Did the required orange button check: Got a Mt.Lion hunt coming up with a guide in Idaho. IF I get one I want to do a half body mount. The kind where he's jumping out of the wall. I've done many critters, but never a lion. Was wondering what kinds of cuts I should make in the field? Should I go with a dorsal cut or up the belly and from paw to knee? Any experts on this I'd love to chat with you. Need to know any other tricks particular to cats. Hogs sure are different from cats huh?
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Just skin the cougar for a lifesize mount and then chop the front half after tanning. That way you get exactly the amount of skin you want, can back the board with the pelt, and other options like having extra fur available to patch the bullet hole or drag marks.
Wire the claws to the toe bones before you send off to tannery. That way they don't lose or "lose" (steal) them.
Rest of answer can be found in the orange button. I think.
I'd dorsal the cat all the way down and just tube out the legs if you can. This is the way I do most of my Bobcats. Especially with a half lifesize, you should just be able to slip the legs in and the head over and sew from behind. I've only done one big cat and it was a rug so that won't help you much. Good luck.
Les
and tube out the legs.
I'm glad that the consensus is dorsal cut because I was leaning that way in my thinking. Yes I did plan on taking the whole cape just incase I change my mind about a full body mount. I was planning to tan the hide myself, so missing claws aren't going to be an issue.
Can someone tell me how to cut under the paws when boning that out? Do you cut around the main pad in a half circle or do you cut right through the pad?
Thanks for the leg up folks!
tube out the paw until you get to the toes, then invert each one to the claw. No cutting the pad. You may need a small relief cut on the back of the legs to fill paws, makes things a little easier to access.
Thanks for the leg up. If I'm successful in this cat hunt, I am just as excited about stuffing one as I am about snuffing one!