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Michigan Cougar News Flash
NEW MICHIGAN COUGAR SIGHTING-
Date: Autumn 2001
Location: near Roscommon, (near Higgins Lake) Michigan.
" I was close enough to see the muscles move under his coat as he walked along,
especially in his shoulders and hind legs."
Sighting occured: in 2001
Recieved Sun 3/19/2006 4:58 PM to savethecougar.com"I've been a teacher and a librarian for the past twenty two years and have lived in Roscommon County for the past seventeen years. In 2001 I saw a cougar late in the afternoon on a bright autumn day as I drove home from school. This was long before the current controversy and publicity appeared in our northern newspapers.
I exited I75 southbound at the first Roscommon exit and slowed as I neared the stop sign. To my left the land sloped down in a grassy area with a few small shrubs and trees. Beyond the other service road to the expressway is a large tract of land that is largely a cedar and jack pine swampy area that extends for several miles to the north and east. To the west is the north shore of Higgins Lake (about three miles away from the exit). This was approximately 3:30 or 4:00 p.m. and it was a crystal blue clear sky day. The sun was warm and lowering in the sky to the west. As I slowed to a stop I looked to my left (east) and saw the cougar. He was no more than 30 yards from my vehicle and was walking slowly along in the grass. I remember thinking, "My gosh, that's a mountain lion!" I was not afraid but, rather, experienced that awed feeling one experiences when seeing a majestic animal like a whale at such close range.
He was about 6-7 feet long (nose to tip of tail) and tawny colored - except for his face which had white and dark brown around the nose. His tail was about as long as his body and was like a very thick broom handle. It was not fluffy. His coat was smooth and of consistant color. I say "he" because it seemed like a male. He was very muscular and his paws were very big. I was close enough to see the muscles move under his coat as he walked along, especially in his shoulders and hind legs. He slowed as I slowed to look at him and then stopped for a few moments and looked at me in my vehicle. I couldn't take my eyes off him as I stopped to watch.
It never occurred to me to be frightened. He seemed to be enjoying the late afternoon warmth of the sun and was very calm. Then he slowly moved on and disappeared into the shrubby trees. He just sort of 'melted' into the shrubs.
I remember thinking as I drove away that I had never heard of mountain lions in our area (I did not know the term Eastern cougar at the time).
He was not a bobcat or a dog or a bear. He was a mountain lion.
I went home and told my children about it. I wondered which authorities to call but never did report it until three years later when an article appeared in our local newspaper about sightings of cougars here. I reported it on the DNR website then but never heard from them.
Sincerely,
KS Noack
Roscommon, Michigan"
We would love to hear about your cougar sightings!
It's very important for the public to get involved in this awareness effort and we want to hear your stories!
Please click the link below to send us an email with your information. Remember to add dates, locations, photos and any other details when reporting your sighting. Plus, you always can count on SavetheCougar.org to get your sighting information to the appropriate agencies and organizations.
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