my jan 1st

[BCHunter]

found this cougar kill




released the hounds and 30 minutes later had this guy

[Silent Wolf]

Sweet Danny

[the rifleman]

Nice looking cat..he/she must have been pissed that you upset his New Years Day dinner.. Looks like it has been chewing on that deer for a few days.

Out of curiosity, is there any restrictions on hound hunts regarding female cats that may have young depending on them? I would presume that the cat would head back to the den pretty quick, when things quiet back down, but worry that a younger mother may be so freaked out, it would leave the area permanently.

[BCHunter]

that cougar was a Tom,

you cant hunt a cat that has young/family unit, or harvest a cougar with spots.

[the rifleman]

Dan, I saw the regs mentioned the family unit thing, but I wonder. If a female was out stocking up on some feed to bring back to the kits to eat, and then had the run put on her, there would be no way a hunter would know if she had dependents. Perhaps the kits would be big enough at this time of the year to be out feeding with her, rather than in a den. Not sure at what age they would no longer depend on the mom to bring food to them?

So did you bag the cat, or where you just out having fun with the dogs?

[BCHunter]

we only take Toms,

this cat was shot by my friend that tagged along

[d6dan]

Nice pics BCHunter. He looks like a nice Island Tom...

[Fisher-Dude]

Originally Posted by the rifleman

Dan, I saw the regs mentioned the family unit thing, but I wonder. If a female was out stocking up on some feed to bring back to the kits to eat, and then had the run put on her, there would be no way a hunter would know if she had dependents. Perhaps the kits would be big enough at this time of the year to be out feeding with her, rather than in a den. Not sure at what age they would no longer depend on the mom to bring food to them?

So did you bag the cat, or where you just out having fun with the dogs?

At this time of year, the kittens should be tagging along with mom.

Nice cat Danny, did you get a length on him?

[BCHunter]

nothing huge, 7ft & change

[CanuckShooter]

So how would this Tom taste? What is the preferred way to cook him up??

[BCHunter]

the pepperoni in my fav, also had honey smoked hams made up a couple years back...

[bayou]

Originally Posted by the rifleman

Dan, I saw the regs mentioned the family unit thing, but I wonder. If a female was out stocking up on some feed to bring back to the kits to eat, and then had the run put on her, there would be no way a hunter would know if she had dependents. Perhaps the kits would be big enough at this time of the year to be out feeding with her, rather than in a den. Not sure at what age they would no longer depend on the mom to bring food to them?

So did you bag the cat, or where you just out having fun with the dogs?

Rifleman you got a bit of mis-information in post #8
Kittens can be born at any time of year so just because you see a lone cat does not mean it does not have kittens or young. Typically they stay with her from 16months to 2 years. They may be weaned after 2 or 3 months but still depend on her for solid food. They may start to travel abit with her but typically not great distances. She will travel for food and return to them to feed or take them to the kill.
She will also stash 30 to 60lb kittens and head off for a day are 2 making a kill then returning and leading them to it.
Easiest way of telling if its a female is of course when its in a tree but to tell if it has kittens can be hard, even with a nursing female it can be hard to see evidence around the nipples.
Best bet is not to shoot females and if your unsure of the sex dont shoot.

[Silent Wolf]

Any cat is a dead cat!!!

I've been close to one, never saw it only heard it cry like a baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[the rifleman]

Originally Posted by bayou

Easiest way of telling if its a female is of course when its in a tree but to tell if it has kittens can be hard, even with a nursing female it can be hard to see evidence around the nipples.
Best bet is not to shoot females and if your unsure of the sex dont shoot.

That's why I was questioning this aspect. Pretty hard to tell the sex on a cat, until after it's harvested.
I wasn't aware they would give birth at any time of the year?? You think Mother nature would have set that up a little better..

Silent Wolf, I don't understand your announcement, "Any cat is a dead cat" Are we to take it, that you would willingly shoot a lactating female?

I don't have any issue with cat hunting. As a matter of fact I wouldn't mind bagging one someday. I just haven't really studied the whole aspect of it.

[srupp]

actually sexing a cougar isnt all that difficult...tracks..and stride..

and once treed look for the black 1" circular penis sheath 4" or so below the anus..just above it will be the scrotom kinda silvery but discernable..and sex attributes much less than 4 " is female....

and as for aging..lots ofd tell tale signs on aging a cougar from 2 months to 10 years..

got to stop this learning everything stuff..

steven