I find it thoroughly intriguing and absolutely amazing that in a span of less than a month, DNR has "confirmed" three cougar hits here in upper Michigan. Yet DNR hasn't confirmed a single lynx here in more than 5 years.
Hmm.

Thanks, DW. I'd like to think that a truly wild cougar roams the U.P.. BUT...

Besides hearing the rumors of domestics in your area, the cat in your photo appears sort of chubby (like a domestic might appear). Perhaps, that's just a false perspective inherent to the image; I can't really zoom in on the cat for a closer look because the full image is only 31 KB and the resolution falls apart when the view is enlarged.

Yes, I heard that years ago a man on Neebish Island had a pet cougar that died. I have not heard any claims myself of anyone keeping cougars. WILD,escaped or released domestic? Who knows?

DW: Locals have stated that not all that long ago, a person kept cougars on Neebish Island. It has also been stated that a person near your area has recently kept a cougar or cougars. Have you heard those claims and what's your take on that? Do you think it is possible that your cougar is an escaped or released domestic?

You're welcome for the original Cuddeback picture. As far as your request for more pictures. The Cougar Network and Michigan DNR have those. The cougar picture definitely, shook up our lives for a couple of weeks after finding it. We would like to thank WLUC TV6 and Fox UP for their professionalism at protecting our privacy as requested.

DW: Thank you very much. That is a much better perspective than those 2 cropped jobs. One starts to get an actual sense of the mountain lion and its surroundings. Would you also be willing to post a daylight picture from the camera at that same site, preferably made during the day on 10/10/09?

http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/files/CDY_0194%20(3).jpg

dw: Thanks. Perhaps you might inquire of FOX UP whether they would be kind enough to post the original Cuddeback photo file (without reducing the file size, which destroys resolution). That way all interested readers would see the picture.

where do you want the original cuddeback photo sent to?

dw: Yes, that would be great!

You want the full original picture? Uncropped?

Of course its real its a trail camera which means it was mounted somewhere and only takes pictures when something trippers the motion sensors,

It appears you prefer innuendo over inquiry and facts?

The DNR went out there and investigated the site . They also examined tracks at another site that were preserved and made plaster casts at another .

It looks like the full photo is on the second picture in the sequence on this story. The timestamp shows that.

i've read your comments on past posts. you're a conspiracy theorist nut. i'm sure you think obama isn't a US citizen and 9/11 was the US's plan.

How did DNR actually confirm that this picture is authentic? How did DNR confirm that the picture was not photoshopped? Given the digital technology available in this day and age, NO ONE can fully CONFIRM that a picture is is authentic. DNR can confirm the location, but DNR cannot confirm that the picture is real. Readers have only seen a cropped portion of the complete trail camera photograph. For starters, I'd like to see the entire picture.

I'll bet this dude is happy, he just got himself a JOB for the next however long he can drag it out to be. Wonder how much this is gonna cost us???

"Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see."

When there's talk of mountain lions, where Michigan is concerned, that is especially good advise - although it is better to believe even less than half of what you see.

Im pretty sure if you can close to one, you could flip it on its back and give the cat a big belly rub. Yah, that's what you should do. (They like tuna).

I think it has something to do with the DNA. Over the course of time it changes slightly among the same species of animals if they are in seperated groups. So mountain lions from North Dakota might test slightly different than those from California.

Moose are similar. There are acutally 4 species of moose in north america. While most probably can't tell the difference visually, there must be some slight DNA difference that sets them apart.

The DNR can likely compare the DNA in the UP cat(s) sample to DNA of known wild populations in the U.S. to determine where the cat might have come from. If the DNA links it to populations that don't seem likely to have traveled (say California), they would probably conclude the cougar was deliberately released, and the UP may not have a native population. If it linked to the Dakotas, it's possible the cat moved to new territory by itself. Supporting the idea that the cougar is reestablishing itself in Michigan.

Every nut job with a gun will be running around in the woods hoping to feel threatened by something .
Some goof will wind up shooting his neighbors golden retriever .
Make sure you got your orange on if you go out .

I'm short afew french fries of the happy meal but...how can you tell where this cat came from by hair or blood. I can see maybe courser hair/stronger blood from wild feedings compared to house cat? Ilike the last sentence - if your are in harms way - you have the right...that leaves the door open pretty good!