Cougars formerly inhabited the forests and fields of Wisconsin, but disappeared from the state by 1908. Numerous sightings have lead to speculation about their return to the state.  However, definitive proof is still lacking. Below are several photos that have been circulated on the internet and claimed to be from Wisconsin. We have provided both the fictitious claim and the actual source for the photos.

Phony Story

These photographs were circulated around the internet with a story stating that the cougar came on to a family’s deck (variously reported as in Tomahawk, Eagle River, Sawyer County) and was staring at the children who were playing on the floor.  The photos were also reportedly from South Dakota, Iowa, New York, Pennsylvania.

These photos were actually taken outside Lander, Wyoming in 2005. Dave Hamilton of the Missouri Department of Conservation tracked the photos to Dr. Dave Rodgers, a dentist from the Lander area, who lives in an area frequented by cougars.  Hamilton mentions this and others hoaxes in his article Cougar Hysteria.

These are probably unretouched photos, but evidence suggests they may be contrived, and most certainly weren't taken in Wisconsin. The deer in the top picture is a mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) which is only found in the western United States.  The shrubs are clearly western vegetation and the trees are most likely lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) another western species.  In addition, several other things about the photos make them suspicious.  The chances of getting both a deer and cougar in the same trail camera frame at the same time is extremely remote. Also, the behavior of both the cougar and the deer, doesn't appear to be a typical predator/prey relationship.  The deer should be aware of the cougar and take some form of flight. And similarly, the cougar does not appear to be lunging for the deer as you would expect with it that close to its prey. This suggests the possibility that these may be captive animals and the photo was staged.