Lets Post here Englishman

[gmww]

Hello Englishman. It's more appropriate to post the hunting questions here. Since you brought up the question about sport of hunting a Buffalo I thought I start that link here.

Your second quote is

sorry if i upset anyone, i have no problem in hunting for food,just the size of the target,the range of the shot,and what sounds like a docile farm animal that is used to human contact i see no sport in that.nuff said.i too love my hawken, i have 24 muzzle loaders and it is my favourite.

 

[gmww]

I can sort of understand your rational about killing a Buffalo. They are indeed large animals. They herd up just like cattle do. However, they represent to me a symbol of what our country represented in it's early history. Killing one with a ML to me was an Honor. Killing it with ML or a Sharps rifle to me also honored the frontiersman of our country.
You wondered why anyone would feel a need to shoot such an animal up close. Yes, I can shoot a Buffalo say 100 yards or even much farther with my ML. Here is the problem with that. Buffalo have very thick hides. The best time to kill them is Oct.-Jan if your planning on using the hide for it's fur. The body mass as you may imagine is also very dense on these animals. I'm one of those hunters that shoots for the vitals just behind the shoulder.
Here is the problem with killing Buffalo if you shoot at a long distance. Ballistics of the bullet up close is going to have more energy than a bullet fired farther away. That means it will also penetrate deeper. Also means there is a higher likelihood of a faster kill especially if the bullet passes completely through.
On a Buffalo, wounds are hard to see as the fur is so thick and the blood seems to just soak up in the thick fur. Compound that with the fact that a wounded Buffalo may wonder back into the herd. Trying to figure out which one you shot in a herd at 100 yards that is not bleeding as one shot up closer is going to be very difficult to say the least.
Getting up close and personal to any animal your hunting is what makes hunting exciting. It is also being responsible. I've hunted Moose. I've gotten up close to Moose because I wanted a cleaner kill than say shooting it from 100 plus yards. With a ML 100 yrds for most is pushing the envelope in down range energy for larger animals.
As I stated and others also stated on the other thread, we hunt for the food also. Your characterizing Buffalo hunting as a Cheap thrill I'm afraid is offensive whether you meant it or not. (Many of us hunters have heard this before from the folks at PETA.) Needless to say you might get a rather harsh reply.
Buffalo and cattle do act alike. However, don't let the "docile" image fool you. Both cattle and Buffalo can turn deadly especially up close. If you ever visit our Country and go to Yellowstone National Park, you'll see the posted warning signs about Buffalo.

:v

 

[tonyclarke]

hi gmww i am sorry if i offended you that was not my intention.i now have a better uderstanding of something i obviousley knew nothing about,and see the reasons behind your[url] methods.in[/url] future i will keep my fourpenorth to myself. :hatsoff:

 

[spitfire]

Never hurts to ask!Bison are herding animals.They can become testy like other bovines :shocked2: !

 

[gmww]

Englishman, no problem. As Spitfire posted it doesn't hurt to ask. By the way welcome to the forum. This is one of the better places to learn about ML hunting as I've seen on the Web.

I look forward to seeing more posts from you. :v

 

[tonyclarke]

thanks gmww.

 

Howdy English...I used to work on a buffalo ranch way back in the '70's and buffalo are hard to kill critters if you don't hit them right. They can junp to an all out run in a split second and turn on a dime at full speed. They are uncanny with their agility as big and cumbersome as they appear. When I was a kid I asked one of the older hands how do ya herd a buffalo? His answer was," Well... ya just kinda let 'em go wher ya want 'em too." :grin:
Seeya,
Don

 

[Rocky Johnson]

Muzzle Blasts March issue had an interesting artical on hunting American bison in Kentucky before 1880. :winking: Rocky

 

[gmww]

Thanks, I haven't got my issue yet. I'll be looking forward to reading it.

To All:

When I was at the taxidermist to drop off my Buffalo hide there was this Native American visiting there. I think he was Flathead as that was the closest reservation and also the area I killed my Buffalo.

He was telling me how he was going to try and kill his next Buffalo while riding his horse and with a spear. Now that is getting historic! :thumbsup:

 

[Maestro]

Read Howard Hill's book, Hunting The Hard Way - great traditional archery stories! I think the first story is when he killed a buffalo with a bow on horseback, riding along the charging herd - AWESOME story! Something most of us will ever only read about.

This excerpt should whet your appetite:
Hunting Buffalo - Indian Style (Page through it.)

:hatsoff:

 

I bet running bufalo on horseback WOULD be a thrill. It would take a fine horse and a smart one. What an adrenaline rush....