Tracking Cougars in the U.P.: Michigan DNR shares confirmed sightings

News

by: Ben Raymond

Posted: Dec 16, 2020 / 11:36 AM EST / Updated: Dec 16, 2020 / 11:36 AM EST

COURTESY: Michigan DNR

UPPER PENINSULA, Mich. (WJMN) – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released trail camera photos and other pictures as evidence of cougar sightings in the Upper Peninsula from 2020. The sightings ranged from the Western to the Eastern part of the region across six counties.

Below are the pictures, dates, and descriptions of what the DNR found:

Cougar tracks in the snow — On February 19, 2020, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in Delta County while conducting wolf track surveys. This is about 40 miles from where tracks were found in Schoolcraft County on February 20, 2020.

Cougar tracks in the snow — On February 20, 2020, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in southeastern Schoolcraft County while conducting wolf track surveys. This is about 12 miles from the Schoolcraft County trail camera photo taken on November 15, 2019.

Trail camera photo of a cougar — On April 24, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County, on the Stonington Peninsula. This is about 45 miles from where DNR staff found tracks on February 20th in Schoolcraft County.

On May 17, 2020, a DNR trail camera captured a photo of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. This is about 72 miles from where the April 24 photo was captured in Delta County (Photo not available)

Trail camera photo of a cougar — On June 1, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in eastern Mackinac County. This is about 127 miles from where the April 24 photo was captured in Delta County.

Trail camera photo of a cougar — On June 6, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in eastern Chippewa County. This is about 18 miles from where the June 1 photo was captured in Mackinac County.

Cougar image from a trail camera — On July 12, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County. This is about 165 miles from where the June 6 photo was captured in Chippewa County.

Cougar image from a trail camera — On July 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Ontonagon County. This is about 120 miles from where the July 12 photo was captured in Delta County.

Cougar image from a trail camera — On August 30, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. This is about 180 miles from where the July 17 photo was captured in Ontonagon County.

Cougar image from a trail camera — On August 30, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. This is about 1 mile from where another photo was captured on August 30 in Luce County.

Cougar image from a trail camera — On October 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in northern Mackinac County. This is about 5 miles from where another photo was captured on October 13 in Mackinac County.

Cougar image from a trail camera — On October 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in western Mackinac County. This is about 10 miles from where August 30 photos were captured in Luce County.