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| For years, Michigan residents in the Upper and Lower Peninsulas have observed cougars. While the big cats were originally thought extirpated in the early 1900s, author of "Beast of Never, Cat of God" Bob Butz, states that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources did not stop paying bounties for Michigan cougars until 1967. |
| The Michigan Wildlife Conservancy was the first concerted effort to research Michigan's cougars, spending hundreds of dollars for research, education, and recognition efforts. Citizens like Pam Benson, Manistee, and Dennis Payne, Rothbury, keep track of Michigan cougars. Ms. Benson posted a map at the Kaleva Hardware store and Dennis Payne posts a map at the Express Feed Store for people to mark sightings. Retired DNR Forester Mike Zuidema has collected reports of 975+ cougars in the Upper Pensinsula since 1981. |
| Even the DNR thinks Michigan has cougars. DNR Director Rebecca Humphries stated in February, 2005, to Woods-n-Water News, "We have been portrayed as not believing they are in the state. We do. We have a sighting log we keep and we encourage people to contribute to it, so clearly we believe there are cougars being sighted in Michigan. What we'd like to do is confirm there is a breeding population in Michigan, and we just haven't been able to do so. For years, there had been reports of cougars sightings in individual files of biologists in the field." But, the DNR is waiting for evidence of a breeding population in Michigan. |
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MICHIGAN COUNTIES WITH CONFIRMED COUGARS
ALCONA COUNTY CAT
1998 DNR E-Mail
