Is it Legal to Mount a Mountain Lion?

By MountChief Editorial Team|Updated Mar 2026

Mountain lion taxidermy legality depends entirely on where the lion was harvested and where the mount will end up. In states where mountain lion hunting is legal and regulated, mounting is legal with proper documentation. In California, it's banned entirely.

This is a situation where getting the compliance details wrong has serious consequences. Here's what you need to know.

TL;DR

African lion trophies can legally be mounted in the US if imported with all required CITES documentation.
African lion is listed under CITES Appendix II, requiring export permits from the country of origin and US import permits.
US Fish & Wildlife Service issues import permits for lion trophies harvested under legal management programs.
Documentation of legal import must be retained with the mount record indefinitely.
Accept lion mounting jobs only when the customer can provide complete import permit documentation.

States Where Mountain Lion Hunting Is Legal

Mountain lion hunting is legal in a number of western states, each with its own regulations:

Idaho: Legal with tags available. Documentation requirements at taxidermist intake.
Montana: Legal with a license and tag. Tag documentation required.
Wyoming: Legal with a license and locking tag. License number and tag required at intake.
Colorado: Legal with a license. Documentation requirements apply.
Utah: Legal with a license through DWR permit system.
Nevada: Legal with a tag. Documentation at intake.
Oregon: Legal under certain circumstances and with appropriate tag.
Washington: Legal in some areas with license and seal.
Arizona: Legal with a license and tag.
New Mexico: Legal with a license and NMDGF documentation.
Texas: Legal on private land with no bag limit or season (no state license required, though county and property rules may apply).

In all of these states, the taxidermist accepting a mountain lion must document the legal harvest information, license number, tag or locking seal, and state of harvest.

California: Mountain Lions Are Fully Protected

California prohibits all mountain lion hunting. Mountain lions in California are classified as a specially protected mammal, and harvesting one is illegal regardless of circumstances, with very limited exceptions for depredation permits.

The protection extends to mounting. A California taxidermist cannot legally mount a mountain lion, even one harvested legally in another state, because California's possession laws are restrictive. California prohibits all mountain lion hunting and mounting regardless of origin.

If you're a California taxidermist and someone brings you a mountain lion to mount, you need to understand your state's specific possession laws before accepting it.

Interstate Transport: Lacey Act and CITES

Mountain lions harvested legally in one state and transported for mounting in another state trigger the Lacey Act. The mount must be accompanied by documentation proving legal harvest in the state of origin.

Mountain lion CITES documentation is required in some states for interstate transport. While mountain lions are not on the CITES appendices as a globally regulated species, some states have their own import/export restrictions that function similarly.

If a customer is bringing a mountain lion from one state to be mounted in your state, verify:

Was it legally harvested? (License and tag documentation)
Does the state of harvest allow the lion to leave the state?
Does your state have any restrictions on possessing mountain lions?
Is the Lacey Act documentation in order for the transport?

A call to your state wildlife agency is worth 10 minutes before accepting a mountain lion from out of state.

What Documentation Taxidermists Need

For a mountain lion that arrives at your shop:

Hunter's hunting license from the state of harvest
State-issued harvest tag, locking seal, or permit, whichever that state uses
State of harvest confirmation
Date of harvest

Record all of this in your intake documentation. Mount the documentation in your compliance records. Keep it for the full duration of your required record retention period.

Predator Mount Tracking

Mountain lions are one of several predator species where compliance documentation at intake is essential. Like other predator and regulated species, clear tracking from intake through production protects the taxidermist from compliance exposure if questions arise later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which states allow mountain lion taxidermy?

Mountain lion hunting and taxidermy is legal in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Texas (on private land). Each state has its own license and tag requirements. California is the notable exception. Mountain lions are fully protected statewide and cannot be hunted or mounted.

What documentation is required for mountain lion mounts?

At intake, you need the hunter's license number, the state-issued harvest tag or locking seal number, state of harvest, and date of harvest. Record this in your intake documentation. For out-of-state mountain lions, verify the Lacey Act documentation for interstate transport is in order before accepting the specimen. Some states have additional possession requirements. Verify with your state wildlife agency if you're uncertain.

Can I ship a mountain lion mount across state lines?

Interstate shipping of a legally harvested mountain lion mount requires Lacey Act-compliant documentation: species identification, legal state of harvest, hunter's license and permit documentation, and taxidermist information. Some states have possession restrictions on mountain lions that affect whether a mount can enter or leave the state legally. California, in particular, has restrictions that make shipping a mountain lion mount into or out of the state legally complex. When in doubt, contact your state wildlife agency and the receiving state's wildlife agency before shipping.

What documentation should a customer provide for a lion mount?

The customer should provide: US Fish & Wildlife Service import permit documentation, CITES export permit from the country of origin, and any country-specific trophy permits from the hunting destination. This documentation establishes that the trophy was legally exported and imported. Retain copies of all documentation with the job record.

Can a customer sell a legally mounted lion trophy?

Domestic sale of legally imported lion trophies is generally permissible with proper documentation. International sale or export requires additional CITES documentation. The chain of legal import documentation should travel with the mount for any sale. Without clear legal import documentation, sale is legally problematic.

Should I accept a lion mount job if the customer's documentation seems incomplete?

No. An incomplete documentation package for a CITES Appendix II trophy is not a procedural inconvenience; it is a legal red flag. Request complete documentation before accepting the job. If the customer cannot provide it, they need to resolve the documentation issue with US Fish & Wildlife Service before bringing the trophy to you. Accepting a lion trophy without proper import documentation exposes you to federal wildlife violations.

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Sources

US Fish & Wildlife Service, CITES Permits Division
CITES Secretariat
National Taxidermists Association (NTA)
US Fish & Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement

Get Started with MountChief

African trophy documentation requires careful handling from the first conversation with the customer. MountChief's compliance flags can be set for CITES-listed species so every lion, leopard, or other restricted trophy is handled with the documentation it requires. Try MountChief to keep your compliance documentation organized for every species you work with.