Field care for cougar?

[IBspoiled]

I plan to do a lot of cougar hunting this winter and am looking for ideas on how best to take care of it in the field should I be lucky enough to get one.  Most likely it would be too far of a pack on snow shoes, to get it out whole.  I have done bear and can skin or prep, but have no experience with cougar.  Depending on the cat, I would do either a rug or a full mount, so I would like to be ready to care for it for either way.  So how would you skin it out differently for a full mount compared to a rug mount, in order to pack it out?   Thanks for any input.  I'll be sure to post pictures, if I'm lucky enough to get one!  Also, if anyone has any suggestions for a good taxidermist that does great cat mounts, please let me know as well.

[Rainier10]

Field care is the same as it is for a bear.

My wife shot one 20 years ago and Rick at Cedar River taxidermy mounted it a couple of years back.  It is actually the one in his banner at the top of the page in the taxidermy section.

I have had a bunch of deer done with him and every time I am in there he has one or two cats that he is working on and they all have looked great and lifelike.  He has a real eye for the eyes and face of a correct looking cat.

Good luck out there this year, save the deer, kill a cat.

[Curly]

I like the confidence.  I hope you connect!

[Natures Way]

You can skin it out the exact same way as the rug and will be fine no difference. come bye our booth at sports show will have several there. Good luck!

[IBspoiled]

Thank you for the replies, I will try to make it to the show this year and check out your work

[jgilley]

You might have to pack out more than you think...

I killed my first cat this last year. The Wa. game warden asked me what I did with the meat when I took the skull and hide in for sampling. He told me that cats are considered a big game animal and you cannot waste the meat... He said that next year's pamphlet may make this requirement clearer for hunters.

[sled]

You might have to pack out more than you think...

I killed my first cat this last year. The Wa. game warden asked me what I did with the meat when I took the skull and hide in for sampling. He told me that cats are considered a big game animal and you cannot waste the meat... He said that next year's pamphlet may make this requirement clearer for hunters.

ugh!  Don't leave the meat!!!  Some of the best eating out there.

[teanawayslayer]

You might have to pack out more than you think...

I killed my first cat this last year. The Wa. game warden asked me what I did with the meat when I took the skull and hide in for sampling. He told me that cats are considered a big game animal and you cannot waste the meat... He said that next year's pamphlet may make this requirement clearer for hunters.

ugh!  Don't leave the meat!!!  Some of the best eating out there.

. Excellent meat!

[Tenkara]

You might have to pack out more than you think...

I killed my first cat this last year. The Wa. game warden asked me what I did with the meat when I took the skull and hide in for sampling. He told me that cats are considered a big game animal and you cannot waste the meat... He said that next year's pamphlet may make this requirement clearer for hunters.

ugh!  Don't leave the meat!!!  Some of the best eating out there.

. Excellent meat!

[Rainier10]

Hey IB, how did the season go?  Any close calls or lessons learned for next year?

We had two cats killed during the general deer and elk seasons in our area this year and I still had a small one on my game camera in February after the season closed due to the quota being filled.

[rosscrazyelk]

I have heard this before.  I cannot grasp how something that's diet consists of mostly meat  tastes good.

[jasnt]

I have heard this before.  I cannot grasp how something that's diet consists of mostly meat  tastes good.

you are what you eat lol. It is good meat. Tastes similar to pork chop imo

Natures way will be doing my next cat

[IBspoiled]

Hey Rainier 10, be thankful that a couple got taken out of your area this year. I did have some close calls that i learned from, I brought a friend to watch my back while calling and a doe started snorting at something just over the hill. so I told my buddy to stay and watch and i'll go look over the hill , as soon as i got about 20 feet away my buddy says cat theres a cat. the cat was chasing the deer right past where I was watching before I moved. Lesson learned is be more patient and dont move. I was in this same spot a couple days ago and found some deer the  cougar killed and buried and a couple nice shed horns

[Rainier10]

Hopefully you get it next year.

Checked my cameras the other day and I still have a big cat coming through as well. Only at night do I see it. I did get one photo during the day last year. Lots of deer and elk carcasses around our place this year. Maybe I will get lucky and get a shot at of one these cats this year.