A trail camera photograph of a possible cougar was investigated by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in September.

The trail camera is privately owned and located near the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus.

DNR mammalian ecologist Adrian Wydeven determined the animal in the image to be a house cat.  Photographs of domestic cats and bobcats are often mistaken for cougars, Wydeven said.

In the past four years, confirmed reports of cougar sightings have begun to appear across the state.

The closest confirmed cougar sighting was in Iowa County on August 31. Wydeven said this cougar was likely one previously spotted in Buffalo, Monroe, Jackson, and Trempealeau counties.

According to and Wydeven, the cougars spotted in Wisconsin are probably young males originally from western South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska. Although sightings have increased, Wydeven said he doubts there will be a breeding population of cougars in the area any time soon.

“There haven’t been any females or cubs spotted yet, so we don’t think there is a breeding population (in Wisconsin),” Wydeven said. “The males will travel a lot farther than the females looking for territory.”

The DNR encourages anyone with possible photographs or signs of cougars to fill out their large mammal observation form found on the Wisconsin DNR website or to contact the local DNR office.