5 miles from Betsie River/Kurich/Dzuibanck Roads
10/03/02Highbridge Road next Road N is Chicago in Swamp Area
10/04/02W. Fox Farm Road and 1 1/4 miles W on Maple Road
07/13/03North of Copemish
08/25/03Filer Township on Foxfarm Road W of Maple Road 1/4 of a mile
09/03Observed by Jim S. of Grand Rapids
09/03Observed by Nancy M. of Thompsonville
11/15/03Copemish State land Swamp
11/16/03Manistee/Onekama Township, S border of Onekema, N border of Manistee on M-22
11/16/03 N on Yates Road to Plagany Road, N of Healy Forest Campground area
11/21/03Corner of M669 as it curves to M604 just a few miles W of Copemish
03/21/04W of Buttwell Road
04/04Observed by Elaine H. of Bear Lake
06/07/04Copemish S of M-115 near old gravel pits
11/05/04Copemish 1 mile S of M-115 on Yates Road near old gravel pits
2005Manistee, WOOD TV Forum participant reports seeing a female and two cubsKITTENS
09/17/05Road that leads to Orchard Beach State Park, Watched 10 minutes
06/25/06Buckley
07/0706Viaduct/Faylor Corner, Cleon Township, Copemish
09/27/06Manistee Main and 55
12/29/06Glovers Lake Road - Observed by Sarah T.PAIR
07/24/08South 1/4 mile off Highway 115 on Kurick Road heading east toward Betsie River
07/27/08Near Magoon Creek. Watched cub run into woods and mother stayed to watch. Observed at 80 feet away for about two minutesPAIR/CUB
07/29/08Norconk Road as it turns from pavement to gravel, wooded area. Animal ran in front of vehicle 30'


To view a sighting map from the former Kaleva Hardware store, click here


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