This is about 25 miles from the western Schoolcraft County photo taken on November 8th. , Your email address will not be published. Go to Camping and lodging Find camping and overnight lodging options, reservation info, rules and regulations and more. On Sept. 3, 2019, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Gogebic County. Also include images of the wider area where the tracks were found, including the tracks as well as features that can be located if the tracks are destroyed. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. You should do that and dont forget to mention the ice cream! There has been a lot of alleged cougar sightings in Southern Illinois in the last couple of years. If a cougar makes contact with you, always try to fight it off. This is about 120 miles from where a November 7 photo was captured in Baraga County. However, wolves may also have solid coats of black or white. She received her masters degree in wildlife ecology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences. I wont give location information though because there is a hunting season for them, and I am completely opposed of bobcat hunting so I cant share that information. Ziegler and Redmer were among the expert hosts of a conference last week at the Brookfield Zoo to start planning how to coordinate the official response when one of these animals comes to town. On August 30, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. I think hunting should be reserved for food hunting. Bears, Wolves, Cougars. Do not play dead. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. The animal was identified as a male because the scrotum and black hair around the penis sheath opening are visible in two of the photos. Calmly move away without turning your back on the bear. Pick up sticks and rocks and throw it at the bear. If you see a mountain lion: Do Not Run. OF NATURAL Given their relatively low numbers on the Midwests western fringe, cougars likely dont impact deer numbers. Plenty of, Headed to the Wild Things Conference going down Saturday, January 31, at UIC? This PDF will be sent to your email right after you subscribe (check your junkmail just in case and add me as a contact). This is about 45 miles from where DNR staff found tracks on February 20th in Schoolcraft County. Please include specific location information and send photos or track castings if available. A male wolf was shot in Pike County in 2005. On June 25, 2021, trail camera photos were captured of a cougar in northern Houghton County. Adults are large sleek cats with small heads. This is about 30 miles from where the January 26 photo was captured in Delta County. If the bear seems agitated or defensive towards you, yell and scream at it. There is also a season on them as well which I dont agree with. Illinois Department of Natural Resources photo. Four cougar carcasses have been confirmed in Illinois between 2002 and 2019. Obviously, managing large carnivores like mountain lions is more complicated than managing other species of wildlife. Should you see a mountain lion on your property, and you feel that you or your property is being threatened, contact the IDNR to learn about the options available to address potential threats. On May 24, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in western Marquette County. The public can report wildlife sightings at www.wildlifeillinois.org/sightings. http://www.cafepress.com/sicc Reply Save Like 1 - 20 of 39 Posts 1 2 Next Personal defense in the hunting woods could involve taking down a charging bear. You can report the sighting to the DNR and include photos. In 2019, the Wisconsin DNR verified 12 cougar sightings with trail cameras. Use quarters or a similar object for measurement. Do be careful around clothing stores on the weekends though, especially younger males because that is where the majority of cougar encounters occur in southern Illinois. This is about 120 miles from where the July 12 photo was captured in Delta County. The U.S. I dont hear many reports of wolves, but it is possible to see them as it is with other larger predator animals. There have been many confirmed cougar sightings since 2008, including two illegal harvests in the Upper Peninsula. This is about 10 miles from where August 30 photos were captured in Luce County. This is about 180 miles from where the July 17 photo was captured in Ontonagon County. Cougar 2021 Confirmed Cougar Sightings January 12, 2021 On January 12, 2021, a security camera captured and tracks were found from a cougar in Southwestern Schoolcraft County. The IDNR is interested in any information the public can provide about possible wolf sightings in Illinois. Keep your dog on a leash! (requires Adobe SVG Viewer plug-in for your browser), - Family describes multiple incidents in Custer Park, 45 SE of Chicago, - SATURDAY NIGHT 10:30 : Motorist sighting of a sasquatch crossing Route 78 near Sangamon River, - Possible Sasquatch sighting by camper near Camp Cadiz in Shawnee National Forest, State terrain & political maps with report totals & population density by county. This is about 160 miles from where October 13 photos were captured in Mackinac County. Winchester's new Big Bore ammo, available in 10 mm, .44 Mag., .357 Mag., and .45 Colt, is specifically designed for big bears in bear country. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reported on Oct. 17 that a mountain lion, also known as cougars, had been struck and . One set of photos even showed a cougar killing a doe in mid-August in Bayfield County, which borders Lake Superior. A female wolf was killed by a vehicle in Grundy County in February 2015. In another famous case, the first male cougar documented in modern-day Wisconsin was a South Dakota juvenile that fled a farmers hayloft east of Madison in January 2008. Are All Compostable Bags Acceptable in Curbside Bins? State wildlife agencies strive to monitor wild cougars in their states. For a deeper dive, read the full Myth: Wild Predators Belong Anywhere But Here. Thanks, Diana Massey. Officials are watching another mountain lion reported in western Illinois a few weeks ago. Mike Redmer points out that historically Illinois has actually been native territory for these large carnivores. There was a problem saving your notification. Attacks from the animals do happen to humans but they are rare even if the areas where these critters are flourish with them. The male cat has since made it through Iowa and is now traveling . Confirmed sightings in Illinois in the last 20 years show younger animals from a population in the Black Hills of South Dakota. They have bushy tails, narrow chests, long legs, and large feet. This content also appears on WBEZ.org as part of our partnership with Chicago Public Media. By definition, breeding territories must include at least one female cougar. A Coyote in My Neighborhood or Yard. Try to punch, kick, scream-whatever you have to do to survive. Im not trying to tell you what to do here but I do not recommend sharing any reports of these sources of wildlife to social media or the news. Give a Gift This is typical wolf behavior. The Illinois DNR has verified only three cougars here since the late 1800s, and those have been within the past several years. On November 7, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southwest Baraga County. Dont run as it may agitate the bear and put it into chase mode. Read: Michigan DNR: 10 confirmed cougar sightings in 2021. On Sept. 2, 2019, a trail camera captured a photo of a cougar in Delta County, on the Stonington Peninsula. You will probably be done after that. Map of Cougar area hotels: Locate Cougar hotels on a map based on popularity, price, or availability, and see Tripadvisor reviews, photos, and deals. And we probably do have bigfoot Okay now we dont have to be so serious anymore, I hope that one day black bear, mountain lions and gray wolves come back to populate their species in the Shawnee National Forest. In 2018, for example, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources compiled 501 cougar reports, but considered only 37 as verified or probable. Anyone know if this is true? (Michigan Department of Natural Resouces). The agency also verified a cougar-killed doe in late November farther south and a bit west, along the Barron and Washburn county line. Illinois state police transported the cougar to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for a full necropsy and DNA analysis by a wildlife biologist. Thanks Shawn. Copyright 2022 WGEM. Also, five sets of cougar tracks were confirmed and 16 sightings were highly likely.. It has been so long, in fact, that local residents are not used to co-habitating with them although our neighbors in Wisconsin, Missouri, and Minnesota have been doing so all this time. As always, be safe out there when exploring the Shawnee National Forest and leave with good memories, not bad injuries. Id love to see it happen while I am alive. Wolf tracks are approximately 4 to 5 inches in length and 3 to 3 inches wide. The IDNR website also says to respect the cougars space, and do not approach the animal. If possible, go inside a building or get into a vehicle. You might also look into bear bells and sound devices used to scare away bears as a more non-harmful approach to dealing with bear encounters. Mountain lions are typically very elusive, so most sightings last only a few seconds. Gray wolves may not be hunted, killed, or harassed for any reason. Related stories from The Olympian illinois.gov. In 2013, a conservation warden killed one inside a Whiteside County barn. The radio signal was not detected the following week. Three months later, it remarkably surfaced inside Chicago city limits, where it was shot and killed in a back alley by Chicago police, who feared it was about to attack. Basic natural history information and a current list of mountain lion sightings in the state are available on the mountain lion page at Wildlife Illinois. It is likely that a small number of other wolves have passed through Illinois over the last decade on their way to surrounding states. To explore these questions, Jerome and I talked with two wildlife management experts on the EcoMyths Worldview segment: Bill Ziegler, SVP of Animal Programs at the Chicago Zoological Society; and Mike Redmer, a biologist with the U.S. The mountain lion/cougar (or puma, panther, and various other names) is the largest of the three wildcats historically documented in Iowa. A female wolf was killed by a vehicle in La Salle County in December 2013. On Oct. 6, 2019 a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southern Marquette County. In 2002, a mountain lion was killed by a train in Randolph County. 302 total listings State map of individual report locations (requires Adobe SVG Viewer plug-in for your browser) State terrain & political maps with report totals & population density by county Most Recent Reports November 2021, Cass County (Class A) - SATURDAY NIGHT 10:30 : Motorist sighting of a sasquatch crossing Route 78 near Sangamon River Not just bears, but also cougars and wolves. Cougars, also known as mountain lions or pumas, were native to Michigan but were wiped out in the early 1900s. Black bears, wolves, and cougars are rare but not unheard of in Illinois. As Bill points out, the return of the large predators could help achieve the natural balance of all these other animals.. If you have recently seen a gray wolf in Illinois, please. Following a February 10, 2022, court order, gray wolves in the contiguous 48 states, with the exception of the Northern Rocky Mountain population, are once again protected under the Endangered Species Act as threatened in Minnesota and endangered in the remaining states. Cougar Village map Author: SIUE Marketing & Communications Subject: Cougar Village map Keywords: Cougar Village Map, cougar village map, map, cougar village, layout, cougar village layout, cougar village buildings, buildings Created Date: 8/11/2006 2:25:06 PM In the Americas, only the jaguar of South America, Central America, and Mexico are larger. Would you include a good list of snakes in the region, and what to do when they find you? This is about 120 miles from where a November 27, 2020 photo was captured in Schoolcraft County. We certainly need to keep a respectful distance. Im sorry IDNR if that suggestion is ignored and you get Bigfoot reports Oops. Jane Wiedenhoeft, a Wisconsin DNR biologist who investigates cougar reports, says mature males drive juvenile males from their territories. Domestic dogs attack more humans per week than wolves do in a decade. If attacked you should fight back, do not play dead. On April 24, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County, on the Stonington Peninsula. Subscribe to the official Hiking with Shawn Newsletter and get a free gift! (Michigan Department of Natural Resources). The climbers of Jackson Falls have nothing on the black bear. Subscribe now (for a limited time only) and get my free 70+ page35 Hiking Trails of Southern Illinois Guide. If the wolf sees you, stand your ground; look as large as possible by standing up straight and putting your arms up in the air and slowly back away. Kentucky has confirmed only one cougar recently. SB3049, which took effect January 1, 2015, amended theIllinois Wildlife Codeby adding mountain lions, black bears, and gray wolves to the list of protected species. That is my opinion and I know some will disagree and that is fine. We didnt have cellphone cameras then but I talked to one of the forest service guys at the old Brownfield watch tower and he told me they had be seen by others in the area. Throw rocks, use sticks. The IDNR experts believe this may be the same cougar, also known as a mountain lion or puma, captured on a trail camera in Whiteside County on Sept. 28, which was confirmed by the IDNR and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The most important thing to do is remain calm. If anyone sees a cougar, they are asked to call Fish and Wildlife dispatch at 360-902-2936. "I love it when a plan comes together:" Thomas Allen may have missed a day-starting coffee and chill time, but his planning before a recent turkey hunt in Minnesota had him ready when gobblers showed up earlier than expected, and just before an April winter storm blew in. Dont climb a tree bears are excellent climbers. On May 13, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in eastern Dickinson County. This is about 165 miles from where the June 6 photo was captured in Chippewa County. According to the IDNR website, if you see a cougar, do not run. January 12, 2021: On January 12, 2021, a security camera captured and tracks were found from a cougar in Southwestern Schoolcraft County. https://www.hikingwithshawn.com/shawnee-national-forest-snakes/, Hiking with Shawns Trail Guide Series: Old Stoneface Trail | Hiking With Shawn, Hiking with Shawns Trail Guide Series: Horse Creek Trail. Meaty Topic: Are Large Carnivores Moving Into a New Neck of the Woods? Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Though as mountain lion populations in South Dakota, Nebraska and Rocky Mountain states increase, it is possible that more mountain lions will disperse through Illinois in search of new territory. The State Journal-Register reported cougar sightings north of here in 2012. A male wolf was killed by a vehicle immediately north of Chain OLakes State Park in Lake County in 2005. Squirrels with Missing Fur. Learn how to create your own. Will we see more of these wild predators in the coming years? Im not out protesting it and I know the value of hunting to the National Forest, but I dont have to agree with some of it dont hate me, I dont hate you for not agreeing. All four were sub-adult (23-year-old) males. In DeKalb County on Sunday night, a vehicle collision was first reported involving a deer. On Sept. 18, 2019, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in northern Delta County. Recent upticks in cougar sightings east of Nebraska and the Dakotas dont portend a new era in Midwestern cougar populations. If children are with you, pick them up so they cant run. They have a tan or tawny coat with a white or cream-colored chin, undersides, and inside of legs. Keep in mind that dog tracks are highly variable in size. Large predators occasionally pass through Illinois but are not here to stay. A male wolf and a female wolf were killed in Jo Daviess County in 2011 about 4 miles apart. The IDNR is currently monitoring a cougar reported in western Illinois in early October 2022. A young mountain lion that was part of a cougar population in Nebraska embarked on a multi-state journey this year, officials said. Please support Shawns efforts by sharing this post and leaving a comment below. No matter what it is called, its appearance is distinctivea tan coat with a white or cream-colored chin; small, rounded ears, the backs of which are solid black or dark gray; and a thick, tawny tail half as long as its body and tipped with black. That is why the IDNR requests that the public report mountain lion sightings in Illinois. Have you ever watched a house cat sneak up on a mouse or bird or something like that and pounce them? Dead Wildlife on My Property. Should we fear them? Mountain lions, also known as cougars and pumas, were historically found across North America but are now primarily in the western states. For that matter, dont mess with sasquatch at all, eat your beef jerky and leave him the heck alone. The distances and chronology of the images suggest that they may have been of the same animal. This is about 120 miles from where a November 27, 2020 photo was captured in Schoolcraft County. Get the camera! I heard he likes cupcakes and sandwich cookies, specially ones from Sissys Sweet Shop or Frosted by Mollie in Metropolis. This isnt a sponsored post but be sure to tell them Hiking with Shawn sent you and he will happily oblige with free ice cream for life. If you see a wolf, do not run. If a mountain lion makes contact with you, always try to fight it off. Bear attacks are very rare, and I cant even find any information about the last bear attack in Illinois. Im new to the area. Biologists dont expect to see re-established breeding populations of cougars from Missouri to the Great Lakes anytime soon. A conservation officer shot it in December 2014. That might not be totally true But another word of advice is to not bring a pet that is currently in heat with you on hikes. Southern Illinois has the most contiguous forest in the state but still could not support many mountain lions, saysJoy OKeefe, University of Illinois Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Assistant Professor and Extension wildlife specialist. The form will ask for some of your personal information, the location you spotted the cougar, the habitat type, the day you saw the cougar, and any other details about the sighting. Make noise to ensure that the mountain lion is aware of your presence. They are still scared of us after all! Never turn your back on them-most attacks happen to hikers and mountain bikers out west when the cats pounce on them from behind. It might not happen while I am alive but maybe afterwards. But if the planets align and the encounter happens-just like with bears and lions, try to appear as big as you can. The government could help make that possible by dropping them into the forest with helicopters like they do with rattlesnakes and armadillos That is joke people! Subscriber Services. I get there when I can and especially in the fall. This is about 4 miles from the Delta County photo taken on August 17th. Never run from a cougar. Shawn hikes, backpacks and visits various forested areas in the Shawnee National Forest, local state parks and other areas promoting outdoor recreational activities to obtain video to show to locals and non-locals alike. The last known wild cougar legally taken in the state occurred in 1906 near Newberry. DNA analysis indicates that thesefouranimals were genetically similar to mountain lions from South Dakota, which strongly suggests that they were all wild males dispersing from the western population. The rule was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 3, 2020 and took effect 60 days after that on Jan. 4, 2021. An IDNR biologist will review the information provided and attempt to use it to confirm the species and location of the sighting. That animal has a GPS collar that was originally attached a year ago in Nebraska as part of a research project. This is about 5 miles from where another photo was captured on October 13 in Mackinac County. DEPARTMENT Mountain lionshave been protected in Illinois since 2015. Have you seen my belly? Of course, even if you never spot one of these elusive, large cats, there are a lot of other interesting species to see out thereso a walk in the woods is always is good idea. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hiking with Shawn is an entity of Hiking with Shawn LLC, registered in the State of Illinois. This is pretty cool. So, while you should always be cautious when encountering them, the chance of getting attacked by a black bear around here is really slim. There are occasional sightings, and there may possibly be the rare traveler that passes through. This is about 5 . Kilburg said the West Bend trail cam image fits a pattern of other recent cougar observations in the state. If you were to encounter a bear, lion or wolf and you have a loose dog, the dog will likely try to attack it. Throw rocks, use sticks. Best of luck to you. A fourth was killed by an Illinois Conservation Police officer at a farmstead in Whiteside County in November 2013. If you encounter a cougar in the wild you should face the animal, stand tall, wave your arms and talk in a loud voice. The Missouri Department of Conservation confirmed a mountain lion in Shannon County in February 2020. If the dog is a toy-whatever, the bear might actually start laughing and then eat it. Their study area was 44% forested and 37% agricultural land, with wetlands, shrublands and developed land accounting for the rest. Bill Ziegler describes these animals as apex predators because they are at the top of the carnivore food chain. Given the long distances typically traveled by mountain lion, and the proximity of the counties (especially Calhoun, Morgan and Pike), it is possible that the camera images may have shown the same individual. There havent been any updates on 2022 sightings on the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website yet this year. December 22, 2021: On December 22, 2021, a security camera captured video of a cougar in southwestern Delta County. Look as large as possible by standing up straight and putting your arms up in the air and slowly back away. The most important rule of encountering a black bear is to never play dead. If you are camping and have food, hang it up away from where you are sleeping. First reported as a deer, the cougar was running across Interstate 88 near eastbound milepost 104.25 when struck and killed. The dog will probably get hurt or even killed in the process. Thats if you dont count that one time my mother swore she saw one in Manistee County -- a completely unconfirmed sighting late at night but I choose to believe it happened. On July 19, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in the Black River area of Republic, Marquette County. If you need help, let me know! If you have recently seen a cougar in Illinois, you should report the sighting to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Hi Shawn. There have been some confirmed sightings in Tennessee. Bears, wolves, and wolverines are also rapidly increasing their populations in Europe after years of decline. The truth of the matter is that young male cougars do continually crisscross core Midwestern states in futile attempts to find a mate, but no wildlife agency east of Nebraska and the Dakotas sees evidence of a homegrown breeding population. It is best to report to the DNR and let them handle it from there. There is currently no evidence that resident breeding populations of mountain lions exist in Illinois at this time. Genetic information available from some of the wolves indicates that they came from the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segmentmost likely from Wisconsin. Include in the image an object to aid in the determination of size including a ruler, tape measure, or common object of standard size (coin or paper money, business card, etc). You can unsubscribe anytime with ease. It might watch you and fantasize about eating youbut youll likely be left alone and never even know that a larger version of Garfield was drooling at the mouth when you walked by it tripping over rocks and dancing from walking into spider webs. IL Do not play dead. Bigfoot has a name calling him Harry is a bit discriminatory in my opinion-some of you will not get that reference at all because I am old! You can always share your photos long after the wildlife has gone away from the area. Throw rocks, use sticks. In addition, wolfdog hybrids and many dog breeds can look nearly identical to wolves. www.tn.gov. If you have had a sighting in the United States, Canada, or any other country, please take a moment and report it to our team of scientists. Cougars can be confused with bobcats and domestic dogs, however cougars are much larger than all these . One thing about the Shawnee though, we have plenty of raccoons who love to steal any food they get ahold of (besides spicy chips, LOL) so it is a good idea to hang food up because of them as youll likely encounter them quicker than a black bear. If so,, With drought on the rise in regions around the world, we sat down in the, EU Platform on the Coexistence Between People and Large Carnivores, Myth: Wild Predators Belong Anywhere But Here, On the Air: Water Supply From Cali to Kazakhstan. Really! In states like Colorado and parts of California, where people encounter large predators . This is about 12 miles from the Schoolcraft County trail camera photo taken on November 15, 2019. Persons with disabilities needing assistance with public inspection file content should contact Pam Nelson 630 552 1000 x 0, Former Kendall County First Assistant State's Attorney and State's Attorney's Office sued over alleged sexual misconduct, Heavy police presence near Route 47 and Main Street south of Elburn, Three arrested after Yorkville home invasion, Yorkville 115 supt. In 2019, the Wisconsin DNR verified 12 cougar sightings with trail cameras. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. The IDNR is unaware of any self-sustaining populations or packs currently residing in Illinois, but wolves originating from existing populations in Wisconsin (primarily), Michigan, and Minnesota have been documented moving through or temporarily residing in the state. If the bear attacks, it is time to fight for survival. A commission called the EU Platform on the Coexistence Between People and Large Carnivores (pithy title), had its first working session in June 2014, but theyve been organizing the committee for two years so that all the stakeholders (farmers, landowners, conservationists, hunters, and scientists) are represented.