having lived in the up my entire life i 've only witnessed one cougar i think we have a small population maybe transient population of cougar as i understand that cougar can be very mobile when seeking to establish territory of their own what ever the case i do not think we will be seeing vast numbers of cougar given that so many people have moved in to the up the habitat they prefer is going to be in short supply

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10371_10402-225573--,00.html

FOX UP broke this story. Thus, they apparently were the first involved. It's been nearly 2 weeks. They should have learned a little something more by now. So, yes, I'd expect a follow up given the POTENTIAL significance of this event.
So back at you Doggy Bag - assigning a reporter to a story, making a few calls, doing a bit of digging; that's what reporters often do - and that's how news outlets present news (and sell advertising).

You want Fox U.P. to pay money for scientists to find proof for or against this photo? Or you think they already have someone on staff who is an expert? Come on. Get real. This is the DNR's job. It's why I pay useful taxes.

FOX UP, you certainly appear to be dropping the ball. What's the hold up? Isn't it time to present the rest of the story?
Thanks to a very active Michigan organization, we have heard a ton of this mountain lion CRAP over about the past decade, yet WITHOUT A SHRED of reasonable or tangible evidence.
FINALLY, there is a trail camera photograph of mountain lion. Or is there? Informed local Yoopers say there is no question the location is in Michigan. So, is this then the first photographic record of a truly wild disperser from the nation's west, as has occurred in other nearby Midwestern states during the past 5 years. If so, this story is HUGE! Or is this just a picture of a released or escaped captive lion? Or was the image photoshopped? Or is there some other explanation? What's up, FOX UP?

It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Unfortunately, half the people that post here sound so blooming illiterate; the story itself looses most of its potential credibility.

Myself seen dem kats a kuple times out da woods dere. Dudder year or 2 uh-go 1 dem krost in frunt uh me on da Seenie strech! So, I seen what I saw and dem darn DNRz can’t tell me no nuttin I don’t knoz!

I really wish NMU would re-establish their writing proficiency exam as a requirement for graduation. Wah! There are teachers out there that misuse ‘myself’. And Yoopers have a tendency to ‘bring’ everything everywhere. What happened to ‘take’. If you bring everything everywhere how can you take anything anywhere? The rule is simple…bring ‘from’…take ‘to’!

I feel sorry for children who grow up in households where everything they hear is ‘seen’ and ‘them’. I seen a cougar out at camp. Them cougars are big animals.

C’mon man! No wonder people think we’re hicks. And don’t tell me there ain’t no difference. Youse either represent yourself as a dolt or you don’t. These here computers actually have a spelling/grammar checker that ijits can use. Of course, it does help if you can spell at a level above that of a third grader.

Class over! Carry on!

Out side of Houghton where I live there is 2 cougars living in the area, 1 black and 1 redish color. Many of my neighbers have seen both and my wife has seen the black one recently. I have noticed a drop in the deer population around here, no not due entirely to the cougars but they aren't helping it either. They DNR doesn't officially recognize they are here but read the hunting guide and it does state that it is illegal to shoot cougars in Michigan. My question is how can it be illegal to shoot an animal that doesn't exist?

Cit X. your question about how do they come up with numbers? Well since we will never "see" all of the cunning, wild animals who survive by blending in, you have to work on methods and models. One good method is to walk the woods and look for kills, homes, tracks, or putting listening posts in the area to hear or see one animal.

Depending on the number of tracks, markings, and dens in a 10 square mile radius you can equate that with the number of nearby readings. This is how they get the deer population numbers, and hunter's kills every year.

If you are concerned with government costs, the variable each year changes, like weather, or other animals (for instance an increase in bear does not create less deer, but it will move some of the numbers around).

The experts are there every year working on whether or not their "estimates" are really accurate. These are scientists, they only assume as much as they are proven right.

The acceptance of a cougar in the mix will throw some numbers and methods off for that area. This is being done with the wolf data this year.

But just because the sighting of one cougar, or one in different locations, does not make a population. If the cat can live for 20-30 years, but only solitary, there wouldn't be a need to examine the number changes. So without cubs, there is no need for the state government to change their methods or estimates. They are still better than if we paid 20,000 students to walk each square mile of our great state.

Chippewa county must have been alot warmer than us with all of that green grass.

That picure was taken at the San Diego Zoo.

Young lady just got killed by coyotes. But the authorities say don't worry won't happen again.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33509516/ns/world_news-americas

Experts? If there were so many experts around, how come nobody ever has solid statistics about anything? The experts you refer to, are the same people who deny problems until it is too late to do anything about them. It has happened with lakes and land management many times over the years. Personally, I dont believe half of what these people report. Their research is flawed at best, and they dont do enough field work to be accurate. Flying over the land with a helicopter and counting animals in a square mile, then using math isnt accurate. Who came up with these ideas? Where did they get the source information to come up with accuracy? Anyone can go and read reports and see the results of studies. How do we know that these reports arent just guesses? Maybe the people responsible for the information never left their warm office. Any time there is politics involved, the truth of results should be questioned. The fact that the DNR refuses to acknowledge the presence of certain animals in this state when there is evidence to the contrary should be enough to question the experts. How much of an expert does someone need to be to figure out if what they are seeing is in fact what they are seeing? You offer the idea that people dont know because they arent experts. Either way, you have your opinion, and I have mine. Read it off a paper, or witness it with your eyes in reality. Pretty simple to see which would be more accurate.

The fact is Citizen X you care what people think more than anybody, thats why you devote much of your time to expressing your opinion on here as opposed to trying to gain knowledge of things you don't understand. Just imagine for a minute how much information is out there and how little you actually know. thats why there are experts in different fields to make EDUCATED decisions.

I wonder if a .357 Magnum would be enought to knock one of these cats down?

Thats a great pic but for some reason the wis dnr doesnt belive there is any big cats down here, even with proof on a deer cam still they dont admit it.

Despite the improbability of such a circumstance, FOX UP reported that a trail camera had recently captured a photograph of a cougar in Chippewa County. Of course, the only evidence that you presented was that blurb about a conversation with the owner of the trail camera, and the notion that you had received that image via forwarded email (just like all the other cougar-hoax emails that are floating around). I have a bet going as to whether this particular hoax is the result of a transplanted photo from a state where cougars actually occur, or just another photoshop-type stunt. Given that it has been a few days, a reporter at FOX UP should have ferreted out this information by now. When will UP readers get the REST OF THE STORY?

Nice change in rhetoric. The idea that you folks would admit that there is danger is simply amazing. It is a far cry from the typical responses about how we should be happy to be eaten by wildlife if it needs us to live. You people are pretty simple. "devoid of facts" is a great line, but i have posted statistics more than once already. "people might take you seriousy" ... Well, I really dont care how anyone views my opinions. It isnt important to me whether some folks like what I say, as if you disagree with me, chances are we wouldnt get along anyway..haha. You all crack me up though. Oh, and it isnt name calling if the name fits. An extremist is an extremist. If someone defends their stance with extremist opinion, should they be called a moderate thinking person? Funny how it all started when i questioned the DNR facts as inaccurate (as it pertained to wolf population and the possibility of controls being needed). Every wolf lover in the UP called me a blood thirsty animal killer from then on, and reads every post dealing with this like i am calling for complete extermination of the predetors in the system. All i am saying is, keep protecting them and they will have no fear of humans. You all can take it for what it is worth, or twist it into an "X vs. the hippies" debate. Either way...I am like jimmy crack corn...I dont care...haha.

i think any normal person with common sense realizes that wolves, cougars, mountain lions, bears, zebras, goats, 3-toed sloths, snakes, raccoons, etc can all be dangerous and can all potentially attack a human. it seems you're of the opinion that we should kill all the animals in the U.P. because they are "dangerous" and will 'attack" someone. last time i checked, animals move and migrate and walk around and eat and poop. saying things like "do we need them here no" shows how thick-headed you are. and trying to make yourself look smart by calling others names is pretty laughable. humans eat animals, animals attack and eat humans. has been forever and will be forever. get a life my friend.

Nice rant..again devoid of facts as usual. Do wolves and cougars present a risk to humans? Sure, but it is a very, very small risk. Wolves have been present in Minn in far greater numbers than they are here for many years - I don't always keep up on the news, but I'm sure I'd of heard about all the kids there being eaten while waiting for the bus. But then again, most of your posts on any subject employ fear over facts, so at least you're consistent - though you are no more based in reality than those so-called "animal rights freaks" you rail against. Why no fear-mongering from you about the animal in the UP that poses BY FAR the greatest risk to our lives? (That would be the white-tailed deer). Please keep the comedy coming.

Citizen "x" whatever.-
If you cut down on the abusive name calling, more people might take your posts seriously. TV6, are you really moderating violators of your posting policy on this forum?

We'll see how smart you think you are when someone gets mauled by one of these animals. You can respond back with your usual "these animals have more rights to be here than humans" and "wolves will never attack a human". That is a good response for cats like you. In reality large predetory animals have been known to attack humans, and do so often enough that it makes the news around the world. Instead of taking an attitude like the one you have, why not be open to the possibility that this may one day happen here in the UP? Admitting that these animals are dangerous doesnt mean you condone the extermination of the animals. It just means that you arent so stupid to believe that no danger exists.... Wrap your head around some reality, and stop living in the bong filled haze you wander around in. You might be surprised how many people are willing to have reasonable debate if animal rights freaks extend a hand, instead of making excuses and playing down reality.... X

How come every time a question about cougars in the UP comes up someone has to say the DNR wont admit they're here? They confirmed their existance in Michigan in 2004. They even admit so on their site. Here's a link.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_43573-153232--,00.html

For how many so-called reporters there are that post on this site there certainly are a lot of you who don't know how to do any background checking first.

All this concern over one picture has intrigued me. I looked up some statistics and found a website by Tom Chester who co-authored a book on mountain lions and attacks . According to him there have been a total of 73 attacks in all of Canada and the US between 1991 and 2001. That is an average of 5.6 a year. To put that into perspective... "This means that your car or someone else's car is ~2,000 times more likely to kill you than is a mountain lion" and "your family dog or your neighbor's dog is ten times more likely to kill you than is a mountain lion"

I think everyone needs to calm down and leave the animal alone. I think it is good that the population is reaching healthier numbers, and re-establishing themselves in their natural habitat. Humans are perfectly capable of cohabiting with all of nature if we just educate ourselves, be reasonable, and have a little respect.

http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=108185

If they trap the cougar they will know for sure- no guess work-

Look at how big and 'filled-out' that cat is. Doesn't look like it's missed a meal in a while.

Someone posted a comment below about the "black cat" sighting on top of Quincy hill about 20 years ago. I'm sure it's plausible, my Grandmother sighted a very large black cat one night off their porch at their camp between Eagle River and Eage Harbor. Wish she was still alive tell me more. Was probably 30 years ago.

I guess all those wolves have some competition at the school bus stops now, huh?

I hope it is a hoax. Look up other states with these animals and the issues that happen in those places. I hope that if there is any of them up here that they quietly disappear never to be seen again. Very dangerous, worse than wolves.........

Hoax or not that is definitely a gorgeous animal. As for the person that asks "Why don't they trap it?" ... why would they? What would be the point?

I think that it is a hoax- Why dont they trap it?

Guy from Princeton,
what pixels and shadows you talking about to come to the conclusion the pic is "photoshopped"???? If it was taken with a relatively low res cam, at night, yeah, there's going to be a ton of pixel artifacts.
I say great looking cat and I hope to see one from a safe distance up here one day.

My commentary was simply a jab at some of the folks around who think animals should come before humans (except themselves of course). If you think for a second that i dont know how things work in the world, you are as ignorant as you claim I am. :-) Either way, I can see why the DNR doesnt want to jump on the bandwagon with this. Imagine having to deal with fanatics and red tape over a few cougars. Thanks for the ecolology lesson though. I sher wuz stoopid befour ewe telled me aboot hows thangs werks.... hahaha... X

isnt this the same picture that was on here about 6 months ago that was taken somewhere on the "seney stretch" when it was actually taken out west somewhere? I do know there are cougars up here but i think this pic isnt one of our UP cougars.

I , too, have seen a cougar in the Little Lake area. There have been many sightings in the U.P. INO, there is no doubt they exist. Why do so many people want or need the DNR to confirm it? Would it really matter?

It's just the basics of journalism that you verify the facts of a story before reporting it. TV 6 apparently did not do that in this case, they just took someone's word for it and reported it as fact. Guess I'm just surprised/disappointed, since they usually do a better job, in my opinion. Now, how am I supposed to trust that their stories are legit in the future? This story would have been much better had they said the picture was *allegedly* taken in the UP, but that the DNR is still trying to verify it, and that email hoaxes about cougar sightings in the UP are unfortunately very common. To DW: It would be very cool to have this photo officially verified. Why hasn't the DNR been able to verify it with you?

It's photoshopped, I can tell because of the pixels and shadows. I have seen quite a few 'shops' in my life.

Ok i Agree with Pa leeze form MQT. TV6 should send a reporter out to D, W's spot and take a pick right were that one was taken. It would be very esay to tell that yes that was the spot... right? Bring Buck Lavassar out there he knows his way around the woods and will be shure not to mess up your hunting in anyway.

Who cares if cougars are here? Not me. Have they attacked anyone? No. Apparently the U.P. is being flooded by cougars, apparently everyone in TV6's viewership has seen a cougar, yet no one has ever gotten a *legit* picture of one. Wow, we much all panic! (hope your sarcasm detectors are on!)

The same people who are writing in fear about cougars are probably the same bunch who panic about wolves, bears, and every other animal out there. I stand a better chance of getting hit by irresponsible driver than being attacked by one of these animals, and I say that because I almost got hit twice this morning by the same idiot who decided it was necessary to drive 60+ mph down my residential street (wish I could say I am exaggerating, but I am not).

Cougars are here? Big deal. I didn't realize they were banned in the wild U.P.

The photo is real and WLUC contacted myself to see if they could use it. I agreed with the stipulation that our names not be used.

I know there is alot of doubter's out here,I have seen a couple couger myself and this guy could help prove they are here.It is quite simple if he did capture the picture in the U.P. the image will be saved in his game camera,just let the folk's at the d.n.r. down load the picture's this should help prove the nay sayer's wrong.

How did TV6 do anything wrong? I didn't read anything where TV6 was claiming there are cougars in the U.P.. They presented the picture and the story. Nothing more. Leaving your insults, uncalled for.

I've seen a few cougar prints here and there. Waiting for one of them to catch some citizen x's and boost the UP gene pool a little bit. Must be a shame living in cowardice of everything for one's whole life.

I personally don't find this picture too much to get worked up over. TV6 admitted they weren't even the first place to be sent the image, it had to be forwarded around a little bit. That reads to me like it's more of scam. Not saying their aren't cougars in the UP--I'm sure there might be two--but I'm more entertained by all these fools who are so quick to pounce on a picture and believe it's fact like last week when someone posted a picture on TV6 and claimed it was a UFO. Good job, Yoopers.

My brother in law saw a couger a few years back In ishpeming. He was driving his truck and he and a friend noticed a big cat up ahead and it jumped the whole road it was like 20 feet across. There definately here.

Many years ago when living on the old 553 in Gwinn I picked up a cougar in my highlights as I approached my driveway. It was dusk and as I turned in I saw a herd of deer running across my yard with the cougar behind them. The next morning I called the DNR who as good as laughed at me because I did not have a cast.
About a week later I saw it again on the old railway tracks towards Swansea.

This is irresponsible reporting at best. To do a story about a forwarded email you received and just take somebody's word for it that it is true? Where is the evidence? Did the reporter go out to that site and verify it's the same as in the picture? Did they actually get the game camera footage from the anonymous person? No. How many of us have gotten these forwarded emails before of a supposed cougar sighting that really came from someone's land out West? The DNR has found evidence of cougars in the UP in recent years and they don't deny it -- that's not the issue. The problem is that TV 6 has ignored all of the basics of Journalism 101 by reporting as fact what at this point amounts to nothing but a rumor and probably another email hoax. Next time do your homework, TV 6!

Not only did I see a cougar on July 31, 2009 outside of Chassell, but I WATCHED it over a period of 15-20 seconds walk slowly across a field. It was a cougar, no doubt.

"Dead bodies" SORT OF SAY ... meaning pictures, tracks and attacks! and no, I was not talking about beer drinking lazy hunters. Real hunters who walk these woods of the UP! Also, there ARE foot molds. Taken behind my old high school, in fact. Two elder women were walking the trails behind the high school and the whole time a large "kitty" was following them the whole way. MY POINT IS: IT'S TIME FOR THE DNR TO STOP DENYING THEIR EXISTENCE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT! They are here.. they HAVE been here.. no beer involved.

It's sad that the only way the DNR will ever admit that they're here is going to be after some child becomes a target to one.

Sorry, operator error wasn't done with Part 1. After Sam startled the Cougar on the south side of trail #8 Beauyan (Bean) Lake side; I saw the cougar leap out of the swamp and Sam (black lab mix) was in chase. The cougar jumped up the nearest Tamarack tree in the swamp near Bean Lake. It was 100% cougar. The cougar leapt aprox. 10ft up the tree while Sam barked from the bottom. I stayed aprox. 20-25 yards on the trail while calling Sam back. I did not think the dog would come back alive. By a miracle of God the Dog came back; put her on the line and we walked backwards towards to the east while the cougar stayed in the tree. Once I felt safe I turned then looked back at the tree; and it had vanished quietly into the bush. The cougar I saw was a beautiful athletic machine. I have been all over God's world while serving in Eduring and Iraqi Freedom and have yet to witness such a beautiful animal who no doubt roams the wild U.P.

Growing up in rural Eastern Marquette county I have been witness to just about all of god's creatures who roam the wild UP; including a cougar sighting in the mid 1990's. I was out for an early morning hike with our Dog, Sam on the snow machine trail behind our house (trail #8) and surprised a cougar who was below us in the creek bed that drains Farmer's Lake. Sam was not on the line and ran down to the creek bed on the Beauyan

Wow Citizen X, that's probably the most ignorant thing i've head you say. I thought you of all people would have a insightful understanding of a balanced ecosystem, and how the U.P is one of the few places in this country were that exists.

"troublesome creatures" ?? There may well be a few cougars around but I question all the sightings. (as well as UFO sightings, and they are many) I spend a lot of time in the woods and have seen bobcats several times, however, I know people who spend more time in the woods than I do and they have never seen a very common (by the numbers) bobcat. Phantom cougar sightings are hardly troublesome. I am a trapper and I hope DNR doesn't announce cougar existence any time soon because I don't want the Sierra club in here trying to ban my traps. They are already attacking trapping in MN with the rare Lynx as an excuse. I'm sure you can find some other anti-gov't crap to whine about that won't potentially affect sportsmen. I don't care if there are wooly mammoths running around - we don't need any more protected species here! Or more DNR law! Photos mean little now with digital altering capability and emails from around the world. And sightings, well, ever hear a (couple hundred)deer story that was not even close to accurate? Or heard two people recount the same story but be wildy different? That said, I have heard credible sightings of cougar, but does it really matter?
BTW, after an alien took the America's Most Wanted criminal off my porch, Mother Mary appeared in my chicken noodle soup.

Dont go letting these animal rights hippies know there are mountain lions wandering the forests of the UP! A couple more sightings, and humans wont be allowed to venture into the habitat. All you clowns who think there arent wild animals in the wild are idiots. I have heard of dozens of sightings, and seen quite a few pictures of cougars that were taken in the UP. Do I think we need them here? No. On the bright side, maybe they will help control the wolf population...haha.... X

I HAVE SEEN COUGARS MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST 10-12 YEARS AND KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALSO SEEN THEM MANY TIMES HERE IN THE WESTERN U.P. THE DNR PROBABLY PLANTED THEM ALONG WITH THE WOLVES THEY PLANTED. AL-THOUGH THEY STOPPED ADMITTING TO PLANTING THE WOLVES HERE MANY YEARS AGO. I HAVE SEEN COUGAR NEAR PELKIE,
M-38 NEAR HIGHWAY 16, AND M-28 NEAR SIDNAW. FRIEND OF MINE HAD ONE ON HIS PROPERTY IN ZEBA. ONE GUY TOLD ME HE SEEN ONE JUST OUTSIDE OF L'ANSE. ONE GUY TOLD ME 20 YEARS AGO OF A BIG BLACK CAT ON QUINCY HILL IN HANCOCK, THIS ONE IS KNOWN AS THE PANTHER. BEFORE WE KNOW IT THE COUGAR WILL BE STOPPING IN IRONWOOD TO GET A COLLAR WITH THE WOLVES, BEFORE THEY MIGRATE INTO THE U.P.

are you talking about the beer swilling, car hunting, ATV riding, lazy hunters who sit and wait for their sport?

I agree. Anything to get these troublesome creatures away from god's green earth would be every bit appreciated.

At least a cougar will hunt and stalk their kill.

As for how many of the dead bodies for DNR to accept the possibility? How about 1. Or how about a track mold? Or even a time stamp and GPS location on that trail cam?

Better still... TAKE the DNR out there so they can set up their own monitors/cameras?

DO wolves hunt cats?

And exactly how many dead wild cougars have shown up at the DNR office? Exotic pets that are lose....maybe. A sustainable wild population of cougars running through the U.P......Doubt it!

I heard this was taken on the mountain bike trails behind Mqt Mountain...don't know for sure.

Anyone who DOESN'T believe this or doesn't support this sighting is either a DNR officer, didn't grow up in the UP, or doesn't get out in the bush very often. We've known these trouble-some creatures have been around for too many years to deny it! How many dead cougars do we need to through on the DNR's door step to proove it? (sort of say).

if you would have read the story the email has been circulating for a few weeks. plus the dnr is looking into it. who knows for how long they've been looking into it. good try though. it's real.

The photo was taken 12 days ago and this is the first anyone hears of it? The DNR, FWS, USFS, nobody was contacted? Come on! This was obviously a trail camera photo but I am guessing it was sent from someone out west. Just another attempt by the local media to drum up some news.

It's obviously swap gas, move along citizens.

Forgot to lock the cage last night.

Now my plants are likely to be stolen by UPSET.

Cats are real up here, and Seney would be the perfect place (fish, birds, rodents, space) claiming there are none, is like saying the AIDS epidemic is over.

I am a skeptic because of lack of tracks, lack of kills, wildlife calls (although maybe this is what the Big Foot hunters heard in the woods when they were here.).

As for kids at bus stops: get real. or better still... drive your own kids to school and stop wasting more of your schools' money on gas/equipment/maint.

I was on my way to Baraga from Trout Creek about 4 years ago and I saw one along the side of the road. There was no mistaking what it was, either. Very cool.

When or when will the DNR finally believe these sightings. A cougar, mountain lion, whichever you choose to call it crossed highway 41 in front of me in Humboldt about 7 yrs ago on my way to work. Now, hello, there is no way in you know what that this animal can be mistaken for anything other than what it is. It is huge and beautiful. When I came through there the next morning I could see that it emerged from the woods off of a deer run. I did not report this because who wants to be ridiculed by foolish non-believers. Someone tell me why they cannot be here in the UP. By the way I was not alone in my car, I had 2 kids with me who were astonished by this big cat. No way it can be mistaken for any other cat..Too big. I did tell my boss that day and he being a woodsman believed me. I bet there are a lot of other people out there like me that are sick of being accused of making cougar stories up!

This doesn't look like the Cougar that bought me beer when I was in high school. Oh yeah, sorry! That's a different kind of Cougar!

The grass and weeds in these pics looks just like the grass and weeds where I hunt. I hunt in very thick brush that you can hardly get through and then you come to this tiny little open area where I set up, and to this day the 22nd of october the grass is still green there. Also if the camera was set over a bait pile of deer feed I really doubt a couger would be in the pic, their just not into apples. If I set a camera up it wouldn't be on the bait, it would be on the open trail to the bait. Also anyone who ever saw a nice plot of rye grass planted in the middle of the wood would know that even after the snow falls you can dig under the snow and still find green grass, or you could just watch the deer dig through the snow to eat it.

Cougars do exist in the UP. I almost hit one with my truck a couple years ago up by Norway. I called the DNR and acted like I was crazy. Wish they would just admit they are here and get on with it.

I don't believe there are mountain lions on the UP. Why haven't they been confirmed yet? I'm in the woods all the time and never seen one.

I've been hunting for 26 yrs and have seen all the wildlife the U.P. has to offer to include the cougar. I was hunting about 3 yrs ago and he came out about 30 feet away from me. It was in the Sagola area. I also agree with AJ.

I assume most of us here in the U.P have friend(s) that work with or for the DNR. If the state "officially" acknowledges the cats' existence, your tax money will thin-out even faster. The state would exhaust even more money on habitat, breeding grounds, laws surrounding the animal, etc. I think the state is finally doing something right, but not formally acknowledging their existence here in the U.P. Our state is finacially broken as it is.

That's fine if the DNR doesn't want to recognize that cougars live up here and breed. Maybe they should take the same stance about the wolves. Then we could take care of the population levels that dangerously continue to grow in areas that can not support them. Pretty soon those areas will not have the game to support them and your kid standing at the bus stop will look awfully inviting to them.

The camera was located in dense forest? Where are the trees?! I realize it's dark, but for "dense forest" there sure is a lot of grass. How about TV6 sends a reporter out to meet the individual who supposedly got this photo and have them show you where this camera is supposedly located?

I have no doubt the kitties are here, and no doubt they breed here, but considering past hoaxes I have to wonder....

The only trouble I have with this trail cam pick is what is the trail cam pointed at??? I dont see a trail which would indicate a well traveled deer path. Dont see any bait on the ground, which would indicate someones deer stand.

Did the owner just hang up a trail cam in some abstract location?

Heck with it......I'm just going to head out and get eaten by one.....then I'll know for sure!!!

I had a cougar run across US41 in front of me in August. I was in Ishpeming between Jubilee foods and Cooper Lake Road.

This subject is actually getting old and sick. We all know there are cougars in the U.P. By saying "we all" yes that means the Michigan Department of Natural Resources agrees with the people. They do however want to avoid recognizing the fact that there is a breeding population. If this comes to be, wait and see how many of our tax dollars have to be spent on research and land being closed off to protect these animals. By saying the D.N.R. does not admit there are cougars up here is a bogus argument. Call your local D.N.R. office and ask them what would the response include if in fact a "breeding population" of cougars were discovered in the U.P.? In the words of a great TV6 member....get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

No matter where it was taken. Nice looking animal. Don't look like it missed many meals. You can see the strength in those legs.

No matter where this pic is from, I'm here to tell you that one ran in front of my vehicle while on my way to work one morning right here in da U.P!

They are here.

and no ferns or brown leaves.

NOT FROM HERE! At least not from here in the past couple of weeks.

like the animal I had seen in October of 2007 on M-28 near Au Train. I reported it, and no one believed me, even though I told them I stopped my Jeep on the highway and looked right at it! Tried to take a picture of it with my cell phone, but it was too dark.

I believe most people are upset that a animal that lives in the region hasn't been recognized as existing, so it leads to people doubting laws that exist. I have seen tracks and scat in different spots in the U.P so it would be nice to have some documented pictures that confirms reports of these findings.

Just like the last one I saw circulating the web. Each time it came up it had a different location in WI and a new story to go with it. Turned out it was from out west. This was forwarded many times...of course, and the first to forward it isn't necessarily the camera owner. Could be an actual UP cougar but this will start the annual endless Fall chatter about cougars by the mouth breathers who "have seen them all over the place but there is a massive state coverup", etc. I can't imagine why this matters so much to so many. I can't wait 'til deer season is over.

I'm glad this image was captured. It's nice to see some proof of an animal living here we're told doesn't. Just need some Sasquatch images now.

Let me put the Devil's Advocate hat on here and say that this image might be viewed as taken from somewhere else and put up here. I'm sure it is actually a trail cam up here so this is exciting.

I want to ride it!