Is the DNR deliberately releasing Cougars in the state?

A freiend of mine lives in Southern Marquette county and his wife recently saw a cougar while out on a walk...the couar was in plain sight and was casually walking in the yard of rural neighbors....upon reviewing this my friend discobvered a few things....tha a local farmer hadrecently repored seeing two cougars within 5 miles of this cougar....then a week ago he ran ito a firefighter friend wh told him and even more interesting story....basically a person that he knew was going out near some property he has up near Westfield and came across several DNR vehicles in his field...when he approached they told him he had to leave the area immediately even though it was his property...two of the trucks had large cages in the back and one contained a cougar...he left the area went down the road and waited and when those trucks drove past there was no cougar....I know this story is third if not fourth hand so I do not know how much is true but I know the people who have seen the other cougars in the field and I believe them...how they got there who knows...wanderers or released.....but does the DNR have the right to release such animals without public input...I know they have released Wolves in Portage county to help control the deer herd...obviously if they are releasing cougars that could be their only reason....but this animal is totally different than a wolf...while it does not multiply as rapidly as wolves it will stalk a human in the field or a child in a yard....I just thing it should have some public input...what da ya think?