Cougar near Sandwich, IL? (Chicago, Roscoe: home, quiet, moving)

[Inthesprawlpath]

There were some spotted at Elfrom Stadium in geneva.

[Avengerfire]

I love cougars.

[Pugetsoundman]

A good friend of mine is a recently retired DNR biologist. He confirms that there was a cougar found dead from an encounter with a freight train near Galena along the Mississippi River a few years ago. There are quite a few credible sightings actually. Most are believed to be far-ranging males. There are no recent reports of breeding cougars in the state but it is probably only a matter of time.

Incidently, there are resident timber wolves in southwestern Wisconsin that have been crossing into Illinois during the last few winters.

[dubuqueaskme]

There is a small population here in Iowa, and today me and a friend from northwest Illinois were talking, and he mentioned that he heard through the grapevine that a cougar was spotted near Savanna, in the Palisades Park...

There is some speculation, as with any grapevine statements, but I can believe it, especially since there is a small population here, in IA along the MS River.

There was a confirmed sighting about two weeks ago near Sterling, about 11 miles NW of the city of a bobcat...

[dubuqueaskme]

There is a picture of the bobcat at the Sterling Wal-Mart

[runninfiend]

Originally Posted by dubuqueaskme

There is a picture of the bobcat at the Sterling Wal-Mart

Yes, but bobcats aren't cougars and fairly common in Illinois. Cougars are virtually unheard of east of the Mississippi for a whole lot of reasons.

See above post on bobcats.

[Bugqueen]

I and my friend Annette are first hand witnesses of a cougar along the Flat Branch (a tributary of the Sangamon River in Christian County). There have been rumors for years around here of cougar sightings by farmers but I didn't think much of it until my experience. No we didn't see it, but we sure heard it, twice! It roared not once but twice, sounded like the MGM lion in surround sound. Sent chills down my spine and we raced to the pasture to lock up the horses. And guess what folks, my son who lives in Vienna has pictures of cougar tracks chasing a deer in mud. He found them while he was deer hunting in the fall. We are all very experienced outdoorsmen, and sure know the difference between a bobcat and a cougar.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Bugqueen

but we sure heard it, twice! It roared not once but twice, sounded like the MGM lion in surround sound

Odd, cougars dont sound anything like a lion.

Anyways, nice story. I do alot of hiking myself, and Lord knows Id have to change my boxers if I heard and saw a cougar.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Odd, cougars dont sound anything like a lion.

Exactly right. Cougars are incapable of roaring.

[jody1970]

I am from Paw Paw Illinois . We took a picture of a cougar in the woods here. We took pictures of the foot prints. We were told that They let it loose to knock down the deer population. We turned the report into the rangers office and asked them if this was a true rumor about knocking out the deer population.They told us they did not have to give us any info. I guess our government does what it wants. Nothing new hu?