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FYI--- the article is over 7 years old...

you might find this article from 2015 interesting Lindsey

Every few years we have had one east of Brainerd and than they move on. I tracked one for about 1 mile in a area south of Brainerd about 8 years ago and collected some hair I found from it and confirmed to be a Mountain lion. In the snow their track is much bigger than a wolf track.

As far as I know nobody has ever seen kittens yet in Minnesota. there was a report of a female north of Mille lacs with small ones but was never confirmed when checked out.

A collared male cat from South Dakota Black Hills made it to Minnesota.

quote WhiteWolf: "FYI--- the article is over 7 years old..."

Well don't I feel like a dummy.....

3 years ago my neighbor had one climbing up their barn in the middle of the night. They yelled at it and it ran off. I think they visit, but I don't know if they stay

There are definitely Mountain Lions in MN, they are pictured every year via trail cams. The DNR will continue to deny that there are resident cats and stick to their 'passing through' story. If they publicly acknowledge that there is a continued presence of Mountain Lion in the state, they will have to set aside money and resources to protect and manage the population.

There certainly are Mountain Lions in MN but so far there isn't enough evidence to suggest there is a resident breeding population in the state. The vast majority of animals that have been found in MN are young males out looking for territory. That tells me that at least a few males have set up shop here in MN but having a few males living in the state is a lot different than having a breeding population. From what I understand Mt Lions have huge ranges and in MN given the terrain their ranges would need to be even bigger than out west. That would limit how many animals could actually live here.

Until we see evidence of a sustained breeding population then I won't pay that close of attention. It would be cool to see one though.

Eric Simula on his Arrowhead paddling journey with his hand made birch bark canoe, had a mountain line and a black bear both visit his camp in the same evening. He packed up and paddled the rest of the night.

Working with wildlife in the past,these Mountain lions never stay put and still wonder has there been one female lion identified. None that I know,no kittens ever observed. No reason for the DNR to deny it. Just zero proof otherwise that we have a breeding population.

more then a few cats living in the river valley from burnsville to and past henderson. came across a black cougar outside of belle plain in the late 90's on my way to bow hunting. 1 of those things saw it for a very brief moment but my mind knew what i had just witnessed. big head-triangle ears-and a long S shaped tail. it was no house cat .
saw a lynx or bobcat feeding on a road kill(early 90's) at #5 and #41 in chanhassen.
story in the local paper, a guy saw some deer kills and set up a trailcam (savage mn) and got some pics of a good size cougar.

quote Pinetree:. I tracked one for about 1 mile in a area south of Brainerd about 8 years ago and collected some hair I found from it and confirmed to be a Mountain lion."

How would one test something like this ?

quote Basspro69: "

quote Pinetree:. I tracked one for about 1 mile in a area south of Brainerd about 8 years ago and collected some hair I found from it and confirmed to be a Mountain lion."

How would one test something like this ?"

Just need a microscope. Different animals have different hair characteristics that can distinguish them. They can usually even tell one type of dog from another. If by chance the hair was pulled out and there is a follicle, then DNA could distinguish individuals.

Thanks Jaywalker :-)

The article that canoearoo posted is a good one. Basically the gist is that there is just too much agricultural land between Minnesota and the nearest population to make the establishment of a breeding population unlikely, though not impossible. Male cougars do indeed wander through, but females stay much closer to home. So fora breeding population of wild cougars to get established here, a female would have to cross all those cornfields and THEN be lucky enough to find a mate.

There are always those who think the DNR is denying the existence of a breeding population, but to those I say, show us the tracks! Cougars are active in the winter, and their tracks are easy to identify. I have heard people talking about this secret cougar population for something like 40 years, yet somehow they never increase.

quote shock: "more then a few cats living in the river valley from burnsville to and past henderson. came across a black cougar outside of belle plain in the late 90's on my way to bow hunting. 1 of those things saw it for a very brief moment but my mind knew what i had just witnessed. big head-triangle ears-and a long S shaped tail. it was no house cat .
saw a lynx or bobcat feeding on a road kill(early 90's) at #5 and #41 in chanhassen.
story in the local paper, a guy saw some deer kills and set up a trailcam (savage mn) and got some pics of a good size cougar. "

Yea I remember that, at the Cargil plant in Savage they kept seeing road kill deer carcasses getting eaten so security out of couriosity set up a cameras on a fresh roadkill deer and captured a picture of an adult cougar. The DNR said they could be living in that area of the MN river Valley and it would be hard to know since there is so much deer roadkill and easy meals and plenty of places to hide. Also couldn't rule out it was an illegal pet release. I guess it isn't unusual for people to buy cougars and when they grow up decide that it wasn't such a great idea and just release them.

About a year later a young male cougar was shot on a MN river valley trail near the Mall of America by police when it wouldn't run away. I guess calls about mountain lions/cougars are not uncommon and police policy is chase them away and if they appear to not be afraid of people or won't run away they dispatch them.

I haven't heard any reports for awhile now, but not paying arrention either.

I tend to think all of these are cougars passing through. As marsonite pointed out, people would see more tracks in the winter if there was a local population and the reports seem to ebb and flow. A bunch for a year then almost nothing for awhile again, it is certainly possible though.

T

quote Jaywalker: "

quote Basspro69: "

quote Pinetree:. I tracked one for about 1 mile in a area south of Brainerd about 8 years ago and collected some hair I found from it and confirmed to be a Mountain lion."

How would one test something like this ?"

Just need a microscope. Different animals have different hair characteristics that can distinguish them. They can usually even tell one type of dog from another. If by chance the hair was pulled out and there is a follicle, then DNA could distinguish individuals. "

Correct and the hair I found was more woolly like also. In the Brainerd area for a few years people were seeing one east of town off and on for about a year.

The one I tracked in the snow traveled different than wolf track or wolves travel.
In this case he were very often get close to a big tree than hang right next to it about half way around the other side like he is peeking around the corner(sneaky like),he would go tree to tree at times doing this(watch a house cat and you will observe the same thing),he would climb up a leaning tree now and than I suppose to get a better look or something. As mentioned before,their track is much bigger than any wolf track I seen.
At that time their was a pack of 6 wolves were in the same area. I heard of wolves and cougar fights before,but don't know outcomes.

Say Lindsey, did you see they saw a big cat in Grand Marais this morning. They posted it on facebook

Beautiful animal...

I wouldn't mind seeing one from the safety of my car or home but I can say that I definitely hope I don't see one while I paddling solo. No chance for a safety in numbers:-)

I am thankful that we haven't had any reports of cougar attacks here in Minnesota.

I was camping in Jasper and Banff last month on my own and there were signs on several trails that you were supposed to hike in tight clusters of 4 or more people to deter aggressive Grizzlies in the area. Since I was on my own it was a little unnerving so I kept adopting people to hike with.