Mature Lion or Not?

[weber240]

Hoping to get some this forums expertise whether this cougar my camera stumbled upon is a mature cat or not? I am not experienced with cougars and was only in this area to scout for elk and deer. Appreciate anyone's input.

[MADMAX]

3 year old
Probably a female

[redi]

Adult

[carpsniperg2]

  Adult female

[Houndhunter]

Adult and I wouldn't rule out Tom

[KFhunter]

mature tom 

[rainshadow1]

From that one angle...

The head looks a little narrow, like a female, but the sway back and slightly haggard look could mean it's skinny, so it's possible it's a Tom. They're VERY hard to tell apart except in the most healthy cases.

It looks very long, like it's quite mature. Definitely not young, but it's just not BEEFY like a Tom should be.

My initial reaction is "Old. Tired. Possibly over the hill, can't hold territory, and has become transient." Male or female is still in doubt with that assessment.
    But then I look at coloration, and it's not really gray and the color is smooth...

Cats are tricky! But it's not young. Not at all.

[brew]

has anyone asked the cat what they identify as ? 

[rainshadow1]

has anyone asked the cat what they identify as ?

I guess that's the main factor these days, isn't it...

[KFhunter]

From that one angle...

The head looks a little narrow, like a female, but the sway back and slightly haggard look could mean it's skinny, so it's possible it's a Tom. They're VERY hard to tell apart except in the most healthy cases.

It looks very long, like it's quite mature. Definitely not young, but it's just not BEEFY like a Tom should be.

My initial reaction is "Old. Tired. Possibly over the hill, can't hold territory, and has become transient." Male or female is still in doubt with that assessment.
    But then I look at coloration, and it's not really gray and the color is smooth...

Cats are tricky!

the length is why I called tom, they're longer torso.   The front legs look pretty heavy, the ear twitched back pulls the face longer and sooths the blocky head toms get.   The rear legs are thick and heavy

all of it tells me a nice tom 

another thing is there's not really much of a primordial pouch that females get, toms can get them too, but not like females who've nursed

[Iveexcaped3]

Old enough to remove from the area.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I would say it's an adult female

[KFhunter]

I would say it's an adult female

I ain't arguing with this guy 

[AppyMtnBoy]

Can't say, I'm not a biologist...

[pd]

I would say it's an adult female

I ain't arguing with this guy 

X2.