Cougar Sightings
Report a Cougar Observation
Please use the Rare
Mammal Observation Form.
Digital photos of cougar observations should be emailed to Adrian Wydeven or Jane Wiedenhoeft.
2010 Observations
Click on the map for a larger image
Cougar spotted on trail-cams in Clark County; tracks in Bayfield County
© Leu and Krystal Vang
On January 18th, a trail cam on private land in Clark County captured an image of a subadult cougar (see image right). This location is approximately 44 miles southeast of the cougar sighting on December 27th in Eau Claire County. Then, on January 20th, another cougar was captured on a trail cam video image, this time about 12 1/2 miles NNE of the previous Clark County sighting. Assuming this is the same animal seen by police in Champlin, MN on December 5, 2009, it had been traveling at steady ESE trajectory. The straight line distance would be about 136 miles in 44 days. Assuming these two Clark County observations are of the same animal, this is the first time we have seen a major shift in direction of movement, and it appeared to be starting to move more to the north. This also makes it more likely that observation in Price County on January 29-30th are perhaps the same animal (see story below).
Then on February 15th, a citizen reported cougar tracks near his home, 3 miles south of Cable in Bayfield County. Snow had fallen overnight and he noticed the tracks while walking his dog that morning. While the tracks were confirmed by DNR biologists and followed for quite some distance, no further sightings have been reported in this area. This location is 55 miles northwest of cougar tracks observed in Price County on 1/31/10.
Cougar tracks confirmed in Price County
On January 29th, a cougar was observed crossing a road. Later that evening, the
observation was reported to a Volunteer Tracking Coordinator who confirmed the
tracks and contacted DNR biologists. On January 30th, DNR Wildlife Technician
Jane Wiedenhoeft, photographed and followed the tracks a short distance to the
east on a well defined deer trail until reaching private property. Hair samples
were taken and may be used to see if this animal ties to the observation in Western
Wisconsin in December, which was last detected on 12/27/09.
2009 Observations
Cougar travels to Dunn County
A cougar that was recently tracked in St. Croix County on December 16th, was later
seen on a trail camera on December 19th in Dunn County. And on December 21st,
DNR biologists found tracks and a recent deer carcass cache (see photo at left)
on a farm in Dunn County. Genetic testing has confirmed these two sightings are
of the same individual. The Dunn County location is approximately 16 miles southeast
of the area where tracks were seen on December 16th (see story below). Assuming
this is the same cougar as the one coming out of the Twin Cities, it appears to
be traveling to the ESE at 5-7 miles per day. Because cougars are shy and elusive,
people generally don't see them. However, with urban sprawl and a shrinking habitat
comes the potential for more encounters between people and cougars. To learn more
about cougar behavior and what to do if you encounter one, read "Living
with Mountain Lions" (exit DNR) from the Arizona
Game and Fish Department. Read
more in the DNR News...
Cougar tracks confirmed in St. Croix County
On December 18th, DNR Wildlife biologists confirmed the presence of a cougar in St. Croix County. On December 16th, a Spring Valley farmer first spotted the tracks, which were heading east stretching for 1/2 a mile or so. Biologists later tracked the cat for over one mile near the Eau Galle Reservoir where they found snowballs with fur, urine, and marked areas that will be used for genetic testing. It is unclear at this point whether this is the same cat seen in Minnesota, but genetic tests may also help answer this question and it is presumed the cat would have been able to cross the St. Croix River, which is now frozen north of Stillwater. Read the article in the Stillwater Gazette... (exit DNR)
Tracks on Pepin County Farm could be cougar
Animal tracks found near a farm family’s livestock pen in June in Pepin
County were left by a large cat, probably a cougar, biologists with the state
Department of Natural Resources reported. The prints – in rain-moistened
soil - were first noticed at dawn Wednesday on a large dairy farm in the Town
of Lima. The farmer said his son told him a bear had been near a large bunker
silo so he checked the tracks.
He is an avid hunter who has pursued big game in the western states. He said
he is familiar with cougar tracks."I said, "That's not a bear, that's cat like,"
he said, referring to the three lobes at the back of the foot pad and a stride
longer than 3 feet. "We took pictures with a ruler."
Conservation biologist Adrian Wydeven, the DNR’s leading cougar expert, examined photographs of the tracks and concluded they could not have been left by a large dog. They clearly belong to a large cat, he said. Additional photographs were taken by a DNR warden and a DNR wildlife biologist. While the track photographs are convincing – that this indeed is a large cat – additional information is being sought to confirm if it is a wild cougar, Wydeven said.
Individuals who find tracks are asked to follow the reporting procedures outlined above. Read full news report...Whereabouts of northwest Wisconsin cougar a mystery
It has been a month since Department of Natural Resources wildlife officials tried unsuccessfully to place a radio collar on a cougar or mountain lion in western Washburn County. The current location of the large cat is unknown and is Wisconsin’s second verified cougar sighting in 14 months. More...
DNR confirms mountain lion in Burnett County
The Department of Natural Resources is investigating a confirmed sighting of a mountain lion this past week west of Spooner in Burnett County. Conservation Warden Dave Zebro was contacted by a dog hunter on Tuesday, March 3 who had pursued and treed an adult male mountain lion the previous day. With the assistance of other dog hunters, a team of DNR biologists again treed the animal on March 4th. An attempt to capture the animal failed. More...
2008 Observations
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- Milton Cougar was the same as the Chicago Cougar (April 30, 2008)
- Milton cougar of North American origin (March 26, 2008)
- DNR investigating cougar tracks in Walworth County (March 14, 2008)
- Sighting in Town of Milton: DNR monitoring possible cougar in Rock county (January 22, 2008)
Reports
Rare Mammal Observations 2006 [PDF 390KB]
Cougar Observations in Wisconsin 1994-2003 [PDF; exit DNR]
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