For more than 30 years, talk of a mystery cat in the Eastern Upper Peninsula has fueled late-night campfires, breakfast-table buffets and the occasional smoke-filled barroom without any real solid proof of its existence.In fact, the best piece of evidence came in 2001 when a local utility crew happened upon a skull while cutting trees on a parcel of property off of 15 Mile Road. Although it was eventually confirmed that the skull was that of a cougar - or mountain lion, depending on your preference - no other bones were found in a subsequent search, leading to speculation the skull may have been discarded at that location.
There have also been a number of press releases from the Michigan Wildlife Habitat Foundation - a group dedicated to validating the presence of mountain lions in Michigan - claiming to have collected scat, hair and DNA evidence from the central and western Upper Peninsula over the years.
The only real data gathered in our area has come from eye-witness accounts. Reports of a mystery cat have trickled in from a variety of sources, inlcuding: A Rudyard school teacher, a retired reporter for a national broadcasting firm, a former U.S. Air Force Colonel, an Evening News photographer and scads of other respectable, seemingly reliable individuals. Each story carried the same common thread - a quick sighting of a cat-like animal which left lasting impressions and little else in its wake.
But, that all changed with one click of the camera on Tuesday when another credible source, retired Michigan State Police Trooper and Post Commander Dan Inglis of American Legion Post #3 produced the first photographic image of a mountain lion with a trail-cam mounted on his South Fork Camp on the evening of Sept. 18.
“Everything about it looks like a cougar,” said Inglis, showcasing his digital photo on a large screen television.
“It's not a bobcat and it's not a lynx,” said Inglis, who has had experience with these animals. “I hunted bobcats as a kid; I know bobcats and I've seen lynx while up in Canada.”
Inglis said he had photographed his 86-pound black lab at the same location and, using that as a comparison, “this is bigger in every way.” He estimated the cat's weight at 90-100 pounds or more.
While somewhat surprised to catch the animal on his trail-cam, Inglis said he knew something like it was out in the Gogomain Swamp. He first made contact with the animal at a distance of approximately 75 feet during the opening day of deer season four years ago.
“It's just a beautiful animal,” he said describing it as a tannish color, “a Cougar color, with a smooth hide.”
Inglis also added he has seen tracks he could not identify on his property.
“They were too big for a coyote and not big enough for a wolf, but round - it couldn't be either one of them,” he said.
“I think it's great,” said Inglis expressing no concern regarding his discovery.
“It is one of the prettiest animals you will ever see,” he concluded. “ I'd sure rather see that out there than wolves.”
Gogomain Swamp Cougar
Gogomain Swamp Cougar