On Tuesday, Dec. 29, retired wolf expert Adrian Wydeven, formerly with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and his wife, Sarah Boles, a part-time wolf tracker for the DNR, were called to a private woods south of Cable and west of Highway 63 to confirm the presence of cougar tracks.
When Wydeven and Boles arrived at the site they did, indeed, find cougar tracks — round feline impressions 3½ inches long and 3¾ inches wide. As the two followed the tracks they noticed the tracks merged with smaller feline tracks they identified as a bobcat.
kAm“(6 925 366? EC24<:?8 2 4@F82C 7@C 23@FE D:I\E6?E9D @7 2 >:=6 2E E92E A@:?E 2?5 42>6 @G6C E9:D =:EE=6 9:89 8C@F?5 2?5 H6C6 8@:?8 E@H2C5 E96 DH2>A[ 2?5 2== @7 2 DF556? :E :?E6CD64ED E96 EC24<D @7 E9:D 3@342E[” (J56G6? D2:5] “%96 3@342E EC24<D =@@< =:<6 E96J’C6 2 =:EE=6 3:E @=56C E92? E96 4@F82C EC24<D]”k^Am
kAm(J56G6? D2:5 :7 2 EC24<6C :D?’E EC2:?65 E@ :56?E:7J 2 3@342E EC24< 96 >:89E 2DDF>6 E96 D>2==6C EC24< :D @7 2 D>2==6C 4@F82C[ >62?:?8 2 >@E96C 2?5 2 4F3]k^Am
kAm(J56G6? D2:5 =2C86 42C?:G@C6D @7E6? 7@==@H E96 EC24<D @7 @E96C 42C?:G@C6D]k^Am
kAm“p H@=7 H:== 7@==@H 2 4@J@E6 D6E @7 EC24<D 7@C 2 H9:=6 2?5 4@J@E6D 7@==@H H@=G6D[” 96 D2:5] “s:776C6?E 42C?:G@C6D H:== 7@==@H 2?@E96C D6E @7 42C?:G@C6 EC24<D 7@C 2 H9:=6[ 3FE :E H2D?’E =:<6 :E H2D EC24<:?8 :E 7@C =@?8 5:DE2?46D] x E9:?< 2 =@E @7 E96D6 2?:>2=D 2C6 7@==@H:?8 82>6 EC2:=D E92E 2C6 FD65 3J @E96C 2?:>2=D 2?5 :E’D ;FDE 2 =@8:42= A=246 E@ H2=<]”k^Am
kAm%96 E6CC2:? H96C6 E96 4@F82C EC24<D H6C6 7@F?5 — 3CFD9 :D=2?5D :? DH2>AD 2?5 56?D6 32=D2> 8C@G6D — :D 8@@5 9F?E:?8 2C62D 7@C D?@HD9@6 92C6D 2?5 566C]k^Am
kAm(J56G6? 2?5 q@=6D 7@==@H65 E96 4@F82C EC24<D F?E:= E96J 4C@DD65 :?E@ 2 ?6:893@C:?8 AC@A6CEJ[ 2?5 E96? E96J 324<EC24<65 2?5 7@F?5 2 3:8 H9:E6 A:?6 EC66[ H96C6 E96J 7@F?5 D42E 2E E96 32D6] x? 724E[ E96J 5:D4@G6C65 H92E 2AA62C65 E@ 36 D42E @7 5:776C6?E 286D[ E6==:?8 E96> E96 4@F82C 92D FD65 E92E D:E6 >@C6 E92? @?46]k^Am
kAm“$@ 4@F82CD :? E96:C ?@C>2= C2?86 2C6 <?@H? E@ 92G6 E96D6 =2EC:?6 D:E6D H96C6 E96J 567642E6 @? 2 C68F=2C 32D:D[” 96 D2:5] “xE’D <:?5 @7 2 E6CC:E@C:2= >2C<:?8 DJDE6> 7@C E96>] p?5 D@ :E 2AA62C65 E92E 96 925 366? E96C6 2?5 925 >2C<65 E96 DA@E AC6G:@FD=J]”k^Am
kAm$42E D2>A=6D H6C6 82E96C65 7@C 86?6E:4 >2C<:?8 @7 DA64:6D[ D6I 2?5 E96 :?5:G:5F2= 4@F82C]k^Am
kAm(J56G6? D2:5 96 =62C?65 7C@> E96 s}# E92E 2 4@F82C 925 366? EC24<65 s64] `c @FED:56 (2D93FC? :? q2J7:6=5 r@F?EJ 2?5 D@>6 86?6E:4 >2E6C:2= H2D 7@F?5 2E E92E E:>6] xE 42? 36 FD65 E@ 56E6C>:?6 :7 E96 r23=6 4@F82C :D E96 D2>6 2?:>2=]k^Am
kAma_`_ 4@F82Ck^Am
kAmxE :D :?E6C6DE:?8 E92E C@F89=J `_ J62CD 62C=:6C (J56G6? H2D :? E96 D2>6 86?6C2= 2C62 EC24<:?8 2?@E96C 4@F82C E92E 6G6?EF2==J 7@F?5 :ED H2J 2== E96 H2J E@ r@??64E:4FE 367@C6 :E H2D 9:E 2?5 <:==65 3J 2 G69:4=6 E96C6 :? a_``] w6 D2:5 :E :D 2 8@@5 36E E96 a_a_ 4@F82C[ =:<6 E96 a_`_ 4@F82C[ :D 2 >2=6 @C:8:?2==J 7C@> E96 q=24< w:==D :? $@FE9 s2<@E2 E92E H2D <:4<65 @FE 3J 2 3:886C[ @=56C >2=6 4@F82C E92E 5:5?’E H2?E J@F?86C >2=6D :? 9:D E6CC:E@CJ]k^Am
kAmx? a_`_[ (J56G6? EC24<65 E96 4@F82C @? u63] `d 2?5 q@=6D EC24<65 :E @? u63] ah] $96 5:D4@G6C65 :E 925 366? G6CJ 4=@D6 E@ E96 q:C<:6 %C2:= 5FC:?8 E92E J62C’D q:C<636:?6C 6G6?ED]k^Am
kAm“$@ E9@D6 f[___ D<:6CD H6C6 4=@D6 E@ H96C6 E92E 4@F82C 925 366? EC2G6=:?8 @? E92E 52J[” (J56G6? D2:5]k^Am
kAmpD<65 :7 E92E 2C62 @7 q2J7:6=5 r@F?EJ :D 2 8@@5 4@CC:5@C 7@C 2 H2?56C:?8 >2=6 4@F82C :? D62C49 @7 2 >2E6[ 96 D2:5[ “xE >2J ;FDE 36 E96 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 8@@5 923:E2E 2?5 4@:?4:56?46] %96C6’D D@>6 8@@5 566C H:?E6C:?8 2C62D ?62C E96 }2>6<28@? #:G6C :? E96 2C62 H96C6 E9:D 2?:>2= H2D] x E9:?< E96J EJA:42==J 5@ 7@==@H C:G6C DJDE6>D H:E9 2 AC6D6?46 @7 2 962=E9J 566C A@AF=2E:@?]”k^Am
kAm%9@D6 J@F?8 >2=6 4@F82CD :? $@FE9 s2<@E2 H2?56C:?8 62DE :? D62C49 @7 2 >2E6 5@?’E <?@H E96C6 2C6 ?@ 76>2=6 4@F82CD :? (:D4@?D:?[ 2E =62DE 2D 72C 2D 2?J@?6 <?@HD] qFE (J56G6? D2:5 E96C6 2C6 C6A@CED @7 2E =62DE @?6 76>2=6 4@F82C[ :? 3@E9 |:??6D@E2 2?5 |:DD@FC:]k^Am
kAm|@C6 4@F82CD :? E96 DE2E6nk^Am
kAmu@C J62CD (J56G6? 2?5 @E96C s}# EC24<6CD D4@FC65 (:D4@?D:?[ 6DA64:2==J 5FC:?8 H:?E6C[ =@@<:?8 7@C 4@F82C EC24<D H9:=6 E96J EC24<65 @E96C 2?:>2=D DF49 2D H@=G6D] qFE 27E6C =:E6C2==J 9:<:?8 E9@FD2?5D @7 >:=6D E96J 7@F?5 ?@ EC24<D[ ?@ C62= 4@?7:C>2E:@? @7 4@F82CD :? (:D4@?D:?] %96? :? |2C49 a__h[ 362C 9F?E6CD H6DE @7 $A@@?6C EC665 2 =2C86 >2=6 4@F82C @776C:?8 4@?7:C>2E:@? E92E E96 =2C86 42C?:G@C6D :?5665 H6C6 :? E96 DE2E6]k^Am
kAm$:?46 a__h E96C6 92G6 366? >2?J >@C6 4@?7:C>2E:@?D @7 4@F82CD :? (:D4@?D:?[ :?4=F5:?8 D@>6 C646?E D:89E:?8D ?62C3J] x? pF8FDE E9:D J62C E96C6 H2D 2 C6A@CE @7 2 4@F82C D:89E:?8 :? E96 %@H? @7 w2JH2C5 2?5 :? a_`h 2 4@F82C H2D 42F89E @? 2 82>6 42>6C2 ?62C E96 (9:E6 #:G6C :? q2J7:6=5 r@F?EJ <:==:?8 2 566C] p=D@[ 2 566C 42C42DD <:==65 3J 2 4@F82C H2D 7@F?5 :? D@FE96C? (2D93FC? r@F?EJ]k^Am
kAm(J56G6? D2:5 96 5@6D?’E <?@H :7 E96C6 2C6 >@C6 @44FCC6?46D @7 4@F82CD :? E96 DE2E6 @C :7 E96C6 :D ;FDE >@C6 5@4F>6?E2E:@? 3642FD6 @7 EC2:= 42>6C2D 2?5 E96 AC@=:76C2E:@? @7 D>2CEA9@?6D H:E9 5:8:E2= 42>6C2D] qFE (J56G6? D2:5 96 92D D66? E9:D <:?5 @7 C6A@CE:?8 @7 4@F82CD 367@C6 2? 6DE23=:D965 A@AF=2E:@? @7 4@F82CD E@@< 9@=5]k^Am
kAmx? E96 `hf_D[ (J56G6? 5:5 9:D >2DE6C’D DEF5J @7 6=< :? E96 q=24< w:==D @7 $@FE9 s2<@E2[ 2?5 324< E96? E96C6 H2D ?@ 6DE23=:D965 A@AF=2E:@? @7 4@F82CD] qFE E96C6 H6C6 C6A@CED @7 4@F82CD 2CC:G:?8 7C@> E96 (6DE[ E96 #@4<J |@F?E2:? DE2E6D[ ;FDE 2D E96C6 2C6 C6A@CED ?@H :? (:D4@?D:? @7 4@F82CD 2CC:G:?8 7C@> E96 q=24< w:==D] qJ E96 a___D[ 4@F82CD 925 6DE23=:D965 2 A@AF=2E:@? :? $@FE9 s2<@E2[ :?4=F5:?8 3C665:?8 A2:CD[ 2?5 E@52J E96C6 :D 6G6? 2 9F?E:?8 D62D@? @? E96 DA64:6D]k^Am
kAmq642FD6 @7 E96 C2?5@> 2AA62C2?46 @7 4@F82CD :? (:D4@?D:?[ E96C6 :D ?@ >2?286>6?E A=2? 7@C E96 DA64:6D[ 3FE E92E >:89E 492?86 :7 2 76>2=6 5@6D 6G6?EF2==J 6?5 FA 96C6 2?5 E96C6 2C6 3C665:?8 A2:CD H:E9 2? 6DE23=:D965 A@AF=2E:@?]k^Am
kAmx?7@C>2E:@?k^Am
kAm(J56G6? :D 492:C @7 E96 %:>36C (@=7 p==:2?46 r@F?4:= 2?5 2 >6>36C @7 (:D4@?D:? vC66? u:C6[ 2? @C82?:K2E:@? AC@G:5:?8 25G:46 E@ 564:D:@? >2<6CD C682C5:?8 6?G:C@?>6?E2= :DDF6D]k^Am
kAm%96 s}# 2D<D E9@D6 H9@ 92G6 D:89E65 2 4@F82C @C 7@F?5 EC24<D @C @E96C 6G:56?46 E@ C6A@CE E92E :?7@C>2E:@? E@ (:D4@?D:? {2C86 |2>>2= ~3D6CG2E:@? 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^5?C]H:]8@G^E@A:4^(:=5=:76w23:E2E^|2>>2=~3Du@C>]2DAQm5?C]H:]8@G^E@A:4^(:=5=:76w23:E2E^|2>>2=~3Du@C>]2DAk^2m]k^Am
Post a comment as
Report
Watch this discussion.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.