A Park Service study on whether or not cougars roam the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore has come up empty, researchers say. Reports of cougar sightings over the years prompted park officials to plant camera systems baited with road kill, according to this article in the Freep. Researchers also surveyed animal tracks in the snow and on beach dunes.

Some local residents still maintain that there are cougars in the park, says says this Record-Eagle piece in today's paper. Those who believe they have seen the big cats remain convinced, and some argue that the Park Service was looking in the wrong places for the cougars. They also point out that baited cameras have had a poor success rate in capturing images of cougars even in areas where they are known to roam.