http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...METRO/701270374
Link from the Detroit News of 1/27/07 on mountain lions
Full Version: Mich Mountain Lions
I actually hunt in the area around sleeping bear dunes where there have been multiple cougar sightings. I personally have not seen any cougars or sign of them but more than one person has. It is funny how the national park service agrees there are cougars within this federal park however the DNR vehemently denies any such truths. Now that we actually have snow in Northern Michigan I plan on scouting out some areas to place trail cameras in hopes of catching a glimpse of one of these illusive animals.
I hope you can get some pics of not only cougars, but wolves.They've been delisted by the feds today. If you get the chance go to the Freep and read the comments from the readers on the articles. Truly some funny stuff.
It's about time they have delisted these critters. I deer hunt near the Seney National Wildlife refugee and there are a pack of wolves in there putting the hurt on the deer. I personally saw a wolf around Seney four years ago and another buddy saw one last year. It would be nice if we can start regulating them a bit.
Don't want to throw cold water on anything, 
but here are a couple things to think about regarding Michigan cougars. 
Having been one of those MDNR wildlife biologists and the one in charge of all wildlife management programs and regulations when I retired a couple years ago I can thell you the MDNR policy on cougars was simple. There is no evidence of a breeding population of cougars in the state. 
A couple other items to think about when looking at established populations of cougars.
1) At the time the eastern cougar became listed by the USFWS ( about 10-12 yrs ago) it was estimated there were 2000+ cougars in private ownership in Michigan.( yes, 2000 and most were in the southern 1/3 of the state) By law anyone who owned them needed to get a permit to keep them. Soome did many didn't.
2).There are a lot of sightings, and many are legitimate sightings of cougars.
3) None have been killed by cars on the highways.( possibly one)
4) None have been taken by coyote trappers
5) None have been put up a tree and photographed by the hundreds of bear hounds that cover the UP and Northern Michigan from July - Oct each year.
6) None have been shot or turned in during the November firearm deer season when 700,000+ deer hunters that are out in force.
7) At the same time other wildlife species of very limited numbers like bald eagles, moose, lynx, and wolves, are killed on the roads, killed during the hunting seasons ,and turn up in traps through out the year.
I am sure there are cougars in the state. Most likely transient animals from the west or escapees/ released animals. I for one have never doubted what peple see however, there is a big difference between transient animals or escapees and a natrally producing population. These cats move tremendous distances and it is not unreasonable that as the expanding cougar pops in the west grow, there may be more and more sightings in the UP of wild animals passing through.
Where they come from and survive in the populated part of the state is another question entirely. IMHO
but here are a couple things to think about regarding Michigan cougars. Having been one of those MDNR wildlife biologists and the one in charge of all wildlife management programs and regulations when I retired a couple years ago I can thell you the MDNR policy on cougars was simple. There is no evidence of a breeding population of cougars in the state. A couple other items to think about when looking at established populations of cougars.
1) At the time the eastern cougar became listed by the USFWS ( about 10-12 yrs ago) it was estimated there were 2000+ cougars in private ownership in Michigan.( yes, 2000 and most were in the southern 1/3 of the state) By law anyone who owned them needed to get a permit to keep them. Soome did many didn't.
2).There are a lot of sightings, and many are legitimate sightings of cougars.
3) None have been killed by cars on the highways.( possibly one)
4) None have been taken by coyote trappers
5) None have been put up a tree and photographed by the hundreds of bear hounds that cover the UP and Northern Michigan from July - Oct each year.
6) None have been shot or turned in during the November firearm deer season when 700,000+ deer hunters that are out in force.
7) At the same time other wildlife species of very limited numbers like bald eagles, moose, lynx, and wolves, are killed on the roads, killed during the hunting seasons ,and turn up in traps through out the year.
I am sure there are cougars in the state. Most likely transient animals from the west or escapees/ released animals. I for one have never doubted what peple see however, there is a big difference between transient animals or escapees and a natrally producing population. These cats move tremendous distances and it is not unreasonable that as the expanding cougar pops in the west grow, there may be more and more sightings in the UP of wild animals passing through.
Where they come from and survive in the populated part of the state is another question entirely. IMHO
Captive,
My properties on the west side of the state (big rapids) and theres a farmer a couple miles away who claims a couple of his livestock was killed by a cougar and it was wearing a collar. Does the MDNR trap and collar cougars in michigan?
p.s. Noone really beleived him until my neighbor who owns about 600 acres got a cougar on his trail camera and it didnt have a collar.
My properties on the west side of the state (big rapids) and theres a farmer a couple miles away who claims a couple of his livestock was killed by a cougar and it was wearing a collar. Does the MDNR trap and collar cougars in michigan?
p.s. Noone really beleived him until my neighbor who owns about 600 acres got a cougar on his trail camera and it didnt have a collar.
I for one believe that the cougars existing in the wilds of Michigan today have been released from captivity by former owners. I personally know of individuals who at one time had a cougar for a pet and no longer do because of the regulations. I don't know what they did with them but chances are they are on the lose and causing all of this speculation.
BT, I know for a fact the MDNR does not trap and collar cougars. If that one had a collar I would bet is one the owner of the cat put on the animal. OR, it could have been an animal from a western state that waltzed through the state. 
I know the local wildlife supervisor wrote a permit for a local farmer last year to kill a "wild feline", but did not think it was a cougar.I don't believe it has showed up again alive or dead.
I'd like to see the trail cam pic of the Michigan cougar your buddy got. Can you post it here? I don't think the DNR folks have seen a copy either. I can get it to the people in charge very easily, BUT I would like some type of verification of the time/date/exact location, and a person to contact.
If that one had a collar I would bet is one the owner of the cat put on the animal. OR, it could have been an animal from a western state that waltzed through the state. I know the local wildlife supervisor wrote a permit for a local farmer last year to kill a "wild feline", but did not think it was a cougar.I don't believe it has showed up again alive or dead.
I'd like to see the trail cam pic of the Michigan cougar your buddy got. Can you post it here? I don't think the DNR folks have seen a copy either. I can get it to the people in charge very easily, BUT I would like some type of verification of the time/date/exact location, and a person to contact.
Knowing politics to be a rather nasty place, don't believe anything about any DNR trapping and collaring any predator to "control" the deer herd in my opinion. If you've worked in any large corporation or government you'd soon think leaking anything and everything is the major occupation. It would be awful hard to hide something like that as the gossip would be too juicy to not pass along. And like a chain letter it would soon be all over the newspapers and internet. As I said, I've seen the same stories about releasing cougars and coyotes from other states on other boards. Usually the story adds we traded some deer or turkeys to get the predators. Like Captiveone says, it's probably a stray from out west or a freed pet. That said, I'd like to hunt a mountain lion out west someday soon. I've hunted elk and had some near misses on seeing them. One came down a trail we left not five minutes after we dropped a guy off...he said he wanted to change his underwear when we picked him later that morning.
Cap. what kind of charges would the DNR put apound someone if they shot one, or would the 3 S be in the best to use at that time.
Our hunting land is in the Hawkin area and a cat was seen back in the mid 90's, long before game cams where around. now we see lots of bears that we were told wouldn't make any differnts on the deer herd... BS when a bear is seen, no deer for several days. With all the wolfs in the UP I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they start to hitch rides accross the bridge looking for some tender on the holf lunches.
Our hunting land is in the Hawkin area and a cat was seen back in the mid 90's, long before game cams where around. now we see lots of bears that we were told wouldn't make any differnts on the deer herd... BS when a bear is seen, no deer for several days. With all the wolfs in the UP I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they start to hitch rides accross the bridge looking for some tender on the holf lunches.
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