Cougar found near Spooner!

[Jim Stroede]

A really cool story is unfolding around here, the WI DNR has confirmed reports that they have located a cougar west of Spooner near the Burnett County line. According to news reports the DNR tracked the big cat until they were able to get it treed. They have hopes of subduing the cougar and taking dna samples and fitting it with a radio collar. I'll try to attach a link to the story, if I fail to do so you can learn more about this by googleing spooner cougar.
Jim

[Jim Stroede]

cougar picture

[Jim Stroede]

From what I'm hearing the cougar was first tracked near Spring Lake just west of Hwy. K. It then was followed south as it crossed Hwy. E and continued south crossing Hwy. 70 where it began to travel southwest to an area near Hwy. H west of Spooner. The next day it was trailed to an area near Swiss Chalet Road and west towards Hertel. After that it made it's way north and west crossing Hwy. A between A&H and Webster when the chase was called off. The DNR and local hound hunters were able to tree the cougar three times but could not subdue it long enough to get a radio collar on it or to take dna samples. Biologists estimated the adult male cat to be 2 or 3 years old and about 120 pounds.
There's a real good article written by Bill Thornley of the Spooner Advocate on-line. If I hear of anything new I'll post it hear. By the way, this isn't the first report of cougars in the Spooner area, just the first confirmed by the DNR.
Jim