Cougar sighting in Champlin

[deadeye]

I hate to downplay it but if you go out west they are all over and live without too much interaction with people.

Im not saying that there isn't a new threat of a attack, as they are a pretty new re-introduction into this area and will go after people occasionally. At the same time, I don't hear much about them causing a huge problem in places they have a bigger population.

There is enough deer in the metro area that they could hunt till their heart is content and not even dent the population. We don't really have a apex predator here besides cars so they may help us out.

[wh1stler]

I am enjoying the DNR's dog responses too, LOL.

Just to be clear....

The DNR did not say this. That was a fictional 'reponse' that somebody unassociated with the DNR posted on a message board. They were trying to parody the perceived attitute of the DNR.

Whistler

[Knight-Hunter]

The DNR did confirm it officially:

http://www.am1500.com/link/Cougar_in_Champlin

[Ralph Wiggum]

In the DNR's defense, I'll bet a great majority of cougar reports are due to dogs. Someone sees a huge set of prints and assumes it's a cougar. Our Great Dane leaves some monster prints, and when we're out at our cabin, people are constantly talking about the "cougar tracks" by the beach.

This one is obviously a cougar, but there's a lot of paranoia out there.

[leech~~]

At lunch just a few minute ago. WCCO reported a sighting in Vad, Hights. It's on the move!

[Dave S]

from last year, shouldn't the lion be making its way to greenbush?

I am enjoying the DNR's dog responses too, LOL.

Maybe I'm interpreting people's posts wrong, but in regards to the Champlin cat, the DNR DID NOT refer to it as a dog. An earlier post mentioned that someone else had made a sarcastic remark in the Strib as if it were from the DNR saying "it was a dog, there's nothing to see here".

[Muthagoose]

It was on WDIO and MPR

MPR stated the the officer had to confirm what he had video taped to the DNR before they would accept the call...

[paul pachowicz]

just yesterday the GF&P snuffed another cat. This one was under a tree with a deer kill in someone's yard in the town of Belle Fourche, SD. Maybe it was headed to Minn.

[BobT]

I hate to downplay it but if you go out west they are all over and live without too much interaction with people.

Im not saying that there isn't a new threat of a attack, as they are a pretty new re-introduction into this area and will go after people occasionally. At the same time, I don't hear much about them causing a huge problem in places they have a bigger population.

There is enough deer in the metro area that they could hunt till their heart is content and not even dent the population. We don't really have a apex predator here besides cars so they may help us out.

[deadeye]

So they really aren't that big of a threat then...

I hope this link works. Kind of a poor comparison but its something that I'm more worried about than a big cat....

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/fatalities08.htm

Im not sayin, Im just sayin...

[vister]

I dont see what the big deal is about a cougar sighting. is it just because it is a rare deal or what. cougars are wild animals that spend a lot of time roaming. its only a matter of time that they happened to venture into the metro. last year, there was numerous sightings in our area back home here. also reports of a cougar with multiple kittens, or whatever you'd call a youngin. my brother watched first hand as a cougar with 3 kittens crossed the road in front of him on his way to work last fall south of staples.

i dont see it being any different than the occassional mule deer in MN, or even bigfoot for that case!! its kinda neat knowing that they are in the area. just like bobcat and fisher, which until a few years ago, was unheard of, and thats why no one ever believes it. it seems odd the only way anyone will believe anything is if you have video or picture proof, and even then people dont believe you

[deadeye]

vister, thats kind of what I was getting at. I think it would be kind of sweet to see one myself. I was pumped the first time I saw a bear, moose, bobcat, pine martin ect. Uncommon/elusive animals are always a treat to see.

They should do a proper predator survey (with trail cams, not just track surveys) in the areas that they have been seen in. It would be interesting to see the results of that.

[Muthagoose]

I don't think its the cat that's so much a big deal anyone with common sense knows nothing is impossible when it comes to nature.

Atleast for me its that there has been so many cocky negative insulting replies to anyone who would say they saw a cat that's best part...

Wonder what the ole kitty's having for dinner tonight..

[elkrivermn]

Last week I saw a cougar in my garage in Big Lake. No wait a minute that was my 1979 Mercury Cougar XR7. Ive been in Las Vegas to long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cannot wait to go back to Minnesota and the snow and cold. Ya right kids

[TR21]

Those aren't cougars they are alley cats, really old alley cats!

[BobT]

There's such a concern about cougars and potential threat they pose consider this.

I previously posted some information that suggests there have been 5 deaths due to cougars in the past 114 years. How many of us are concerned about black bears in a metro area? Well...it is estimated that there have been 56 documented killings of humans by black bears in North America in the past 100 years.

That's 11 times as many humans have died in Canada and the US by black bears than by cougars but we think it's actually a little neat to hear about them in city limits. Fear of the unkown perhaps.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I think its cool the multiple sightings in the state and around the metro, what I have enjoyed in the past is the whole DNR denial phrase "well maybe, just maybe there was one in the state, but it was only passing thru"

[riverwader]

Quick question. With the assumption that this is the same cat in Vadnais Heights as Champlin. How or where would the cougar cross the Mississippi river? I know it had to cross multiple rivers on the way to Champlin but they are narrow compared to the Miss in this area. I wouldnt think it would cross the CR dam or the hwy bridges.

[walleyeguy7]

TOO CLOSE TO HOME!!!!! . its one thing to see one from the deer stand but i sure as heck dont want to see one shile im playing with the kids in the back yard! someones dog may have been killed by one in andover and if youve seen the video it happened on their kids playground! i realize there is not much we can do about it and dont want to sound like im overreacting but i just hope someone is keeping an eye on the resident population (cause we all know there is one) before someone gets hurt.

[New2TheRegistry]

I dont see what the big deal is about a cougar sighting. is it just because it is a rare deal or what.

The media loves a story like this and is able to have a hay day it.

In my opinion, its a big deal because people have been seeing Cougars in MN for years yet the DNR continuously downplayed their sightings. With the resources they have, I sure hope the DNR knows which animals are roaming around the state. I have to assume they had knowledge of Cougars in MN, yet seemed to have a difficult time admitting that knowledge to the public. Why would that be?

[Weed Shark]

The amazing thing is not that a cougar was seen, but that someone actually got a picture. No one believes it unless you get a picture or a handful of fur off their back. That will change gradually. Good friends have seen them in the west suburbs on 2 separate occasions (they know a cougar from a dog, or a fox).

I remember in the 1960's, neighbors boasted that a pair of Canada geese nested each spring on our lake in Plymouth. As a boy, that intrigued me. Yesterday, I drove past a hundred on a baseball diamond in Plymouth...times change, eh?

[mww24]

would it really be the same cat in champlin and vadnais heights. thats a lot of really heavily populated area to cross in a few days. Anyone know the movements of them?

[Dave S]

A cougar will travel a lot farther than the "short" distance between Champlin and Vadnais Heights in a few days time.

As far as the DNR downplaying the cougar sightings, what more can you expect when they go out to investigate some of these sightings and the animal is pointed out from a distance, only to be a house cat, a fox, or a dog for that matter. Truth be told, a lot of people wouldn't know the difference between a cougar or a bobcat if they saw one.

Cougars were a rare find in MN for many years. Hence, another reason the DNR downplays the alleged sightings. Is the population coming back? I believe so. I saw my first cougar by Belle Plaine one morning on my way home from work in '98. There was even a population of Bobcat as far south as Le Sueur/Mankato in the mid 80's.

[Harmonica Bear]

IMO the DNR downplays cougar sightings so as not to get everybody all worked up and panicked about it. The media for sure will play it up for all its worth creating hysteria amongst the metropolitans whose vast experience with nature and wild animals are finches at the feeder, robins in the yard, over-fed squirrels in the trees, the occasional woodchuck and a car deer collision. Oh yeah and the alien turkeys that have invaded.

Don't let your dogs out anymore.....

[BobT]

I'm not convinced the DNR is specifically "downplaying" anything about cougars. I think they are being honest that most alleged signtings are "probably" not cougars. They just aren't going to announce that because someone claims to have seen a cougar then there was definitely one spotted.

When I reported my sighting three years ago outside my bay window, I did not get any feedback that suggested that I may not be correct or that they didn't believe me. In fact, they were very cordial, recorded my comments, and sent me information about the number of possible sightings there have been throughout our state for the past X number of years. I did not get an impression that they were trying to hush things up or "downplay" my report at all.

[gatorhunter]

It's a cougar sighting! They exist! Build a bridge and get over it everyone!

[Shoot2Kill]

It's a cougar sighting! They exist! Build a bridge and get over it everyone!

Bingo.

This thread reminds me of that movie Harry and the Hendersons from back in the late 80s or so...hahaha.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

It's a cougar sighting! They exist! Build a bridge and get over it everyone!

LMAO

[elkrivermn]

Well said Bob, leave it to someone fishing 3 mile to have some common sense!!!!!

There's such a concern about cougars and potential threat they pose consider this.

I previously posted some information that suggests there have been 5 deaths due to cougars in the past 114 years. How many of us are concerned about black bears in a metro area? Well...it is estimated that there have been 56 documented killings of humans by black bears in North America in the past 100 years.

That's 11 times as many humans have died in Canada and the US by black bears than by cougars but we think it's actually a little neat to hear about them in city limits. Fear of the unkown perhaps.

[RumRiverRat]

It's a cougar sighting! They exist! Build a bridge and get over it everyone!

You stole that line from the Bigfoot thread.

LMAO