bigbore442001
50 Cal.
I would like to querry the board on their opinion and experiences with hunting bison. Thanks
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Bison hunts? What is your opinion?
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hawkeye1755
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With Muzzleloaders or Sharps or in general?bigbore442001 said:
:hatsoff:
bigbore442001
50 Cal.
I'll say in general.
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I'd love to be able to this hunt, the Indian way. Not sure how I can keep my arse on a galloping horse though. :hmm:
Desert Rat
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Here in Az there are approx 8 tags available per year for the general Buffalo hunt. The tags are expensive and they actually take you out and say..."shoot that one" And there is a bag limit of 1 per lifetime. There is a population management hunt that has more tags available but I'm not sure how that works, except that the 1 per lifetime still holds.
Velcro? :grin:
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Ah come on guys I'm serious. Thats got to be one hell of a rush running a long side flinging arrows at one.
hawkeye1755
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Oh my God.I see Roy and Swamp Rat riding on two appaloosa horses, indian style through a buffalo herd.Before you both start the hunt, please lease a container and send me your guns.I will hold them in honor. :grin:
:hatsoff:
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I've been on the "cleanup" end of a couple over the years at Kodiak Cattle Company on Kodiak Island. Basically helping the rancher by adding brawn and ingenuity (mostly the former) to retrieving animals after a successful hunt.
There's a whole lot of hunt involved in his enterprise, as the animals are unfenced and wander over 24,000+ acres of rough bear country. On top of that, the old bulls that are hunted are as wild as march hares.
Talking to one hunter after we finally managed to get his bull (recordbook, BTW) out revealed that he had hunted all big game all over the world in his lifetime, garnering a Weatherby trophy in the process. He was ready to hang up his guns and retire when he realized he had never taken a bison. He scheduled the hunt thinking "How hard can it be compared to anything else I've hunted?"
Long story short, he spent 6 days on horseback getting the bull. Every time they were just about close enough the bull would see, sense, smell or guess they were around and run a few miles to new cover.
He said it turned out to be the toughest hunt of his life. He then smiled and said "Best hunt, too. What an animal to retire on!"
There are "easy" bison out there, but one on one with a truly wild one on open range is going to teach you more than you can imagine about the Good Old Days.
There's a whole lot of hunt involved in his enterprise, as the animals are unfenced and wander over 24,000+ acres of rough bear country. On top of that, the old bulls that are hunted are as wild as march hares.
Talking to one hunter after we finally managed to get his bull (recordbook, BTW) out revealed that he had hunted all big game all over the world in his lifetime, garnering a Weatherby trophy in the process. He was ready to hang up his guns and retire when he realized he had never taken a bison. He scheduled the hunt thinking "How hard can it be compared to anything else I've hunted?"
Long story short, he spent 6 days on horseback getting the bull. Every time they were just about close enough the bull would see, sense, smell or guess they were around and run a few miles to new cover.
He said it turned out to be the toughest hunt of his life. He then smiled and said "Best hunt, too. What an animal to retire on!"
There are "easy" bison out there, but one on one with a truly wild one on open range is going to teach you more than you can imagine about the Good Old Days.
Most folks tell me it is a lot like shooting a cow in a pasture.
BUT
There is an outfitter in N.D. who has a big ranch that claims you won't see a buff and a fence at the same time. The hunt is off horses and the guides are in PC costume. Hilly country with some trees. BP is the weapon of choice.
You still pretty much pay by the pound and pay a premium for an older trophy bull.
If you are planning a buff hunt one thing to think about is the cost of shipping the meat home.
I will look and see if I can find the link for the outfitter.
BUT
There is an outfitter in N.D. who has a big ranch that claims you won't see a buff and a fence at the same time. The hunt is off horses and the guides are in PC costume. Hilly country with some trees. BP is the weapon of choice.
You still pretty much pay by the pound and pay a premium for an older trophy bull.
If you are planning a buff hunt one thing to think about is the cost of shipping the meat home.
I will look and see if I can find the link for the outfitter.
Big Hammer
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I have taken one bison, a 3 year old bull a couple of years ago. I am planning on another hunt the first week of December this year, this time with a friend. I used a 45-110 Sharps and a 511 grain paper patched lead bullet driven by a case full of Goex 2f the first time. We both will use the same equipment the next time around.
I have two good percussion Hawkens, a 58 and a 62. I have taken a lot of deer, quite a few hogs, and a black bear apiece with the Hawkens using a patched round ball. Of the two Hawkens, the 58 is the best at putting animals ON THE GROUND, ON THE SPOT.
Before I began to use the Sharps for most of my hunting, I wanted to take a buffalo with a Hawken. I mean I REALLY wanted a buffalo with my 58. However, knowing what I know now, I would still take a buffalo with the Hawken, but I would make sure of a couple of things first.
One is, I would use a 58 or a 62 with a pure lead patched round ball. I would use 130 grains of Goex 2f in the 58, and 150 grains of 2f in the 62. I would want to be within 80 to 100 yards of the animal when I shot for the bullet to work at its best, and I would MOST DEFINITELY take a HEART SHOT. If you don't know where the heart on a buffalo is, you need to find out.
The SECOND and very important thing is that you will be very unlikely to get a one shot kill. I knocked my bull off his feet with a shot to his brain from 186 yards, and he got back up. I had to shoot him again--this time in the heart--with the Sharps to put him down for good. You need to be able to reload in 10 to 12 seconds to even consider using a muzzleloader from the standpoint of safety. A better bet would be to have a good man with a good rifle to back you up. You never know. They are big, they are tough, they are herd animals, and they can kill you.
Having said all that, I had the pleasure of talking to a real gentleman from the old school at the Friendship shoot this past week. He had hunted Africa numerous times, the last several times using a muzzleloader. He has taken two elephant with a muzzleloader, the last one facing him at 16 yards. When I asked him about his rifle and load, he said that he shot a conical bullet that weighed 1050 grains--that is not a misprint--cast out of wheel weights. He used 240 grains of 2f black powder. He said he would have used a heavier powder charge, but that was all the recoil he could stand out of a 10 1/2 pound rifle. He killed the elephant with a single shot to the chest.
Get a good rifle, and go get your buffalo.
I have two good percussion Hawkens, a 58 and a 62. I have taken a lot of deer, quite a few hogs, and a black bear apiece with the Hawkens using a patched round ball. Of the two Hawkens, the 58 is the best at putting animals ON THE GROUND, ON THE SPOT.
Before I began to use the Sharps for most of my hunting, I wanted to take a buffalo with a Hawken. I mean I REALLY wanted a buffalo with my 58. However, knowing what I know now, I would still take a buffalo with the Hawken, but I would make sure of a couple of things first.
One is, I would use a 58 or a 62 with a pure lead patched round ball. I would use 130 grains of Goex 2f in the 58, and 150 grains of 2f in the 62. I would want to be within 80 to 100 yards of the animal when I shot for the bullet to work at its best, and I would MOST DEFINITELY take a HEART SHOT. If you don't know where the heart on a buffalo is, you need to find out.
The SECOND and very important thing is that you will be very unlikely to get a one shot kill. I knocked my bull off his feet with a shot to his brain from 186 yards, and he got back up. I had to shoot him again--this time in the heart--with the Sharps to put him down for good. You need to be able to reload in 10 to 12 seconds to even consider using a muzzleloader from the standpoint of safety. A better bet would be to have a good man with a good rifle to back you up. You never know. They are big, they are tough, they are herd animals, and they can kill you.
Having said all that, I had the pleasure of talking to a real gentleman from the old school at the Friendship shoot this past week. He had hunted Africa numerous times, the last several times using a muzzleloader. He has taken two elephant with a muzzleloader, the last one facing him at 16 yards. When I asked him about his rifle and load, he said that he shot a conical bullet that weighed 1050 grains--that is not a misprint--cast out of wheel weights. He used 240 grains of 2f black powder. He said he would have used a heavier powder charge, but that was all the recoil he could stand out of a 10 1/2 pound rifle. He killed the elephant with a single shot to the chest.
Get a good rifle, and go get your buffalo.
scott fellows
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i've taken 2 buffalo with my .62 smoothie. the first one took me two shots and the last one was one shot. i use a patched rb with 60 gr of 3f goex. the one shot buff was at about 70 yrds the other was a bit closer. the heart on a buff sits lower than the heart on a deer. the tip of the heart is just about resting on the breastbone. both of mine were at a slow walk when i shot. the last one the ball went through the meat on the back of the front leg busted a rib then severed the artery between the heart and lungs and passed through the meaty part of the opposite front leg and was recovered from just under the hide on the far side of that leg. they are a tough animal. if you are wanting to do one for the meat then i suggest a 3 to 4 yr old cow or better yet a heifer the older these critters get the tougher the meat. anyone who is interested in an affordable meat hunt give me a holler and i can give you some info on one.
pieman
pieman
JohnTheGreek
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REAL bison hunting is rare. You are really limited really to...
1) The House Rock hunt in Northern Arizona (nothing like the "shoot this one" AZ hunt mentioned above). Bison have lately been migrating into the Grand Canyon park....can't hunt there.
2) The Yukon Territory (Champagne and Aishikik Tribal Land...$$$$)[url] wwww.yukonsheep.com[/url]
3) British Columbia has a free roaming herd (tags can be bought from an outfitter $$$$)
4) Alaska has a herd...tough draw
5) Custer State Park- about $4K....and two years should see you draw a bull tag.
6) Alberta just outside of Wood Buffalo National Park (NO LICENSE NECESSARY....but bring your thermal insulated buckskins)
7) Utah's Henry Mountains....tough draw or big $ in a governors tag.
8)Montana...for those bulls roaming outside the park...tough draw
9) Wyoming...same as above.
10) Northwest Territories. Jerome Knap used to run this hunt for the local tribe. pricey.
11) I think the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana also has a B&C eligible herd.....bring your checkbook or a high limit visa card.
Any of the above are either a near impossible draw or are gonna run anywhere from $8K-$10K to get an outfitter provided tag and hunt. Custer State Park is the only real alternative at $4K for a three day hunt. Even though these bulls are eligible for the B&C "awards" book, they aren't eligible for the "all time" book like the Canada bulls. The reason is that Custer is a very tightly managed herd and IIRC actually all 60+ thousand acres is fenced. Interestingly, the toughest hunt on the list (Alberta) is not B&C eligible since no license is required to hunt the bulls roaming out of the park.
Hope this helps a bit.
Buffler Runner
1) The House Rock hunt in Northern Arizona (nothing like the "shoot this one" AZ hunt mentioned above). Bison have lately been migrating into the Grand Canyon park....can't hunt there.
2) The Yukon Territory (Champagne and Aishikik Tribal Land...$$$$)[url] wwww.yukonsheep.com[/url]
3) British Columbia has a free roaming herd (tags can be bought from an outfitter $$$$)
4) Alaska has a herd...tough draw
5) Custer State Park- about $4K....and two years should see you draw a bull tag.
6) Alberta just outside of Wood Buffalo National Park (NO LICENSE NECESSARY....but bring your thermal insulated buckskins)
7) Utah's Henry Mountains....tough draw or big $ in a governors tag.
8)Montana...for those bulls roaming outside the park...tough draw
9) Wyoming...same as above.
10) Northwest Territories. Jerome Knap used to run this hunt for the local tribe. pricey.
11) I think the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana also has a B&C eligible herd.....bring your checkbook or a high limit visa card.
Any of the above are either a near impossible draw or are gonna run anywhere from $8K-$10K to get an outfitter provided tag and hunt. Custer State Park is the only real alternative at $4K for a three day hunt. Even though these bulls are eligible for the B&C "awards" book, they aren't eligible for the "all time" book like the Canada bulls. The reason is that Custer is a very tightly managed herd and IIRC actually all 60+ thousand acres is fenced. Interestingly, the toughest hunt on the list (Alberta) is not B&C eligible since no license is required to hunt the bulls roaming out of the park.
Hope this helps a bit.
Buffler Runner
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A ranch on Kodiak Island (Kodiak Cattle Company) has a sizeable herd- completely free range. They sell a few horseback hunts for lone bulls each year. I've spent a lot of time in the hills around their animals and helped bring out a couple after successful hunts.
Talking to the hunters, one who had hunted all over the world (winner of the Weatherby Trophy one year, BTW) and the other who had elk hunted all his life, both said it was the toughest hunt they had ever been on. The first took six days to get close enough for a shot and the second took three. If the bulls see you, they're gone.
The bulls are really big, but wild as any deer you have ever seen. I can't imagine any hunt being more of a "true" hunt, but you'll pay and you definitely had better be fit.
Talking to the hunters, one who had hunted all over the world (winner of the Weatherby Trophy one year, BTW) and the other who had elk hunted all his life, both said it was the toughest hunt they had ever been on. The first took six days to get close enough for a shot and the second took three. If the bulls see you, they're gone.
The bulls are really big, but wild as any deer you have ever seen. I can't imagine any hunt being more of a "true" hunt, but you'll pay and you definitely had better be fit.
JohnTheGreek
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Brown Bear,
Out of curiosity, what are these guys charging for their ranch hunt? I can definitely understand people lacking the desire to wait to draw in places like Delta Junction but I've just reached a point where if it comes down to paying $4K to hunt behind a fence (regardless of how big the area or apparently wild the beasts) or $9K to hunt for real, I'd rather save for a few extra years if necessary and do the latter. Frankly, you don't even need a license or guide to hunt bison properly in Alberta. If one doesn't need their hand held, one can invest a bit of money in gear to head out into the woods there and hunt 'em. Understand, I'm not judging anyone (as I've literally been on both sides of this fence in my life) but I just think Bison as a species have been unjustly labeled "stupid" or "easy prey" because "hunting" them usually takes place in an environment where the death of the animal is a foregone conclusion. I've been lucky to hunt bison twice in Canada (got some good deals on cancelled hunts) and wouldn't trade those memories or shoulder mounts for all the "meat hunts" in Wyoming.
Again, JMHO...
Buffler Runner
Out of curiosity, what are these guys charging for their ranch hunt? I can definitely understand people lacking the desire to wait to draw in places like Delta Junction but I've just reached a point where if it comes down to paying $4K to hunt behind a fence (regardless of how big the area or apparently wild the beasts) or $9K to hunt for real, I'd rather save for a few extra years if necessary and do the latter. Frankly, you don't even need a license or guide to hunt bison properly in Alberta. If one doesn't need their hand held, one can invest a bit of money in gear to head out into the woods there and hunt 'em. Understand, I'm not judging anyone (as I've literally been on both sides of this fence in my life) but I just think Bison as a species have been unjustly labeled "stupid" or "easy prey" because "hunting" them usually takes place in an environment where the death of the animal is a foregone conclusion. I've been lucky to hunt bison twice in Canada (got some good deals on cancelled hunts) and wouldn't trade those memories or shoulder mounts for all the "meat hunts" in Wyoming.
Again, JMHO...
Buffler Runner
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I'm not sure what they charge. On both occasions I helped out, I just happened to be in the area and they asked for help. Good folks with a sincere love of the land and respect for their animals.
