GreatMich.com Fishing Report and More....

I'm not sure how reliable the source is, but I heard a story about a cougar.  There is a farmer north of the city of Midland that found one of his steer dead in a tree.  He also has pictures of it on a trail camera.  But this was about a month ago and no one that I know of had heard of it, and no one has ever seen the pictures of them.  But it wouldn't surprise me if there were cougars in the Upper Peninsula.  There is a lot of uninhabited land that isn't watched in the mountains.  There is a website devoted to the siting of cougars that is worth checking out.  www.michigancougar.com

Fin Chaser the web site you posted has the pictures of the cougar that was sighted at sleeping bear dunes on 09/07/2009. If that is not a cougar I don't know what it is. I saved the pictures to my computer and expanded them although none are really clear pictures they all look to be a cougar. I have found several other pictures supposed to have been taken in Michigan that do not appear to be bobcats or coyotes. Illinois claims to not have cougars even after three were photographed several times by a trail cam and one was shot by police in Chicago. I have seen coyotes go across the ice in the winter I imagine it would not be difficult for wolves and cougars to do the same.

I know of a guy near Gobles, MI that supposedly has pictures of a cougar from 2 years ago when he was sitting in his deer blind.  I have not seen the pictures, but I have absolutely no reason to not believe this guy.  He has nothing to gain by lying to me.  I believe they are here.

Keep the MI cougar story quiet - as long as they don't exist then nobody cares if I shoot a couple! I know of one that was spotted in Ogemaw County and I also know one of the cops that was in on the shooting in Chicago - he said the cougar was seen in a tree next to a grade school - little chubby Timmy makes a good kitty snack. BTW look up Rodgers Park in Chicago where the cougar was killed - this kitty was slummin in a crowded city area - nothing but buildings, alleys and streets - not much in the way of parks or such for kitty to be - kitty did not care - hell there is even a picutre of the kitty sneaking behind one of Chicago's finest tubby coppers - they finally pinned the kitty in a back alley with a wall and no escape

Soon all the kitty's and med and large doggies (aka coyotes and wolves) will be munchin on the two leggers in the cities and then all of a sudden they might need hunters again - just read a story today about some Canada girl got mauled and killed by coyotes - time to put em all back a bit closer to extinction

I am not saying there cant be cougars in michigan but every time there is HARD evidence of a cougar,(ie) trail cams, dnr pics, or anything like that it turns out to be a fake. The fed park service will not say for sure there are cougars in the park so I doubt they have a picture of one and the last email that was going around from manton mi. with a cougar had a new mexico DNR officer in it, Another one had a cat jumping on a mule deer.  So I guess what I am trying to say is if you want to believe something enough you can almost make it real.

Happy hunting

Capt Dave

A few years ago I went fishing in the thumb and we were driving around all the farmlands and came up on a dead cougar lying on the side of the road.  It was hit, and it defiantly was a cougar.

Shoot to wound! Shoot, Shovel, Shut UP!! Shoot and Kill then walk away never to return!!!!If I shot one I would not even tell my wife. I know they are here it is the reason I do not unload my firearm until I am back at my vehicle. At my UP hunting spot I walk a mile in total darkness through a cedar swamp full of wolves, bear, and possibly cougars. The DNR (idiots from Lansing) want me to carry an unloaded firearm.

I'm not sure if I agree with your thoughts steeliebob.  Has anyone in Michigan ever came back with a statement that they were attacked by a cougar?  I would say if there haven't been any reports of someone being attacked by one then there is no reason to shoot one just because you can.  I would agree if you shot one out of self-defense, but I'm not sure what exactly you're getting at.  And it seems that there is enough evidence that there are cougars in Michigan, whether or not the DNR wants to admit to it.  But if there are, thats just one more reason that makes this state great!

Fin Chaser, you must be from the lower penninsula which is fine. Predators are fine as long as they live in the UPPER PENNINSULA because NOBODY wants them in the LOWER PENNINSULA including the DNR. We have to live in harmony with the wolves up here because the DNR says that we have to.The DNR has huge fines for shooting wolves which I guess it deters some people from killing them. I wish the DNR would transplant about 200 wolves to the lower penninsula to prove my point. I have had a couple of occasions to see wolves when I have been deer hunting and I did not shoot at them. I see wolves quite often when I am ice fishing, they look at you like you are lunch. Not an easy feeling when you do not have a firearm. I would rather not see a cougar when I am ice fishing. If I ever see one ice fishing I will not go back without a firearm

Bob seriously he never said fuckall about wolves and your going on like he did. If your so scared carry a pistol its perfectly legal to carry a pistol in plain sight with no ccw permit, or do you intend to go Rambo on the next wolf "cougar", or annoying squirrel that comes at you and start shooting that rifle from the hip in the dark. I swear sometimes some of the shit I read I think to myself "if he had a brain he would take it out and play with it".

I would guess that I have a reason to be concerned about cougars. It is just another non game species that the DNR will eventually spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of hunting & fishing license money trying to study and protect. How much money do you think the DNR spends on the wolf program? Okay now double it once the DNR admits cougars are in Michigan they will be spending money on them. I spend countless hours fishing brown trout salmon & steelhead every year in the dark. I for one know that on most nights you can see clearly from 50 to 100 feet once your eyes adjust. I would say that a person who chooses to fish in limited light would sometimes wonder if a cougar, wolf, bear or other predator may have sized them up at one time or another. I might add that at the price of ammo I do not shoot at annoying squirrels. More often than not when I pull the trigger my aim is true. I will add that I have very good reasons to fish in the darkness.

Just watched 9&10 news where they said the sighting is confirmed and get this they said the dnr said there has ben cougars in michigan for two years but this is the first confirmed cougar in the eastern U.P.  They  claimed they think the cougars are migrating from dakota. I still believe these are pets that got too big for there owners to handle. If you go on 9&10 s web site they might have it up by now for all the details it aired at 6 pm today.

In the past 20 years some of the western states have eliminated or changed cougar hunting which has caused the western population to increase so they have been on the move relocating east. Now that they are in Michigan I believe that the DNR is going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars tracking and protecting them. Another deer eating machine in the UP, I am sure that they will only prey on the sick and weak ones just like the wolves do. I am aware that there has been quite a few sightings in the lower penninsula too. I saw the news article and I believe the DNR when they say the population is too small to breed but back about 1988 they said that about the wolves too. I can only hope that someday the DNR will realize who pays their wages. Lots of the local hunters from my area in the UP are now hunting in Canada because the deer just are not here anymore. I have been fishing  on the Carp River for three months now and have not seen one deer this fall. When there are no deer left what are the large predators going to feast on?

I was hunting early bow season in the Traverse City area in 2006--I was in a very secluded swamp area near Bunker Hill Rd. (Traverse City East side)--I was experimenting with a new doe bleat call and making some pretty bad sounds--A large cat walked to to within 40 yards - sat down and watched me-- It was Brown, did not resemble a bobcat and had a long tail--I do not hunt there anymore!

Jim C. 

About these cougars.  They have been around for a long time in both upper and lower michigan.  I have never known how they have managed to arrive in this state.  Does anyone have any theories?  There has been several sightings in the upper peninsula  in the last two weeks.  Most recently in the areas of Detour, Barbeau, Pickford, Brimley.  I saw one near Rudyard a few years ago.  A friend of mine has seen a total of five.  The front page of the Newberry News has a color picture of one from a scouting camera.  The Evening News published a picture also I think.  Also probably no one will believe me, but I have seen wolverines here in the eastern U.P.

I just read an article about a massive winter track survey by the DNR Michigan conducted in 2004 and it was recorded that there is no evidence of cougar(s) in michigans upper peninsula at this time.  Also, I reported the sighting of a cougar at the intersection of M48 and Centerline Road near Rudyard, MI, but the DNR responded by saying they don't record any sightings of cougars and only wolves.  I guess the DNR doesn't believe in actual accounts regarding cougars from private individuals.I would think the DNR would have an extreme interest of the predators in our environment that could endanger our wildlife and possibly our pets, childtren, livestock, and inhabitants of a community. 

With deer numbers way down in the UP and the wolf population way up plus throw in a few cougars and coyotes some bears and bobcats. It is only a matter of time before we have a year round season on predators. Sooner or later one of these critters will attack a human and that is all it will take. Not to mention the people who pay dearly for prime hunting land who are not seeing deer but have seen plenty of wolves. Just like the Asian Carp in the great lakes sooner or later these critters will find their way into the lower penninsula where even the DNR does not want them. When they get established in the lower penninsula they won't be so protected anymore. Believe me there is not a deer hunter in the UP who has any respect for cougars and wolves. Shoot one of these critters and it will get the DNR's attention. If it eats your prize hunting dog they will blame it on the coyotes.

READING SOME MORE FACTS ABOUT COUGERS.  COUGARS HAVE TWO TO THREE KITTENS EVERY TWO YEARS AND REALLY WHAT OTHER PREDATOR WILL MESS WITH THEM.  I IMAGINE THE MOTHER COUGAR IS GOING TO PROTECT THE KITTENS UNTIL THEY ARE YOUNG ADULTS AND CAN FEND FOR THIER SELF.  WOLVES PROBABLY WONT BOTHER THEM AS THEY ARE NOT PART OF THIER DIET.  A WOLF IS A CAUTIOUS ANIMAL AND WILL TAKE NO CHANCES OF GETTING HURT OR RISK BEING KILLED. 

IF YOU ARE HUNTING IN THE EUP OF MICHIGAN, THE DEER ARE NOT HERE.  WE HAVE ALOT OF WOLVES AND COUGARS IN THE  AREA.  YOU WILL SEE NOT MANY DEER.  MENOMINEE CO. HAS LOTS OF DEER OVER THERE.  A LONG WAY TO DRIVE BUT YOU CAN GET A DEER ON PRIVATE LAND FAIRLY EASILY. 15 DOLLARS FOR DOE PERMIT AND PERMISSION FROM LANDOWNER OF COURSE

I HAVENT SEEN HARDLY A DEER ALONG THE HIGHWAYS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.  I DRIVE 78 MILES TO WORK ON M28 AND 78 MILES BACK HOME EVERY WORK DAY.  I DONT SEE MANY CAR DEER ACCIDENTS.  SINCE HUNTING SEASON BEGAN I HAVENT SEEN A DEAD  DEER ON A CAR OR AN ALIVE DEER AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.   THERE ARE NO GUNSHOTS TO BE HEARD LIKE YEARS AGO.  ONE DEER WAS WEIGHED IN AT PICKFORD FEED SERVICE SCALE AT 130 LBS. DRESSED WT. AND THAT WAS IT.   THIS IS PRETTY SAD FOR THE UPPER PENINSULA.  THERE HAS TO BE A DIFFERENT STRATEGY WITH THE DNR PROGRAM FOR DEER HUNTING. 

I was driving to NEWBERRY this morning at 630 am at STRONGS CORNERS and a couger ran across M28 in front of the car.

It was running at full speed.  Not a large cat.  The DNR is not interestested in a report.  They want evidence and the ground was frozen so no tracks to look at.  This is number 2 cougar I have seen.  I Am not going to tell about this because the DNR has no concern if evidence is not available.  So I letting this site know about it.  I can see how they  (cougars)   can get deer  is

therre speed is way faster than any animal out there.  It is the speed of a CHEETAH in AFRICA from what I saw.   If a hunter is in the woods there will be no chance of escaping this animal if it is going to attack you. 

Thanks for reporting the cougar sighting here. For the deer sake I hope someone got him during deer season. I have read all of the dnr reports on cougars and wolves. The dnr makes them sound like house cats and dogs. I have visited loads of websites and read articles on both. Both species have and will continue to attack humans and kill them. Three of four wolves can kill a 1400 pound moose with ease. Now that deer ( their natural prey) numbers are way down, do you feel safe in the woods???? I am on the river fishing (no gun) 2 or 3 hours before daylight lots of times. Every branch that breaks behind me sets off the alarm man. I honestly think that it is only a matter of time before one of these critters attacks a human. When that happens every yooper will have loaded guns in their pick ups.

yer an ignorant fucker I would like to put you closer to extinction!

my friend pete was deer hunting near lake city (lp) 4 years ago and saw a 140 pound cougar at 30 yards he put his blind on stilts and hasnt seen that cougar since.When is the last time that you have heard of a cougar killing a human?150 years ago! I guarantee you they are far more afraid of us than we are of them.I am an outdoorsman and I have explored the up and the lp,I have never personally seen a cougar, I have seen a wolf and many cyotes, they scurried in fear!Most people who seek the annhialation of the wolf/cougar simply want an easier task of wiping out the whitetail deer themselves!most often when an outdoorsmen? proclaims we need to eradicate the cougar/wolf/bobcat/coyote they are only serving their only selfish needs to kill the b iggest and largest quanity of whitetail deer that a deercamp LEGALLY can! I live in Saginaw, not exactly the outdoors capital of the world, but I do release 5 pound walleyes, steer away from bald eagles high in a tree, slow down for squirrels on the road and feed the rabbits. Maybe its time to put all of our personal agendas aside and just let mother nature be? Wolves cougar coyotes bears are all indigenous of our great and very beautiful state, they were here before us, who are we to determine who should stay and who should go? Technically, they were here first,i dont think its our business. As for saying that deer hunting season greatly affects the economy of the up, I totally agree, but, I live in saginaw which is greatly affected by gm, gm is pretty much gone now but we continue on, maybe it is time for the up to find something to ignite its economy that does not involve the killing of all of its natural resources.When i come to the up i cant help but smile, the absolute joy I get from  just being up there is immeasurable.I will continue my trips to the up for the rest of my life, I cant help myself, from the big mac to bonanza falls, my heart will always be in da up. I hope that people can look inside themselves and always see the cougar and the wolf, two majestic, proud predators of the great lake state forever in michigans wild outdoors.

captainofthelatis,

I agree with you 100%.

I have been reading these posts for quite a while, and am amazed at the ignorance of some of these people. These people act like their lives are constantly at risk every time they go in the woods. It's ignorant, and funny at the same time. I would imagine they'd have a much better chance of being attacked by a bear than a wolf or couger. I grew up in the eup. I have hunted, fished, and hiked in those woods many times and never fealt in danger. I also lived in colorado, where couger are a lot more prevelant than here in mi and for the 4 years i was there i never heard of an attack on a human. Does it happen, yes, but not as frequently as these people want to believe it does. It's like you said, they are more afraid of us than we are of them. Also, from everything I've been reading from sensible people, the deer herd suffered from 2 harsh winters in a row and high mortality from that is the main reason for low dear numbers, not wolves and cougers lol. I, like you would be happy if people let nature do it's thing, instead of always trying to play God. Wolves and cougars like you say, are native to mi. People wiped them out for selfish reasons. Now they are coming back, and these uneducated fools want to wipe them out again, for selfish reasons. Get over it people, these animals are here to stay, because things are different now. Shoot a wolf, and you'll pay a heavy price lol. By the way people, cougar are protected too. There aren't many people who shoot a protected animal in mi and get away with it. Someone almost always reports it.

I moved to the EUP from Saginaw 20 years ago because of the opportunities the EUP offered. I enjoy the hunting and fishing up here along with the wildlife that you will never see in the Saginaw area. Just to set the record straight I do not carry a firearm every time that I step into the woods. I hunted a grand total of five days this year, shot one deer and let two go, both bucks. Of the five days hunted three were in the lower penninsula where I saw deer and two were in the UP where I saw no deer. There are many reasons why the deer population is down in the upper penninsula predators are just one of them. I was in the deer yards this past spring and saw plenty of healthy looking deer so I do not believe that the hard winters were a factor. Coyotes probably kill more deer each year than wolves or cougars do and you can legally shoot them. The coyote numbers are way up in both the upper and lower penninsula. I believe in the next year or two mother nature will swing the other way and desease or social pressure will kill off some of the predators.

yes. there  are cougars out there. i have seen two cougars. one at rudyard area and one recently at stromgs corners. sightings at other places, like barbeau and pickford. they are hunting the deer. what else? wolves? i don't think so. 

To set the record straight I buy hunting and fishing licenses every year and I hunt and fish according to the DNR rule books. There are a certain number of protected animals and fish out there, I leave them alone. I have seen a couple of wolves while deer hunting in the past and I did not shoot at them. The fines are way too high if you get caught and killing one of these animals is not going to effect the population. Think about it I spend way too many hours scouting for a decent deer hunting spot. What would I do if I had a dead wolf back there??? I know that I would never go back hunting there again. I guess that all the scouting I did was a waste then. I have seen enough wolves to know that if you leave them alone they will just walk away. I have not seen one run yet, they are not like a deer they have no predators to fear. People who shoot at the wolves and get caught are victims of their own stupidity in my opinion. Many of the UP residents do not have a great respect for wolves so I don't think that they will line up to turn their hunting partner in for a $5000 reward. Most of the residents of the UP are like myself and just leave them alone. Yes deer hunters kill probably about 20 wolves every deer season in the UP and it has not changed the population count at all. So guys you are probably better off to leave them alone than to take that chance.

well randall,

they arrived in this state by migrating from neighboring states, or they were never fully eradicated to begin with. That's right randall, cougars used to be in michigan a long time ago, before people tried (probably successfully) to elliminate them. See, they were here before because they are comfortable in the habitat here. The last know one here was killed somewhere around 1910 in the Newberry area. So you see, this is not some animal that doesn't belong. Mother nature had it here to begin with, and it apparently is slowly making it's way back. You should really read up about cougars if you are so worried about them. Get the facts because without it you sound kind of stupid. Just so you know, I grew up in the eup and have hunted many times in rudyard, pickford, and brimley. My family spends a lot of time camping every year in some of those places. I am not the least bit concerned about a wolf or cougar attacking us. It really isn't that common. Honestly, I am more worried about suprising a bear myself.

steeliebob,

i'm glad you hunt by the rules. i seem to remember a previous post of yours mentioning "shoot, shovel, and shutup" but whatever. Strange stuff coming from a business man, but as long as you really hunt by the rules i guess. Also, trust me on this one. $5000 is a lot of money for most people in the U.P. I bet a lot would be tempted by that kind of dough.

Not trying to fight with you bob. seems like you have strong feelings about these animals, just as i do.

I'm not to worried of attacks on hunters.  The deer are are going to be the targets of the wolves and the cougars.

Maybe I miswrote my comment incorrectly. Sorry about this. 

AS far as people visiting deer yards this last winter and seeing healthy deer I am 100% sure this is true. The herd was doing just fine towards the end of winter. It was when the spring thaw did not happen that was hell on the herd. I've talked to many people who had snow still into early may when the fawns are about ready to drop. It was the extended winter and the late green up that hurt the most. As for controlling the wolves and cougers I will leave that to the people that live with them in their backyards and not to the people who live in their towns and apartments who have no worries for the safety of their children playing outside in their own backyards. I too would be more worried about running into a bad tempered bear or a sow with cubs than a wolf or a couger.

Remember, shoot, shovel, and shut the fu!?!?!@< k up.  There are no cougars in michigan!!

I have been too close for comfort several times with bears in the woods, always armed with my trusty 9 foot steelhead rod and nothing else. I see wolves throughout the winter armed only with a couple of tip ups and an ice auger. I have seen a couger but I was in my vehicle at the time. If I was afraid of them I sure would not be going out on the rivers and streams fishing all night long armed only with a flashlight now would I? One of my favorite fishing spots is only a few miles from where the cougar was photographed. I will still go back there fishing. I realize that these animals are federally protected which means that mabey our DNR should back off a little. In other words let the USFWS babysit the federally protected critters and not the state of Michigan. I buy a hunting license so my money and others can go to preserve the future of hunting in Michigan. It seems like every year a bigger chunk of that money is going to the non game wildlife fund.