# Cougar In Wisconsin



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

so i was listening to the news this morning and they were taliking about several people that have reported seeing cougar in the Wausau area the dnr of cource sais they have no hard evidence that there are cougar but several residents some even interviewd said they know what a cougar looks like and they saw a cougar 

cougar being anouther name for mountain lion is my understanding

my understanding is that they have them in minnisota and upper michigan 
so it does not supprise me that some may have moved into northern wis

the dnr said there we no bear in souther wisconsin untill somone hit one with a car in i think in iowa county the dnr excused that as a wanering boar that had made it south


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## Clifford (Aug 14, 2004)

It's true. I know two people that have seen them east of the Wisconsin river here in Marathon County. One in my township and one in the southeast part of the county. There was also a chicken barn that was raided by what is believed to be a cougar in the town of stettin just west of Wausau. They found tracks of mountainlion/cougar there. Just hope I don't meet one on my trapline one day... They are very large and fast cats.


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## tooltime (Nov 16, 2003)

Pete,

I've heard that a lot of cougar sightings up north of Duluth. They just tranqed a cougar in Willmar, MN a couple weeks ago, but they thought he might be one that had escaped from captivity. A few years ago, a cougar not believed to be a pet was shot in Bloomington along the Minnesota River.

The cougars in MN and Iowa are probably coming from South Dakota, there's a population of wild cougars in the Black Hills. Two cougars have been shot in Iowa and one hit by a car -- all believed to be wild. From what I've read, the DNR in Iowa thinks maybe 10-12 wild cougars in the state. Apparently, captive/domesticated cougars mainly come from South America, so DNA testing on captured/killed cougars can try to determine whether they were pets. Sometimes, the testing isn't easy, because the cougar is found to have been declawed.


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## Rowenna7 (Dec 22, 2005)

In my area of Wisconsin (SW) I haven't heard of any cougar sightings, although I am sure they are around. As far as bear go though, for the DNR to say there are none in the southern part of the state is ridiculous. I saw a black bear myself last summer near Stitzer, and there was another that I didn't actually see myself but was sighted by many other residents was found and I believe removed by the DNR right next to my hometown of Cassville. The DNR also says there are no wolves in this area but a year or two ago someone shot one near Dickeyville thinking it was a coyote. They tested the DNA and it came back as a wolf....all of the animals they claim are not here are out there


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## glidergurl03 (Feb 28, 2005)

There are at least a few up here just south of Duluth. Our neighbor kitty corner to us usually sees a big male spread out atop haybales in his fields every year sunnin' himself. Such beautiful critters  

We also had a cow come up from pasture one day with half her tail missing and nasty slice marks down each of her sides...Cougar jump from the back, probably slid off and took the tail with him LOL. Probably was a young one, inexperienced, or a small one that just couldn't get her down. Then again, she was a 2 year old heifer with about a dozen other cows backing her up...lol


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## tooltime (Nov 16, 2003)

A wolf was shot in Houston Co., MN in 2004. Some old-timers I've talked to said the timber wolves were never extirpated from SE MN/NE IA, so I wouldn't be too surprised if they showed up in the Driftless in WI. They found a litter of wolf pups in Fillmore Co., MN in the early 1970s, and there have been sightings of wolves by people in Allamakee Co., IA from the 1970s on.

One of my neighbors saw a black bear about a month ago. With bears, people know what they are seeing, as they don't tend to be as leery and with their gait and size, difficult to confuse for a dog or coyote.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

just talked to a guy at work he said they have seen them out by muscoda
on the wisconsin river 

in wisconsin the dnr released timber wolves and coyote so we have both they like to think the wolves stay north of hwy 64(i think thats it) but i don't think they can read the sign.

the coyote were released as a natural perditor for wood chuck that were devouring the soy been crop. but now they are killing house pets in the new suburbs south and west of milwaukee
well realy years before they bothered house pets they were taking lams, chickens , geese and calfs but that doen't make the news paper 

used to work at a place when it snowed you could see the coyote tracks circling the barn.


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## danoon (Dec 20, 2006)

A couple months ago a bear broke into a back porch and took a small dog with the owner standing there screaming... This was In Myrtle Beach, SC. and not in the boonies either it was in a highly developed area. so I guess anything is possible now days.


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## derekv (Jan 31, 2007)

i have seen cougars in midwestern ontario there have been photos of them in the paper from around here, one girl in my class says that theres a boy and a girl in town here and they have babies. i was really holding back from telling her that it wasnt possible for them to be in town for more then a day and not be seen


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

There's a few people in the Wisconsin River valley from Spring Green to Avoca who will claim there was a really big cat around about 5 years ago. One of my cousins saw it in Wyoming township and another saw it in Clyde. That same fall, I saw some fresh feline tracks in mud that were bigger than any dog track that I'd ever seen. A few people claimed to have seen it into that winter and then nothing more since.

Also, I'd like to correct something that Pete wrote. I have a cousin who recently retired as a warden and knows everything that ever happened within the WDNR since 1962. Any reports of the DNR releasing either coyotes or wolves are strictly rumors. The coyotes came in via Iowa starting in the southwestern counties. The first one that I saw was in 1983. The wolves came into the state via northeastern Minnesota in the 1970s. There was never a single dollar allocated to establishing either populations. They did it all on their own!

Martin


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

then i stand corrected . but if coyote and wolves made there way in it would make sence that cougar could easily make there way in the same 

and if the coyote came in from iowa and the fisrt one you saw was 83 then they made realy good time getting accross the state we had hundreds of them in racine and kenosha counties by 90


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## dcross (Aug 12, 2005)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> and if the coyote came in from iowa and the fisrt one you saw was 83 then they made realy good time getting accross the state we had hundreds of them in racine and kenosha counties by 90



I'm amazed it would have taken them 7 years to make it that far, given all the food and shelter/security in suburban areas and their ability to breed!


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Coyotes were in northeastern Dane County/southeastern Colombia County by 1986 when I met up with one while hunting rabbits. They had plenty of feral cats to feast on while also forcing the turkeys further and further from where they were first introduced. Ironically, the first time that I saw a coyote in this state was the same day that I saw the first turkey and probably no more than 200 yards apart on the same farm. Only the turkey was a surprise.

Martin


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## Clifford (Aug 14, 2004)

Paquebot said:


> The wolves came into the state via northeastern Minnesota in the 1970s.
> Martin


We have a population of wolves in western Marathon County north of Athens in a large tract of county land there. Sheriff's Department hears of sightings often.


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## staceyfb (Jan 13, 2005)

There is a large population of wolves in WI. The estimate the pack to be around 500 now.
We have land in Oconto Co. We have a breeding pair that lives on our land. 
We also have a lion that lives in the swamp. He has been seen by many during bow season. The wolves and lions do not help our hunting but they are need as heck to watch.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

I asked a cousin's son if his group has seen any big cats on their trail cams recently and nobody has reported anything yet. Even something obvious may be missed by thousands of people. Several years ago, a golden eagle was caught on camera near the Blue Mounds area. The camera was set up to observe anything that feeds on a deer carcass and potentially spread CWD. Despite being a daytime bird, nobody reported seeing that huge bird.

Martin


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## Colleen in WI (Aug 20, 2002)

Yes- there are mountain lions and wolves here. Also lots of coyotes and the occasional fisher. We have had a lion in our immediate area for years and had a large wolf run a deer right through our front yard one summer evening when we were sitting on our deck. The deer made some noise but the wolf was silent. If we hadn't heard the deer we would have never noticed the wolf. Kind of creepy actually to realize how silent they are. We live in the woods in Oneida county btw. Quite a few years ago my Mom almost hit a lion in Oconto county. It was so close she was absolutely certain of what it was--but the DNR basically told her she was nuts :shrug: 

Colleen


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

dcross said:


> I'm amazed it would have taken them 7 years to make it that far, given all the food and shelter/security in suburban areas and their ability to breed!



they probably did go a lot faster but i wasn't looking for/ hadent seen them till then and i went with when i could confirm if i asked my grandpa he probably saw them out at the farm long before then. but i never went out to the farm he was partners on the farm and it was not where he lived he lived 2 blocks from us in town his partner lived on the farm.


but i think with al of you saying you have cougar in your woods or swamp the dnr still won't accept it maybe one of you could get a picture next time your watching them. that would be fun to take a nice picture of a big cat to the conservation congress meeting and take it up to the drn biologist and ask him if he/she can tell you what that is when they say mountain lion you can say i know but i thought you didn't cause it's been in my swamp for X number of years and you keep saying that there are no mountain lion in wis.


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## NWoods_Hippie (Nov 16, 2006)

First a big Northwoods "HI" to Colleen, we are almost neighbors I am in Vilas County!

There are Cougars in my area, many many sightings by friends in the three years I have lived here, twice one was seen on my property by my neighbors!! I have yet to see one myself, but I do not agree with the DNR when they tell us there is no breeding population here.

I have seen wolves, bears, coyotes, fishers, martens and weasels, so why not cougars.

Margie


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## peacebaker (Dec 30, 2005)

> There's a few people in the Wisconsin River valley from Spring Green to Avoca who will claim there was a really big cat around about 5 years ago.


I remember that--seems like the story pops up now and again, and I always wonder if it's winter fever! Though actually I'm never too skeptical because creatures manage to survive just about anywhere without being seen--I don't think people pay attention, lol.

Do you'all remember the kangaroo in Dodgeville (?) a few years back? The DNR guy said he didn't believe the landowners until it ran right by him--I don't think anyone ever claimed it...


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

peacebaker said:


> Do you'all remember the kangaroo in Dodgeville (?) a few years back? The DNR guy said he didn't believe the landowners until it ran right by him--I don't think anyone ever claimed it...


The Dodgeville kangaroo was 2 years ago, Dec '04 to capture on 6 Jan '05. Wasn't a little thing but 150 pounds. A number of people saw it for a long time but were afraid to report it! Still alive and well at the Vilas Zoo in Madison. Since then, a 50 pound kangaroo was hit and killed by a car in Mauston, WI. In both instances, there is no clue as to where the animals may have come from.

Martin


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## tooltime (Nov 16, 2003)

Yep. Here's the Mauston kanga










I'd guess those kangaroos came from exotic animal breeders who either tired of them, they were afraid of getting caught with them, or they simply escaped.


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

When people see a wild animal they get excited and it appears bigger to them then it really is. My neighbors kept talking about a bobcat hanging around the area. We do have them here but this is when I lived in town. I did not believe it because I knew for a fact that there was no bobcat survivng on a couple acres in town. Sure enough I am walking home one night and under the street light is a manx kitten with a little bobbed tail playing. So it turns out our bobcat was really a little manx kitten. I have quite a few spy cameras on my property and frequent a forum where people post pictures of the animals they had gotten on film. Its not uncommon for a person to post a picture about the cougar they got on film and then when you look at the picture you see a nice healthy bobcat. I have seen it too many times where people claim they seen something they really did not see and they beleive they actually saw it. With all the game cameras out in the woods why are there no cougars being caught on film or any other real hard evidence where all these cougar populations reside? Someone simply saying they saw something is not enough for me to believe them.


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## Wildfire_Jewel (Nov 5, 2006)

Just a FYI, Cougars are not just in Northern MI but also here in lower MI. Allegan County has them and one has been sighted many times down the road from me here in Kent County, Not far from the area that also has breeding black bears. DNR said all the sightings couldn't possibly be real here either...until a young cub got hit and killed. We had a cougar on our property where I grew up as well (also Kent County) We got it's screams on tape and ended up at the zoo with their big cat people listening to it and they were able to identify it....DNR was no help! If they are in Kent County I am sure they are more widespread in the more remote areas of lower MI as well. 
Melissa


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## Rockin'B (Jan 20, 2006)

Wildfire_Jewel said:


> Just a FYI, Cougars are not just in Northern MI but also here in lower MI. Allegan County has them and one has been sighted many times down the road from me here in Kent County, Not far from the area that also has breeding black bears. DNR said all the sightings couldn't possibly be real here either...until a young cub got hit and killed. We had a cougar on our property where I grew up as well (also Kent County) We got it's screams on tape and ended up at the zoo with their big cat people listening to it and they were able to identify it....DNR was no help! If they are in Kent County I am sure they are more widespread in the more remote areas of lower MI as well.
> Melissa


One was recently spotted outside of Benton Harbor/St. Joe. I have a friend that works there and a guy that works with him tried to get a picture of it but it was too far away for his small camera.


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## staceyfb (Jan 13, 2005)

Colleen in WI said:


> Yes- there are mountain lions and wolves here. Also lots of coyotes and the occasional fisher. We have had a lion in our immediate area for years and had a large wolf run a deer right through our front yard one summer evening when we were sitting on our deck. The deer made some noise but the wolf was silent. If we hadn't heard the deer we would have never noticed the wolf. Kind of creepy actually to realize how silent they are. We live in the woods in Oneida county btw. Quite a few years ago my Mom almost hit a lion in Oconto county. It was so close she was absolutely certain of what it was--but the DNR basically told her she was nuts :shrug:
> 
> Colleen


My land is in Oconto Co. and yes the DNR has denied for years that there is no lions here. We have had youngstock killed by them as could be determined by the claw marks and they have steadfastly stood by the coyote defense. I for one would not want to meet a yote that has that type of claws in the wild. Our wonderful DNR will deny anything that can put them in hot water. 
They denied the wolf reintroductions till it was federally funded and they couldn't deny it any longer.


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## staceyfb (Jan 13, 2005)

JasoninMN said:


> When people see a wild animal they get excited and it appears bigger to them then it really is. My neighbors kept talking about a bobcat hanging around the area. We do have them here but this is when I lived in town. I did not believe it because I knew for a fact that there was no bobcat survivng on a couple acres in town. Sure enough I am walking home one night and under the street light is a manx kitten with a little bobbed tail playing. So it turns out our bobcat was really a little manx kitten. I have quite a few spy cameras on my property and frequent a forum where people post pictures of the animals they had gotten on film. Its not uncommon for a person to post a picture about the cougar they got on film and then when you look at the picture you see a nice healthy bobcat. I have seen it too many times where people claim they seen something they really did not see and they beleive they actually saw it. With all the game cameras out in the woods why are there no cougars being caught on film or any other real hard evidence where all these cougar populations reside? Someone simply saying they saw something is not enough for me to believe them.


There have been tons of photos caputered and presented to the WI DNR. They deny it claiming it is a bobcat with a longer tail than normal. When you have a carcass that is laying in your feild with large claw marks across the rump and puncture wounds on the neck it is a hard sell to someone who has seen the cat personally. No dog I have ever seen or owned or hunted has ever had a claw such as a cat, bear also is very different than cat. 
I have hunted, harvested, and eaten just about every wild animal known to live in WI. I know what a bobcat looks like and I know what a cougar looks like and the one I see slinking around the swamp during turkey and bow season has a tail that is about 2 feet long. Not a bobcat.


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## travlnusa (Dec 12, 2004)

Would I be correct that, if the DNR tells you that cougars are not here, one could shot one if it was a threat?

It would seem to me that you could not violate a law shooting something that is not here.

Anyone know for a fact either way?


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## Ford8N (Nov 29, 2006)

tooltime said:


> Yep. Here's the Mauston kanga
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Mauston is the next town north of me. Should I be worried???


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

travlnusa said:


> Would I be correct that, if the DNR tells you that cougars are not here, one could shot one if it was a threat?
> 
> It would seem to me that you could not violate a law shooting something that is not here.
> 
> Anyone know for a fact either way?


Cougars are a protected species in Wisconsin, along with Canadian lynx and wolverines despite possibly not officially existing anywhere in the state. Page 3 of the 2006 Small Game Regulations.

Martin


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## staceyfb (Jan 13, 2005)

travlnusa said:


> Would I be correct that, if the DNR tells you that cougars are not here, one could shot one if it was a threat?
> 
> It would seem to me that you could not violate a law shooting something that is not here.
> 
> Anyone know for a fact either way?


Yes it is illegal. They are still a protected species in WI


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## Clifford (Aug 14, 2004)

staceyfb said:


> Yes it is illegal. They are still a protected species in WI


Don't really care what the DNR thinks, or says. Cougars aren't a protected species in my woods or near my home! SSS... Too dangerous to take that chance with 4 smaller kids and pets.


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

there was a case a few years back down soth where a lady was killed by a couger and the dept of wildlife swore they did not exist in the state and caused the family extreme grief. I believe they blamed the families dogs and had them killed instead... I am not sure where it stands now.


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## staceyfb (Jan 13, 2005)

Clifford said:


> Don't really care what the DNR thinks, or says. Cougars aren't a protected species in my woods or near my home! SSS... Too dangerous to take that chance with 4 smaller kids and pets.


You aren't getting any argument here. I like seeing them but it makes me darn nervous up north with the kids and dog. She may act all tough but she wouldn't stand a chance against a turkey in the wild much less a killing machine.
Every time we have sen the darn thing it has been bow hunting and no weapons other than the bow is available.


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

Ford8N said:


> Mauston is the next town north of me. Should I be worried???


 About kangaroos or cougars? Lions & tigers & bears! Oh my!


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## Clifford (Aug 14, 2004)

staceyfb said:


> Every time we have sen the darn thing it has been bow hunting and no weapons other than the bow is available.


Do you hunt on your own private property? If so, carry a pistol (even while bow hunting). WI Supreme Court upheld that one can carry a weapon (concealled) weapon on ones own property if it is for security purposes. 

(Snowing like crazy here in Wausau, and the wind is about 35 mph / 15:48 hrs).


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

I'm LOVING the SNOW Storm today! (60 miles west of Wausau)
But, then I'm content to be holed up here in the woods.

DH just came home from the mail route and said the roads are WICKED!

He did manage to get to all the 430 boxes except for 20 and got stuck ONLY 6 times.


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