A traveler was held up at Las Vegas McCarran Airport after TSA screeners discovered a dead cougar in his luggage.
The unusual item was not prohibited as it had a Utah State Fishing and Gaming tag.
Nevertheless the passenger was held until the tag’s authenticity was checked, said Las Vegas police Lt. David Gordon.
"It is not a crime to transport game that is legal to possess via airlines, but airlines reserve the right to tell passengers they do not want to transport certain items," the TSA said.
Airlines each have their own policy on transporting big game from so-called trophy hunters.
Many carriers imposed stricter rules including the banning of some species after a worldwide outcry over the killing of Cecil the lion by a Minnesota dentist in 2015.
McCarran Airport spokeswoman Melissa Nunnery says the unnamed passenger managed to ship the carcass home by FedEx instead.
