What killed this Buck?

[TheObserver]

Found him today, he would have been a huge Buck in the coming years.

Whatever got him jumped on him while he was bedded, found the bed with hair and followed a struggle trail and the struggle only went 15 yards.... quick kill.

My instinct tells me Lion, as what looks like the paunch is sitting outside of the carcass uneaten. Mountain Lions always pull the guts out of Big game animals and do not eat them so I have heard. Also the carcass is neat and intact, legs still attatched no pieces of carcass here and there.

I spent a ton of time here when the season closed and we had big snow depths (for here) last winter to try and learn more about these Deer and their travelling. Never saw one cat track, but would be naive to think they weren't around. Seen lot's of Bear and Coyotes.

What are your thoughts? Lion or Coyote or.....

Here he is last month on T-cam

[caddisguy]

I'd wager lion too. Dang dude you're on fire being all over these BT's in your area there. Good job, maybe grab a cougar tag if you don't have one.

[TheObserver]

I'd wager lion too. Dang dude you're on fire being all over these BT's in your area there. Good job, maybe grab a cougar tag if you don't have one.

That's what i'm thinking. I'm going to grab one tomorrow!!

Kind of sucks here I was thinking this place was Cat free (if it was a Cat), glad I came across it though.

[HarryToolips]

I'd bet on cat too...if there's food (deer) the preds will eventually follow unfortunately...I'm on an area right now (not blacktail) where the deer in the area changed up their habits at the same time I noticed fresh cat tracks in the area - coincidence?

[TheObserver]

I'd bet on cat too...if there's food (deer) the preds will eventually follow unfortunately...I'm on an area right now (not blacktail) where the deer in the area changed up their habits at the same time I noticed fresh cat tracks in the area - coincidence?

Yeah sucks, the coyote's here are numerous and I had a Doe in summer on cam with only 1 fawn. I suspect she started with two, then as the weeks went on she would show up without the one fawn she had. Was sh***y to see.

I am going to do strictly coyote hunts in this area.

I bet nothing gets them on edge like a Lion

[TheObserver]

Something I forgot to ask if anyone knows, are Mountain Lions nomadic and they just move to where the feed is? kind of spending their whole lives on the move? or kind of stick to a general (albeit large) area as long as there is feed?

[RBH]

Something I forgot to ask if anyone knows, are Mountain Lions nomadic and they just move to where the feed is? kind of spending their whole lives on the move? or kind of stick to a general (albeit large) area as long as there is feed?

My understanding is that cougars are territorial. They have a pretty large territory that they use and defend against intrusion by other cougars. That is a reason that problem cougars are dispatched rather than relocated -- because when you relocate a cougar it will probably be into the territory of another cougar and only one will survive.

Also, young cougars are in due course driven out of the mother's territory and they go roaming looking for new digs. In that way they can show up where a cougar had not been seen recently.

[Brew]

I’m in maple ridge as well. Not sure if your hunting close but this year I’m finding lots of large cat tracks around Stave lake, harrison and chehalis while I’ve been at work or hunting. Very healthy population right now. Wish I had the room for hounds at my house, would be fun to chase a few cats.

[TheObserver]

I’m in maple ridge as well. Not sure if your hunting close but this year I’m finding lots of large cat tracks around Stave lake, harrison and chehalis while I’ve been at work or hunting. Very healthy population right now. Wish I had the room for hounds at my house, would be fun to chase a few cats.

I found a couple spots up both East and West Harrison this summer. Thinking about heading that way for a few days this week, going to grab a Lion tag today...... you never know

[RackStar]

Bigfoot for sure