150 lb Cougar shot and killed in Roscoe Village

[ramirami]

dont these guys usually hang out in Kane County ?

[gardener34]

There were sightings of cougars in Dekalb county several years ago. Nothing verified though.

I can't believe some animal that well fed was not someone's escaped pet. I am not buying the story that it came down from south dakota or wherever. Wisconsin - maybe.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by gardener34

There were sightings of cougars in Dekalb county several years ago. Nothing verified though.

I can't believe some animal that well fed was not someone's escaped pet. I am not buying the story that it came down from south dakota or wherever. Wisconsin - maybe.

Believe it. Some researchers tracked some cougars from South Dakota that were traveling eastward at a good clip. Many of them ended up in Minnesota.

As for being well-fed, theres plenty of food for them to prey upon here in the midwest, which is the #1 reason I believe theyre moving out this way.

[LSDetroit]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

I'm still thinking the cougar USED to be a pet. Lots of people keep wild animals, ignorant of the fact that it will grow up. It may have been just wandering feral. Two years ago I believe there was an alligator sighted on the Des Plaines River.

Its possible cougars might be making there way back. They DO cover a lot of ground. I've read that an adult can move 50 miles a night. Their comeback could easily be fueled by deer overpopulation all over the country (50-60 years ago white-tailed deer were very rare!!).

Still though, I'm still thinking it was a pet at one time.

Droppings and tracks have been found around the traverse bay region of Northern Michigan(LP). The NWS has put up warning signs on all the major hiking trails.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by LSDetroit

Droppings and tracks have been found around the traverse bay region of Northern Michigan(LP). The NWS has put up warning signs on all the major hiking trails.

Thanks for the info.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

So yes it is still possible, but I still think the likelihood of it coming from the black hills, or the wilds of the northwoods is still kind of small

Nope. This is what the evidence is pointing to, in fact.