# Cougar sighting lapeer county



## ptaustinpete

Two groups of people each spotted a cougar near the corners of Hough Rd & Sand hill near Almont, MI.

This happened Monday night and Tuesday of this week.

These were at close range, not likely it was a mistake.


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## MEL

Im sure they did.


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## Liver and Onions

ptaustinpete said:


> .......... not likely it was a mistake.


Hmmmm. Do you actually believe that or are you just havin' some fun ?

http://www.michigancougar.com/

At the above link you can see the Monroe County cougar, AKA--house cat.
Scroll down and you can see the black Lapeer County cougar, AKA--black dog.

L & O


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## MEL

If its on the Michigancougar.com site then its good enough for me!


Scroll down and you can see the black Lapeer County cougar, AKA--black dog.

Thats not a dog, its clearly a cougar and a black one at that!!! There is a member on this forum, I do not remember his name, who has seen the Lapeer county black cougars countless times. I could search the site but there are just some many cougar sightings anymore that its hard to search things.


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## KalamazooKid




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## ESOX

My in-laws aging hippie neighbor saw a cougar near Columbiaville earlier this week. Seriously. I asked if that was before or after his morning bubbles, but got no coherent response........


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## MOTOMAN91

ESOX said:


> My in-laws aging hippie neighbor saw a cougar near Columbiaville earlier this week. Seriously. I asked if that was before or after his morning bubbles, but got no coherent response........


:lol::lol: Oh boy, here we go again! Them cougars are really getting around.


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## ptaustinpete

The Michigan DNR cat specialist confirms that it is a cougar.

On Wednesday they set up about a dozen trail cams and set a live trap baited with a beaver carcus. The report is that it is a "big one" judging by the size of the tracks. Wild times in Almont!


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## FIJI

http://eprn.homestead.com/


(dont ask me how I know them....Im not talkin')


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## Michael Wagner

ESOX said:


> *My in-laws aging hippie neighbor saw a cougar near Columbiaville* earlier this week. Seriously. I asked if that was before or after his morning bubbles, but got no coherent response........


Gotta be the folks down the street, they been seeing them for years :lol::lol::lol:


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## Liver and Onions

ptaustinpete said:


> The Michigan DNR cat specialist confirms that it is a cougar.
> 
> On Wednesday they set up about a dozen trail cams and set a live trap baited with a beaver carcus. The report is that it is a "big one" judging by the size of the tracks. Wild times in Almont!


 The first confirmed sighting of a cougar in the LP and it's in Almont of all places. Hmmm again. By the way how was this confirmed ?

Be sure to let us know as soon as you know more. Also let the cat specialist(AB) in Lansing know too, so far he hasn't heard a word about this from anyone in the field. Do you have a possible explanation for that ?

L & O


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## outdoor junkie

Never seen a black cougar. Black panthers are actually jaguars, not cougars.


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## ptaustinpete

You can go "Hmmm " all you want to. What i mentioned were the activities and comments of the Michigan DNR officer that was standing in front of me on the 13th. Not sure what the trail cams picked up. Will report back later.


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## Robert Holmes

Why is it when someone sees a "Cougar" in the LP it is always black?? Cougars do not have a black color phase. If it is black it is not a "Cougar" and it is not a mountain lion either.


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## hillbillie

ptaustinpete said:


> You can go "Hmmm " all you want to. What i mentioned were the activities and comments of the Michigan DNR officer that was standing in front of me on the 13th. Not sure what the trail cams picked up. Will report back later.


If for real it, sounds like another escaped /abandoned exotic.Please do keep us posted.

Dnr officer's name? I know Lapeer area has two.


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## ptaustinpete

No trail cam photos turned up with cougar pictures. 
The live catch trap remained empty.
No "new" tracks since the last rain which was July 3rd.
Suspicion is that the cat moved on.

All along the DNR always thought that it was a domestic drop off.
now it's somewhere else.

Life goes on I guess.


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## PaleRider

ptaustinpete said:


> No trail cam photos turned up with cougar pictures.
> The live catch trap remained empty.
> No "new" tracks since the last rain which was July 3rd.
> Suspicion is that the cat moved on.
> 
> All along the DNR always thought that it was a domestic drop off.
> now it's somewhere else.
> 
> Life goes on I guess.


This was made for you: http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/group.php?groupid=39


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## Mvillecowboy

Ok this might be a stupid question but lets just say that there are in fact cougars in and around the Lapeer area. And I happen to see one in my back yard (not saying that I have by any means) what is the ruling if you shoot it? I mean I have pets and a 4 year old would the DNR slap me with a fine? Just food for thought? I am not too worried about it either way as people cannot even get a photo of one let alone shoot one!


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## MEL

Mvillecowboy said:


> Ok this might be a stupid question but lets just say that there are in fact cougars in and around the Lapeer area. And I happen to see one in my back yard (not saying that I have by any means) what is the ruling if you shoot it? I mean I have pets and a 4 year old would the DNR slap me with a fine? Just food for thought? I am not too worried about it either way as people cannot even get a photo of one let alone shoot one!


I shot one up in gladwin 1999. The dnr was OK with it
.


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## NEW HUDSON WALT

lyon twp....about 7-8 years ago seen black and tan one several times while hunting from tree on edge of corn field....have it on tape....still no one beleives me....go figure....have not seen either one in the last 8 years.


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## KalamazooKid

NEW HUDSON WALT said:


> lyon twp....about 7-8 years ago seen black and tan one several times while hunting from tree on edge of corn field....have it on tape....still no one beleives me....go figure....have not seen either one in the last 8 years.


Um ...... Where's the tape?


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## MEL

KalamazooKid said:


> Um ...... Where's the tape?


I'd enjoy watching it as well


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## Liver and Onions

NEW HUDSON WALT said:


> lyon twp....about 7-8 years ago seen black and tan one several times while hunting from tree on edge of corn field....have it on tape....still no one beleives me....go figure....have not seen either one in the last 8 years.


Are you the guy that posted the grainy picture of a Mermaid riding a Unicorn bareback being chased by a Big Foot ? 
Hope you can post the tape.

L & O


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## Liver and Onions

ptaustinpete said:


> No trail cam photos turned up with cougar pictures.
> The live catch trap remained empty.
> No "new" tracks since the last rain which was July 3rd.
> Suspicion is that the cat moved on.
> 
> All along the DNR always thought that it was a domestic drop off.
> now it's somewhere else.
> 
> Life goes on I guess.


I talked with Adam bump again today. He is the DNR specialist who handles LP cougar sightings. His office is in Lansing for anyone wishing to give him a call. He did not go to the reported site area because there was never anything to see. 
The DNR did not set any traps. There was never any footprint, photo, or scat evidence. I am not saying that the two teenagers didn't see something, I am saying that there was no evidence of them seeing a cougar.
An article was published in the local paper, The Tri-City Times. Tom Wearing wrote the article. Perhaps the article is on their website. When contacted, Almont police officer, John Morse, responded. He called a local Exotic Animal Rescue Team. They set the traps and took a look around. Is it possible that you talked with these people and thought that they were the DNR ?
I talked with Officer Morse also, he did not call the DNR but thought maybe the Exotic Rescue team might have.
I also called a wild animal rescue and zoo that was listed in the area. They have not returned my call so I don't know if they are the group that set the traps.

L & O


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## CarnageProductions13

Picked up one of them there cougars on my trail cam last week in Lake Co. Darn thing is scaring all the deer away.  

It's appears to be one of those piebald models.


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## spoongoon

Liver and Onions said:


> I talked with Adam bump again today. He is the DNR specialist who handles LP cougar sightings. His office is in Lansing for anyone wishing to give him a call. He did not go to the reported site area because there was never anything to see.
> The DNR did not set any traps. There was never any footprint, photo, or scat evidence. I am not saying that the two teenagers didn't see something, I am saying that there was no evidence of them seeing a cougar.
> An article was published in the local paper, The Tri-City Times. Tom Wearing wrote the article. Perhaps the article is on their website. When contacted, Almont police officer, John Morse, responded. He called a local Exotic Animal Rescue Team. They set the traps and took a look around. Is it possible that you talked with these people and thought that they were the DNR ?
> I talked with Officer Morse also, he did not call the DNR but thought maybe the Exotic Rescue team might have.
> I also called a wild animal rescue and zoo that was listed in the area. They have not returned my call so I don't know if they are the group that set the traps.
> 
> L & O


Just to close the issue I will clear up a few loose ends. The large cat sighting was reported by two teens and independently by another neighbor of theirs more then a month previous but the teens didn't know about the other reported sighting. They were shown photos of different exotic cats and native large cats. They selected a South American Puma from the pictures as they had described. 

The Exotic Rescue team had experience Puma, African Lion, Black Panther, Ligers, Caracal, Serval, and Lynx, rescue in southern Michigan. The team works in southeast Michigan with police in relocating exotic animals found where they can't be or shouldn't be.

They also work with Michigan Humane Society, Wildlife Rescue and Rehab, Metro Parks and nature centers in rehabbing smaller animals.

The team suspected that the witnesses were credible but that likely had seen a large non-native cat. Owners of these large cats are not quick to report a missing and dangerous cat!

Buried scat recovered was photographed but not found conclusive. Initial prints were photographed in high Res and again inconclusive. New tracks were not observed over a month of monitoring and the rescue team could not conclude the presence of the cat reported. More reports came in after the team withdrew including one report of a person discarding 25 empty 40 pound cat litter containers very nearby.


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## MEL

spoongoon said:


> Just to close the issue I will clear up a few loose ends. The large cat sighting was reported by two teens and independently by another neighbor of theirs more then a month previous but the teens didn't know about the other reported sighting. They were shown photos of different exotic cats and native large cats. They selected a South American Puma from the pictures as they had described.
> 
> The Exotic Rescue team had experience Puma, African Lion, Black Panther, Ligers, Caracal, Serval, and Lynx, rescue in southern Michigan. The team works in southeast Michigan with police in relocating exotic animals found where they can't be or shouldn't be.
> 
> They also work with Michigan Humane Society, Wildlife Rescue and Rehab, Metro Parks and nature centers in rehabbing smaller animals.
> 
> The team suspected that the witnesses were credible but that likely had seen a large non-native cat. Owners of these large cats are not quick to report a missing and dangerous cat!
> 
> Buried scat recovered was photographed but not found conclusive. Initial prints were photographed in high Res and again inconclusive. New tracks were not observed over a month of monitoring and the rescue team could not conclude the presence of the cat reported. More reports came in after the team withdrew including one report of a person discarding 25 empty 40 pound cat litter containers very nearby.





Welcome to this site, Mr. or Ms. spoongood. Very interesting first post by you.
Being that you have never posted here, nor filled out your profile, you would do us all a great service if you would tell us who you are or what you expireince is with this field? You said you want to close and clear up a few loose ends.......well if you wish to do that then please tell us your expertise in this field?
also, was the scat sent in for DNA? and yet still not conclusive?
Was there a reason for pointing out someone dumped 25 empty 40 lb litter bags?

You would do us all a big favor if you could answer these question and most importantly what your background is so we can consider that along with your imformation.
Also, and most importantly, do you have contact info for the Exotic rescue team so we can use that info for if/when we see other cougars?
Who are they? Where are they? Office location? phone/email/web site?

We are limited in what experts we can contact. The MiDNR sounds iffy and the MWC will just confirm every sighting as real?


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## MEL

NEW HUDSON WALT said:


> lyon twp....about 7-8 years ago seen black and tan one several times while hunting from tree on edge of corn field....have it on tape....still no one beleives me....go figure....have not seen either one in the last 8 years.



I see you where on the site yesterday........Still would be interested in seeing your tape


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## spoongoon

MEL said:


> Welcome to this site, Mr. or Ms. spoongood. Very interesting first post by you.
> Being that you have never posted here, nor filled out your profile, you would do us all a great service if you would tell us who you are or what you expireince is with this field? You said you want to close and clear up a few loose ends.......well if you wish to do that then please tell us your expertise in this field?
> also, was the scat sent in for DNA? and yet still not conclusive?
> Was there a reason for pointing out someone dumped 25 empty 40 lb litter bags?
> 
> You would do us all a big favor if you could answer these question and most importantly what your background is so we can consider that along with your imformation.
> Also, and most importantly, do you have contact info for the Exotic rescue team so we can use that info for if/when we see other cougars?
> Who are they? Where are they? Office location? phone/email/web site?
> 
> We are limited in what experts we can contact. The MiDNR sounds iffy and the MWC will just confirm every sighting as real?


I have sent you a private message hopefully answering your questions.


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## Swamp Monster

Surprise, surprise. Another Cougar post full of lies and story telling. 
Dnr confirmation....lmao!! Some gullible folks out there.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## Liver and Onions

spoongoon said:


> The Exotic Rescue team had experience Puma, African Lion, Black Panther, Ligers, Caracal, Serval, and Lynx, rescue in southern Michigan.
> 
> 
> The team suspected that the witnesses were credible but that likely had seen a large non-native cat.
> 
> 
> Buried scat recovered was photographed but not found conclusive.




1st paragraph--The rescue team may have experience rescuing these animals from some type of inclosure, but they have never captured or photographed one of these animals in the wild.

2nd paragraph--CREDIBLE ?? Then why wasn't the DNR called to investigate ? Again, the DNR's SLP Specialists is Adam Bump. He was never contacted by a field officer that any big cat reports had been reported.

3rd paragraph--Buried scat would have been DNA tested by the DNR.

The DNR did not say any of the things that the OP wrote about. Perhaps the OP would like to clear this up. Mistake ?? Something else ??

L & O


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## Mellynch

2 1/2 years ago we recently moved in to a house on Hough Rd in Dryden off Rochester rd. my husband had left work early. Around 8am I went out to feed our horses when I noticed a very large foot print in the snow. (We have a 150 lb Great Dane and I looked for her prints and they were much smaller) I put a quarter in the toe of the print and took a photo. It was about 4 1/2 inches wide, no nail prints like mike dog. I had no idea what it could be so I called my husband and joked with him that we must have a cougar or bear in the area. He was caught off guard and thought I was joking, he said that same morning he got in to his truck and seen something run by our pole barn and thought briefly it looked like a cougar, but dismissed the idea because it didn't make sense. I sent the photo to DNR but they wouldn't send anyone out because of temperatures.


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## Luv2hunteup

Mellynch said:


> 2 1/2 years ago we recently moved in to a house on Hough Rd in Dryden off Rochester rd. my husband had left work early. Around 8am I went out to feed our horses when I noticed a very large foot print in the snow. (We have a 150 lb Great Dane and I looked for her prints and they were much smaller) I put a quarter in the toe of the print and took a photo. It was about 4 1/2 inches wide, no nail prints like mike dog. I had no idea what it could be so I called my husband and joked with him that we must have a cougar or bear in the area. He was caught off guard and thought I was joking, he said that same morning he got in to his truck and seen something run by our pole barn and thought briefly it looked like a cougar, but dismissed the idea because it didn't make sense. I sent the photo to DNR but they wouldn't send anyone out because of temperatures.


Please post your picture of the foot print.


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## MEL

Luv2hunteup said:


> Please post your picture of the foot print.




Yes, please post picts


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## Magnet

Who needs pics? You know it's true...... You heard it o the internet.


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## wintrrun

Mellynch said:


> 2 1/2 years ago we recently moved in to a house on Hough Rd in Dryden off Rochester rd. my husband had left work early. Around 8am I went out to feed our horses when I noticed a very large foot print in the snow. (We have a 150 lb Great Dane and I looked for her prints and they were much smaller) I put a quarter in the toe of the print and took a photo. It was about 4 1/2 inches wide, no nail prints like mike dog. I had no idea what it could be so I called my husband and joked with him that we must have a cougar or bear in the area. He was caught off guard and thought I was joking, he said that same morning he got in to his truck and seen something run by our pole barn and thought briefly it looked like a cougar, but dismissed the idea because it didn't make sense. I sent the photo to DNR but they wouldn't send anyone out because of temperatures.



Hough and Haven Road?


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## o_mykiss

Mellynch said:


> I sent the photo to DNR but they wouldn't send anyone out because of temperatures.


there's the relevant part - when prints go thru a freeze/thaw in snow or mud, they become really enlarged


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## Liver and Onions

wintrrun said:


> Hough and Haven Road?


I bet it is. Locally, this area is known as "Michigan's Mystery Spot". Over the past 10 years or so, reports of a wolf, cougar, UFO, ostrich and & a sasquatch have been reported to the Lapeer Sheriff's office from this area. So far, only the ostrich sighting was solved. Ends up it was a wild turkey. 
I avoid the area after dark.

L & O


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## wintrrun

Liver and Onions said:


> I bet it is. Locally, this area is known as "Michigan's Mystery Spot". Over the past 10 years or so, reports of a wolf, cougar, UFO, ostrich and & a sasquatch have been reported to the Lapeer Sheriff's office from this area. So far, only the ostrich sighting was solved. Ends up it was a wild turkey.
> I avoid the area after dark.
> 
> L & O



I had a client who swore he saw a big cat chase some deer across his driveway one morning a few years back.
Always left it at that.
Was wondering if they are possibly neighbors.


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## 357Maximum

Liver and Onions said:


> I bet it is. Locally, this area is known as "Michigan's Mystery Spot". Over the past 10 years or so, reports of a wolf, cougar, UFO, ostrich and & a sasquatch have been reported to the Lapeer Sheriff's office from this area. So far, only the ostrich sighting was solved. Ends up it was a wild turkey.
> I avoid the area after dark.
> 
> L & O



I would watch that spot. It may be the spot that an honest politician shows up to one day. Please do not take his picture though, I am sure the rest of the politicians would make his life real short and miserable.


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## MEL

357Maximum said:


> I would watch that spot. It may be the spot that an honest politician shows up to one day. Please do not take his picture though, I am sure the rest of the politicians would make his life real short and miserable.



Two extinct creatures....Cougar in the LP and honest Politician. Neither one has been seen in the area for like 100 years. But id put my money on finding a cougar in the LP before the honest politician. Heck, has anyone ever seen tracks for one?


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## Liver and Onions

MEL said:


> Two extinct creatures....Cougar in the LP and honest Politician. Neither one has been seen in the area for like 100 years. But id put my money on finding a cougar in the LP before the honest politician. Heck, has anyone ever seen tracks for one?


Tens of thousands of cameras in the LP and all that I have ever seen have been some grainy, out of focus shots claiming to be of that of an honest politician. Without DNA evidence, I'm not buying it.

L & O


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## eyecatcher1

I understand skepticism of cougar sightings but some of you are just plain a-holes on these threads. If you don't believe it or don't want to hear it don't read it. It is pretty simple.


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## Liver and Onions

I'm not sure if this was posted here or not, but there was another unusual sighting from this area. This time a buffalo. About 6 weeks ago and the Lapeer County sheriff patrol responded. Tracks were quickly found and not long later they found the animal:

https://www.google.com/search?q=whi...=wFHXVsqxKceQmQGbgpa4Dg#imgrc=COL2_yubJObwYM:

L & O


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## Robert Holmes

I offered to help the DNR transport a dozen cougars, 4 dozen wolves and 2 sasquatch from the UP to Lapeer and they told me no. The huggers don't want them in their backyard. I don' t understand why they would not want a 120 pound wolf or cougar in their backyard we have them running through our backyards. We are told we have to live with it.


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## Petronius

Liver and Onions said:


> I bet it is. Locally, this area is known as "Michigan's Mystery Spot". Over the past 10 years or so, reports of a wolf, cougar, UFO, ostrich and & a sasquatch have been reported to the Lapeer Sheriff's office from this area. So far, only the ostrich sighting was solved. Ends up it was a wild turkey.
> I avoid the area after dark.
> 
> L & O


Was that the area that had the Bigfoot sightings back in the mid 1960s?


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## Liver and Onions

petronius said:


> Was that the area that had the Bigfoot sightings back in the mid 1960s?


I don't know about that, but I do know for a fact that there were several Bigboob sightings in the '70s.

L & O


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## DirtySteve

Liver and Onions said:


> Tens of thousands of cameras in the LP and all that I have ever seen have been some grainy, out of focus shots claiming to be of that of an honest politician. Without DNA evidence, I'm not buying it.
> 
> L & O



I am with you on this one I usually enjoy getting a chuckle out of these topics. However The lack of camera pictures isn't really a good argument against though. There have been 2 bears confirmed in lapeer county in the last 8 yrs and there weren't any pictures of those floating around. One was seen by many last year and the dnr came out and confirmed. The other wasn't seen at all until it was hit by a car.


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## chuckinduck

DirtySteve said:


> I am with you on this one I usually enjoy getting a chuckle out of these topics. However The lack of camera pictures isn't really a good argument against though. There have been 2 bears confirmed in lapeer county in the last 8 yrs and there weren't any pictures of those floating around. One was seen by many last year and the dnr came out and confirmed. The other wasn't seen at all until it was hit by a car.


My buddy told me a sow denned up behind the Meijer or wal-Mart in imlay city for several years. He said he saw her several times. Anything is possible I suppose. Just not wild black Cougars.


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## Liver and Onions

chuckinduck said:


> My buddy told me a sow denned up behind the Meijer or wal-Mart in imlay city for several years. He said he saw her several times. Anything is possible I suppose. Just not wild black Cougars.


No Meijer or Wal-Mart in Imlay so your story is off to a rocky start. My guess is that the story you heard morphed from the Kroger Plaza bear story. As reported in the Tri-Cities Times, a young lady coming to work one morning saw a couple of critters going across the field to the east. This field would be between the Plaza and Reek Rd. if you know the area. Anyways, the gal was sure that they were bear cubs. No more bear reports or sighting in the area.
Best guess is that a couple of ***** may have found something interesting near the dumpster in the back.

L & O


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## chuckinduck

Liver and Onions said:


> No Meijer or Wal-Mart in Imlay so your story is off to a rocky start. My guess is that the story you heard morphed from the Kroger Plaza bear story. As reported in the Tri-Cities Times, a young lady coming to work one morning saw a couple of critters going across the field to the east. This field would be between the Plaza and Reek Rd. if you know the area. Anyways, the gal was sure that they were bear cubs. No more bear reports or sighting in the area.
> Best guess is that a couple of ***** may have found something interesting near the dumpster in the back.
> 
> L & O


Sorry. It was a few years back. It was a box store I know that much. The guy who told me is a credible big game hunter so I didn't discount what he saw.


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## Mellynch

Luv2hunteup said:


> Please post your picture of the foot print.


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## Mellynch

MEL said:


> Yes, please post picts


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## Mellynch

wintrrun said:


> Hough and Haven Road?


Yes between Haven and Lake George


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## Liver and Onions

chuckinduck said:


> Sorry. It was a few years back. It was a box store I know that much. The guy who told me is a credible big game hunter so I didn't discount what he saw.


Ok, what might be called a box store down the street from Kroger is Shopko. Before that it was a Pamida. This is also inside the city limits. Restaurants, stores, gas stations, and motels to the north, south and west. Housing to the east along Reek Rd. There are deer and turkeys in the area to the east of Reek.
Your friend was just having a little fun with you when he was telling you that a bear was denned up there for several years. Maybe he thought the school mascot was a bear.
That one did past thru the Imlay area some years back and was spotted at a number of bird feeders over several counties before the DNR was able to stick him with a dart and truck him back to the NLP.

L & O


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## chuckinduck

That's a good sized track whatever it was.


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## Martian

and if you recall a few years back a bear was hit on I-75 @ Pierson rd.


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## chuckinduck

Martian said:


> and if you recall a few years back a bear was hit on I-75 @ Pierson rd.


Tree farm to north of me said a couple hunters got pics of one on camera two falls ago. I talked to the owner last summer and they never got anymore or ever saw it. So it must've decided to head back north.


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## BVW

Pretty sure are domestic dog.. but thanks for sharing the pics.


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