BUFFALO COUNTY, Wis. (WLAX/WEAU) – The Wisconsin DNR says a cougar was shot and killed in Buffalo County. They say the incident was reported to the DNR’s violation hotline last Saturday. Cougars are a protected species in Wisconsin, but the DNR says no charges will be filed.

The incident involved an archery deer hunter who encountered the cougar while hunting and felt their safety was at risk. The hunter shot the cougar and self-reported it to the DNR.

The DNR says in the last 20 years, observations of cougars have been increasing but are still rare, with an average of 15-20 reports verified by the DNR annually.