Michelle Hill’s mill yard camera recorded this at 12:10 a.m. on August 29, 2026, between Marquette and Big Bay. She sent the stills to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources through its cougar observation reporting system.
Brian Roell of the DNR wrote back: “After review we certainly agree that the animal in question is a cougar. Your report will be added to our list of confirmed reports.”
The DNR publishes only a general location for confirmed sightings and does not share exact locations. We are following the same practice, so the specific site is not named here.
Video: Michelle Hill, SDS-Hill LLC. Used with permission. Michelle Hill on Facebook
Background on cougars in the Upper Peninsula, including the cubs the DNR confirmed in 2025: Are there mountain lions in the Upper Peninsula?
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AI assistanceVideo and DNR correspondence supplied by Michelle Hill, who reported the sighting to the DNR. The DNR quote comes from the reply she received. AI tools assisted with drafting.