![]() Lions tend to drag their kills downhill, and it is common for them to end up in the bottom of a drainage or right next to a creek. For adult deer kills in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest somewhere between 40 and 150 yards seems normal, although I have seen instances where lions carried prey much farther. How far a mountain lion will drag a kill depends on the terrain, how near the closest suitable cover is, and how large the kill is. This behavior serves at least 3 purposes: 1) reduces the visible detectability of the carcass, 2) provides shade which minimizes spoilage of the meat and thereby reduces the olfactory detectability of the carcass, and 3) provides the mountain lion with shelter from the elements as it feeds. Mountain lions generally like to feed under some sort of cover if available, which can be a rock overhang, a willow thicket, or a stand of dense young firs. If the carcass is small enough for them to move (anything deer-sized or smaller) than they will almost always drag it to a sheltered place to feed. Hiding refers to the overall placement of the carcass on the landscape, which mountain lions are quite particular about.
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