Rare Sighting: Massive Wildcat Caught on Camera in Southeast Minnesota
It's not every day you catch a massive wildcat strolling through a Minnesota field, but that’s exactly what happened in a small Southeast Minnesota town this week.
Seeing a cougar in Minnesota is like spotting a shooting star – rare, magical, and extremely noteworthy.
What's The Deal With Cougars in Minnesota?
Cougars, also called mountain lions or pumas, were once a part of Minnesota’s wildlife. But even back then, they weren’t exactly everywhere. Fast forward to today, and cougars here are more of a "passing through" situation. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, most of the sightings we get are of transient cats wandering over from the Western Dakotas, not locals setting up camp.
The DNR says there's no evidence of a resident breeding population of cougars here. Annual surveys, like winter tracking and scent-post monitoring, have come up empty for signs of these big cats settling down. So when one does make an appearance, it’s a pretty big deal!
Cougar Spotted Wandering Through Claremont, Minnesota
On Wednesday, November 13, a cougar casually strolling through a field just before 5 am was caught on camera. Allison McMartin says the big cat was captured by her husband's trail camera on their land just south of Claremont.
"We hunt back there so it was a shock to see it," McMartin told Minnesota Now. "We’ve been hoping to see deer. It is within walking distance of our home." She also says their dogs have been acting strangely the last couple of weeks and her neighbor's farm dogs were recently attacked by something.
McMartin added that she’d heard of another possible cougar sighting, either late Thursday morning or perhaps the same day the trail camera photo was taken, near the Kasson-Mantorville area. There was also word of a separate sighting near Rice Lake State Park.
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Should You Be Worried About Cougars in Southeast Minnesota?
Short answer: nope. Human encounters with cougars are incredibly uncommon. Statistically speaking, you’re more likely to get struck by lightning than have a bad run-in with one of these cats, even in states like California, where thousands of cougars roam. Most cougars avoid humans like we avoid the DMV on a Monday.
What To Do If You Find Yourself Face-to-Face With a Cougar (unlikely, but let’s be prepared):
Stand tall, make yourself big, raise your arms, speak loudly, and don’t run. No sudden moves. Running or crouching triggers a cougar’s hunting instincts. Don’t harm the cougar as they are protected animals. Instead, report the sighting or encounter to the DNR or local law enforcement. They’ll check for evidence and make sure everything’s properly documented.
Now, before you start scanning your backyard for giant paw prints, here’s a fun fact: a lot of “cougar sightings” in Minnesota turn out to be cases of mistaken identity, the DNR says.
Bobcats, coyotes, wolves, and even some light-colored dogs have been confused with cougars. That’s why the DNR loves it when people can back up their sightings with photos or physical evidence, like the one captured on this trail camera in Claremont.
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