Same here in northern Michigan. DNR for years said that cougar sightings were misidentified house cats or bobcats. The proof was a picture of one down by Lansing. Used to know a lady years about 15 years ago that worked for the DNR. Her and her husband were vacationing in the upper peninsula and they seen a cougar crossing the road. Went to the nearest field office to report it. She was told that she had seen a bobcat. She not so politely told the officer there that she was a DNR officer out of roscommon and she knew what the hell a bobcat was and this was much larger. Guess the only way to really prove it is with a carcass, but probably get in some kind of trouble,killing an endangered species, at least in Michigan.