Anyone ever eat mt. lion?
Contributors to this thread:cougar
From: Ranger Dan
02-May-06
I remember talking to a young guide, part of a family operation, at the Harrisburg Sportsmans show a few years back. He volunteered that cougar was good eating. That had never entered my mind before then, but I'm sure others have tried it too. What are your opinions on eating mt lion?
I guess I've eaten enough Chinese food to prevent me from saying that I've never eaten any cat before. I've always wanted to go on a cat hunt, but knowing the meat was edible would be a sure bonus.
From: Wolfsong
02-May-06
I have not, but will given the opportunity. It was considered prime by the mountain men, who always hankered for a nice piece of "painter" meat. Heck, they eat deer and elk, so it seems like it would be pretty good.
From: tadpole
02-May-06
Tastes like chicken...seriously.
From: Westslope
02-May-06
It is one of my favourite meats. Its been so long since I have had it that I am not sure how to describe it but lets just say I'd start drooling if someone offered me some.
From: JDM
02-May-06
Leave the hide and skull and pack out every bit of it you can. You won't be sorry. It is fantastic!!! Fed it to my family and they didn't know there was anything out of the ordinary. It looks like pork, has the same texture as pork, and unless you really pay attention, it tastes like pork.
From: HeadHunter
02-May-06
JDM is sooooo right! We had some of my wifes Mt.Lion rear ham smoaked at a local restaurant. The owner went around and gave samplings to his customers. No one beleived it was really Mt.Lion! It looked like "ham" when smoked and it tasted exactly like "ham" when sliced and eaten. We ate the whole darn thing and it was delicious. The guides said Mt.Lions are responsible for about 65 deer killed a year, plus elk and sheep, etc. So I figured it's just recycled deer meat mostly. Great Stuff! Honest, I'm not Lion! (*:
From: fuzzy
02-May-06
cook it thoroughly and enjoy (they can carry trichenela, like bears and hogs do)
From: yukon delta
02-May-06
I have not eaten any yet but hope to the end of this year if successful. I have heard many good things about it though. Someone compared the texture to veal and I have heard a lot of comments comparing it to pork as well.
From: Ranger Dan
02-May-06
You guys seem so enthousiastic that you may be pulling my leg...
I hope you are right though. I prefer to shoot what I eat and eat what I shoot...
From: Bill in MI
02-May-06
Knowing that they can be eaten and can provide good table fare increases a desire to hunt them.
Bill in MI
From: yukon delta
02-May-06
I have to add that in light of all of the anti-hunting pressure, if you have thought about doing this then you should really make plans soon. Take a look at the current topics on South Africa, polar bears, etc. They are really trying to ban hunting lions with dogs.
From: Bubba Bow
02-May-06
In Oregon they taste just like calf elk. :)) Seriously they are alot like pork but not fatty in my experience. I would never waste a bite of it. Come out here and get you some. Bubba Oregon cougar bear and elk hunter and proud of it.
From: mountainman
02-May-06
Took the tenderloins and backstraps, slice them adn bread and fry them and you probably wont tell the difference between cat and chicken. Very good!
From: Mathews Man
02-May-06
It was better than Bighorn Sheep, or any other wild game I've eaten.
That didn't mean that my wife would try it though.
Barbequed with some Teryaki sauce! Man, it can't be beaten.
Scottie
From: yukon delta
02-May-06
Someone else told me about using teriyaki sauce. That sounds good to me. Maybe I could sneak some into one of those Mongolian grill places? Mountain lion stir fry!
From: round valley
03-May-06
It's the main reason that I hunt them each winter ! Soak a back-strap in dark beer with a good seasoned rub over night , ...in my opinion, it's second only to Antelope meat
From: DeerSlayer08
03-May-06
How does it taste like ham,pork, and chicken? I would like to try it though.
From: fuzzy
03-May-06
DeerSlayer, it's the "other,other white meat" think about it, lean pork and chicken are fairly similar in taste, ham IS cured pork, cure a pork-like meat, you get a ham-like ham ;-)
From: rolse
03-May-06
had it at a wild game supper once just to say I tried it.... and I liked it
From: vinemaplesavage
03-May-06
Yes ,It is excellent!!!!
Milt
From: JayG@work
03-May-06
Have you eaten Chinese take out? Okay, then you have eaten cat. Big cat little cat all same same.. LOL Jay
From: Pete In Fairbanks
04-May-06
We eat lynx meat all the time. I have eaten mtn lion and it tasted like, well........... lynx!
Very light, not strong in taste, no marbling. Very good.
From: Tines
04-May-06
Very good!
From: yukon delta
04-May-06
Speaking of lynx, I've wondered if mtn lions have fleas like lynx and bobcat do?
From: round valley
05-May-06
I have never noticed fleas , next time I will look closer , I have seen ticks , not many ... RV
From: GaryB@Home
05-May-06
Light in color, Texture like Pork without the fat and very mild flavor. Careful it is addictive.
From: Howdy doody
05-May-06
I haven't had M. Lion but I certainly had european Lynx in Spain, it is a beautifull pink meat like rabbit almost and tastes real good, i think M. Lion would probably be about the same.
From: yukon delta
06-May-06
In checking some references for my upcoming hunt, every person said they wanted the meat if I did not keep it. That should tell you something.
What I want to know is if anyone has tried leopard or african lion?
From: sandyriverfisher
06-May-06
Years ago I skinned out two that had been killed by ADC trappers. The skulls were sent to a local guy who did beutiful european mounts, and while talking to him he told me he loves the meat and that it was the best wild game to be had. He swore it was so tender you could cut it with a fork and that it tasted like veal. Several weeks later he gave me some cougar jerky. It was good, but then anything is good if you turn it into jerky. However, it was good enouph that if I ever manage to get a cougar I wont be tossing the meat without at least giving it a try.
From: recurve geek
19-May-06
One thing everyone is leaving out is that, Mt Lion has a sweet flavor to it. I think the chops have the same texture and color as pork, however, I think Mt Lion has it's own flavor all together. Like JDM said though, don't even think about wasting any of it. Too good and too long between lions. I rationed mine so I could enjoy it over a period of time. Chops on the BBQ are great, stew meat in the pressure cooker with gravy is awesome, and ground lion is good in any recipe. Already said but... the other white meat.
From: gettreed
25-May-06
if you take a lion loin and smoke it whole, is very good as well.
From: gettreed
25-May-06
if you take a lion loin and smoke it whole, is very good as well.
From: ORARCHER
25-May-06
OF COARSE THEY TASTE GOOD LOOK AT WHAT THEY EAT OUR ELK AND DEER !!
From: huntdoug
04-Jun-06
I am eating the one I shot, in Utah, couple months back.
it good eating even with my poor cooking skills.
friends and family think I've gone oriental and don't want to try it, just as well, I can enjoy it all!
From: rutman
04-Jun-06
I hunted with a lion guide for deer and elk, and he treated us to a cold roast from one of his lions. It was very good cold, must have been delicious hot.
From: COUGAR
18-Dec-06
Haven't had any but I heard it tastes a lot like elves -- "The other white meat"! LOL!
