Post by: 2MANY on May 04, 2017, 08:57:40 AM
Is there a minimum weight of meat required or because they are a predator being managed similar to a wolf, cougar, or coyote is the meat even required to be packed out?
I've seen people on both sides of the fence and since I cannot find anything in the regs I'm just curious.
Post by: sumpnz on May 04, 2017, 09:03:17 AM
Thus far we aren't allowed to hunt wolves so their muscle meat is a moot point. Coyotes are not required to be retained for consumption.
ETA: If I get a bear or a cougar I'm going to pack out as much meat as possible. If I get a bear it will be one that's been gorging on berries, and should be fantastic eating. Everything I've heard about cougar is that it is also fantastic eating, like super good pork. Just cook it (bear and cougar) to 160F internal temp to avoid trichinosis.
Post by: JimmyHoffa on May 04, 2017, 09:07:09 AM
Post by: ctwiggs1 on May 04, 2017, 09:08:57 AM
Unless it's a bear that's been feeding mostly on spawned out salmon for the last month the meat is edible. Pretty sure you're required to salvage as much meat as possible just as you would with a deer or elk. For that matter, the same applies to cougar, as far as I know.
Thus far we aren't allowed to hunt wolves so their muscle meat is a moot point. Coyotes are not required to be retained for consumption.
ETA: If I get a bear or a cougar I'm going to pack out as much meat as possible. If I get a bear it will be one that's been gorging on berries, and should be fantastic eating. Everything I've heard about cougar is that it is also fantastic eating, like super good pork. Just cook it (bear and cougar) to 160F internal temp to avoid trichinosis.
Why wouldn't you pack out bear? Yum
Post by: sumpnz on May 04, 2017, 09:22:00 AM
Post by: sumpnz on May 04, 2017, 09:22:38 AM
Unless it's a bear that's been feeding mostly on spawned out salmon for the last month the meat is edible. Pretty sure you're required to salvage as much meat as possible just as you would with a deer or elk. For that matter, the same applies to cougar, as far as I know.
Thus far we aren't allowed to hunt wolves so their muscle meat is a moot point. Coyotes are not required to be retained for consumption.
ETA: If I get a bear or a cougar I'm going to pack out as much meat as possible. If I get a bear it will be one that's been gorging on berries, and should be fantastic eating. Everything I've heard about cougar is that it is also fantastic eating, like super good pork. Just cook it (bear and cougar) to 160F internal temp to avoid trichinosis.
Why wouldn't you pack out bear? Yum
Ummm.
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on May 04, 2017, 09:24:47 AM
game animal, so take what is fit for consumption. However, I don't think it is spelled out what meets the rule vs the intent of the law like in Alaska. Just your opinion vs the gamey about what would be waste.
:yeah:
Both bear and cougar are considered big game animals like deer or elk.
Post by: SilkOnTheDrySide on May 04, 2017, 09:29:01 AM
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Post by: ctwiggs1 on May 04, 2017, 09:41:03 AM
:dunno:
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on May 04, 2017, 09:42:39 AM
I feel like this is the equivalent to someone asking if they should throw away breakfast sausage, ham, and bacon.
:dunno:
:cue:
Post by: JimmyHoffa on May 04, 2017, 09:44:28 AM
I feel like this is the equivalent to someone asking if they should throw away breakfast sausage, ham, and bacon.If it had been feeding on salmon or a horse carcass, it would be like asking to throw away tofu and kashi.
:dunno:
Post by: Squidward on May 04, 2017, 11:35:18 AM
Post by: jrebel on May 04, 2017, 11:38:13 AM
if it's feeding on stuff that makes the meat by its self taste strong (to you) make sausage. always good to fry up the 1st steak the taste it, to see if it's a steak bear or a sausage bear.
:yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah:
I made the mistake of listening to everyone tell me bear was horrible to eat. I kept one pound out and made the rest in to sausage. Later that night I cooked the pound I kept out and it was delicious.....I was pissed off and started doing the above with bears from that point on. Last bear I had taste great but was an old bear. The meat got bigger and tougher as I chewed so I turned that bear in to sausage.
Post by: high country on May 04, 2017, 12:24:38 PM
Post by: justyhntr on May 04, 2017, 12:54:47 PM
Quote from jrebel: Last bear I had taste great but was an old bear. The meat got bigger and tougher as I chewed so I turned that bear in to sausage.
My wife shot a 10 year old a couple years ago , good flavor but tough , she started cooking it in a pressure cooker , came out great .
Post by: 2MANY on May 04, 2017, 02:54:00 PM
I personally have never eaten a bad bear but know of some naysayers.
Post by: Jpmiller on May 05, 2017, 11:28:30 AM
Post by: timberfaller on May 05, 2017, 11:50:15 AM
Post by: cougforester on May 05, 2017, 12:08:48 PM
That way any elk or deer I harvest can be steaks/roasts/ground while still having the bear be summer sausage!
Post by: JDHasty on May 05, 2017, 12:26:45 PM
I never did much else w/bear meat because I had so much other meat and thoroughly enjoyed it smoked or in pep.
Post by: JoeE on May 05, 2017, 01:09:28 PM
Post by: saylean on May 05, 2017, 09:23:53 PM
Don't waste the meat or the fur, its worth the effort! (boy, I am setting them up for ya'll).
Post by: j_h_nimrod on May 05, 2017, 10:36:52 PM
Glad to hear all the positive feedback.:yeah:
I personally have never eaten a bad bear but know of some naysayers.
I have eaten fall Alaska black bears and browns both and the meat was never worse then a rutty buck. All the spring bears I have had were very good and at least 8 different Washington fall bears were great. I have been told bear was not good eating on numerous occasions by numerous people but have yet to experience it.
I know there is a lot of mental "flavor" with some people and animals, they cannot get over the mental aspect of knowingly eating certain animals. I had otter blackstrap once that was really quite good, but I still could not bring myself to like it just because it was otter.
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on May 09, 2017, 10:02:34 PM
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Post by: zwickeyman on May 10, 2017, 06:08:23 AM
Post by: lewy on May 10, 2017, 06:21:55 AM
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on May 10, 2017, 09:57:43 AM
Post by: Squidward on May 10, 2017, 10:49:37 AM
I don't have first hand experience with this, but according to a friend with 25+ Washington fall bears to his credit, they are all good to eat BUT the ones eating fish carcasses, garbage or other carrion have nasty rotten oily gunk in their hair and the challenge is to skin and peel them back carefully so the hair doesn't touch the meat. He hunts dense forested country near salmon streams in the East Cascades, and uses a come-along and improvised meat pole at the kill site to hoist the bears in the round to then carefully peel the hide back and keep the hair from the meat. I know this to be true for pronghorn, people either love or hate antelope and it has everything to do with post-harvest cooling and keeping the hair off the meat.
you can say this about any animal you clean up. keep the outside off of it.
Post by: csaaphill on May 10, 2017, 11:54:44 PM
never tried just plain bear meat like steaks or loin etc... so not sure how that is. had a bear roast once............. greasy............ but it wasn't mine it was from my uncle so he may not have done it right so dunno.
Post by: biggfish on May 11, 2017, 05:30:39 AM
And this is why I don't even attempt to fill my cougar tag. I'm terribly allergic to car hair I would be near death by the time I got it skinned and dressed.game animal, so take what is fit for consumption. However, I don't think it is spelled out what meets the rule vs the intent of the law like in Alaska. Just your opinion vs the gamey about what would be waste.
:yeah:
Both bear and cougar are considered big game animals like deer or elk.
Sent from my LG-K425 using Tapatalk
Post by: Jpmiller on May 11, 2017, 06:41:40 AM
And this is why I don't even attempt to fill my cougar tag. I'm terribly allergic to car hair I would be near death by the time I got it skinned and dressed.game animal, so take what is fit for consumption. However, I don't think it is spelled out what meets the rule vs the intent of the law like in Alaska. Just your opinion vs the gamey about what would be waste.
:yeah:
Both bear and cougar are considered big game animals like deer or elk.
Sent from my LG-K425 using Tapatalk
I'd never thought of that, would an allergy to domestic cat hair make you allergic to cougar hair? Or is it different?
Post by: Trevor91 on May 11, 2017, 07:30:37 AM
And this is why I don't even attempt to fill my cougar tag. I'm terribly allergic to car hair I would be near death by the time I got it skinned and dressed.game animal, so take what is fit for consumption. However, I don't think it is spelled out what meets the rule vs the intent of the law like in Alaska. Just your opinion vs the gamey about what would be waste.
:yeah:
Both bear and cougar are considered big game animals like deer or elk.
Sent from my LG-K425 using Tapatalk
I am the same way deathly allergic to cat hair. My buddys dad growing up had a Yukon lynx, and Japanese Jaguar as house cats.... Yes they lived and roamed his house freely, and I never had a problem with them. I see a house cat and my eyes swell shut its that bad. I am pretty sure you would be fine with a cougar.
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on May 11, 2017, 04:23:00 PM
I hate to see anyone pass up the chance to legally harvest a cougar. Maybe if you get the chance, shoot, make sure it's dead and down, notch the tag, and call a buddy or ask for help on here! I'm not in your area, but I'd happily drive 50 miles in any direction to help dress, skin and pack one out.And this is why I don't even attempt to fill my cougar tag. I'm terribly allergic to car hair I would be near death by the time I got it skinned and dressed.game animal, so take what is fit for consumption. However, I don't think it is spelled out what meets the rule vs the intent of the law like in Alaska. Just your opinion vs the gamey about what would be waste.
:yeah:
Both bear and cougar are considered big game animals like deer or elk.
Sent from my LG-K425 using Tapatalk
Post by: biggfish on May 11, 2017, 07:26:50 PM
I've never been around a cougar so can't say for sure there but bobcats set me off.And this is why I don't even attempt to fill my cougar tag. I'm terribly allergic to car hair I would be near death by the time I got it skinned and dressed.game animal, so take what is fit for consumption. However, I don't think it is spelled out what meets the rule vs the intent of the law like in Alaska. Just your opinion vs the gamey about what would be waste.
:yeah:
Both bear and cougar are considered big game animals like deer or elk.
Sent from my LG-K425 using Tapatalk
I am the same way deathly allergic to cat hair. My buddys dad growing up had a Yukon lynx, and Japanese Jaguar as house cats.... Yes they lived and roamed his house freely, and I never had a problem with them. I see a house cat and my eyes swell shut its that bad. I am pretty sure you would be fine with a cougar.
Sent from my LG-K425 using Tapatalk