Sandhills buff trip.

Share your tales (tall or otherwise) of hunting adventures.

Moderators: Kirk, Lucinda

Post Reply
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Sandhills buff trip.

Post by pete »

Nov 21st my friend Larry and I were at the Sandhills ranch for buffalo. We were originally scheduled for the 22nd but due to the approaching snow storm Kelley at k-bar called my wife and suggested we try to make it the 21st. My wife remembered that we were going to Cabellas and had Larry's wife call there and tell us the news. It's scary when you get paged over the intercom to come to the service desk. It puts everything into perspective to find out that nobody was hurt or deathly sick and that the only thing was a step up of the hunt date.
As we were driving into the ranch friday morning a herd of buffalo was along the driveway rode which we stopped to look at and take some pictures of. They didn't seem to be real scared and I told Larry I hoped these weren't the ones we were going to look for. When we got to the ranch we were told that indeed they were the ones. Kelly told us that they were and they were wild from having so much hunting pressure. Needless to say I was skeptical if not downright disbelieving. We left at 9:00 am and drove to about a mile from the herd and proceeded to walk to the herd hidden from view by the hills. About an hour later we finally got to where we were on our hands and knees sneaking within range of them and I'm thinking to myself "We don't need to do this they'll let us walk right up to them".
Well I was very wrong because while cars and people along the road don't give them much concern when you get out and start sneaking around they turn into different animals. The herd saw us and started leaving pretty quickly. Sorting out and shooting a good animal from a herd is tough when they are spooking but one opened up and Dan (our main guide) told Larry to shoot. He made a good hit with his 45/70 Marlin shooting smokeless rounds with jacketed bullets (Larry's not sharp enough to appreciate the bpcr thing) and slowed her down. He shot two more times which were both misses. She went about 200 yds. over a little hill. A follow up stalk was made and Larry put her down with another shot.
Kelley and I went to look for the herd while Larry's animal was being taken care of and saw them a mile away moving away at a walk. We circled around and tried to get in front of them. When we got to where we thought we could see them we saw them alright ... about another mile and ahalf away. Moving good. I was happy because these weren't tame animals. I told Kelley he was right about them.
I then hunted with Dan the rest of the day. To make a long story short we went up on a hill and found the herd about 4 miles from where they were in the morning and drove to within a mile of them. We then stalked them only to have them move a another mile away. I was starting to think I wouldn't get one that day. We finally snuck in close only to have them see us while we were trying to size them up. They weren't sure what we were and ran around us to get a better look and try to scent us. Thankfully the wind was swirling and they worked their way just over a hill. Dan finally said that if we were to get one we better try for the first one available. I said ok. We snuck up to the hill and I made a rare for me good shot at 97yds on one. I held low behind the shoulder and she broke into a fast run that lasted only 20 yds and went down. It was about 3:30, cloudy and not alot of light left. I used my Shiloh #3 45/70 with 420 gr. Lyman 457193 pure lead bullets in front of 71 gr. of Swiss 2 f. Velocity of 1348. Probably a little slower as cold as it was. As I get older it's a little sad when I kill something, especially an animal like this that could pound me into the ground if she wanted to. But it was a challenge and a alot of fun hiking around the sandhills of Nebraska. Dan was real patient and seemed to have fun too.
archdlx
Posts: 76
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2003 8:11 pm
Location: Edgerton Alberta, Canada

Post by archdlx »

Hey Pete! Great story! I check oil wells for a living, one of them was on a bison ranch just south of town. The owner, a former school mate, told me if the animals were around the well, to stay in the truck. They will not bother vehicles, unless you get too close to the new calves. He hauls greenfeed bales to them with a tractor, and would not get off if they are too close. I have gone through the herd many times and can see that it wouldn't take long for them to make a mess of you!
Michael Johnson

Post by Michael Johnson »

Sounds like a good hunt Pete! Did you recover the bullet. I was wondering how well it expanded and held together. What kind of sights were you using on your rifle? - Mike
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by pete »

archdlx; That would be cool to go to that place you checked and see those animals. A big bull was hanging around Larry's cow and he had to wait for him to get out of the way before he could put her down. Kelley and Dan were leary of him so we backed off and waited awhile before going over to the cow.
Michael; The bullet was still in the meat on the far side. The butcher said he would save it for me when he finds it. But you know how that goes. It'll either get lost or cut up probably. I really want to see it too. Those pure leads are a pain in the a%*s to cast but they work good. I used the semi buckhorn rear and the Shiloh 111 front globe with the post aperture.
I did the period clothing thing and took some pictures in sepia. I'd like to submit one to the Shiloh site but we don't have the fastest dial up and the site loads reallll slooooow. I'll try again though. This will probably be the best buff trip I'll go on from the standpoint of being able to really get alot of hiking time in. My legs were stiff that evening.
I'm tanning the hide using the combined contents of three Tandy kits. I have a robe from my first one so I thought I'd try this myself.
User avatar
Omaha Poke
Posts: 972
Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2003 6:52 pm
Location: Edmonds, WA

Post by Omaha Poke »

Pete, let me know how your tanning efforts produce! I would like to get another bull next year, but only in a much colder month than the 1st of Oct. I would really like to have a nice big robe. The taxidermists charge so dadgum much though!! I would like to brain and ash tan it if possible, but then would have to find some woman to act like an indian squaw and chew it as well. I don't mean any offense to native americans, If I had decent teeth, I would give it a try myself :lol: Nice going on your hunt, I know just how you felt when the great animal went down. A whole mixture of feelings. If I ever quit having them, I will not hunt again. Randy
Randy Ruwe
The Montanan
Posts: 215
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 11:13 pm
Location: Kalispell, Mt

Post by The Montanan »

Pete you can go to www.hunt101.com and up load your pics there then post the link to those pics for all to see. Fast upload time.
The Montanan

"I don't care what a person shoots, as long as he shoots it well"
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by pete »

Omaha; I'll definately let you know how the tanning works. All I know now is a soaking wet buffalo hide is one heavy &*( *( ( (*%#@. I think this hide is as good a one to try as any since it is a medium size cow hide. Bull hides are thicker around the neck and probably harder to work without alot of thinning.
Montanan: Thanks for the site info. Man there's alot of pictures there. I finally got one sent to Shiloh so we'll see. I mainly sent it because of the common interest we have in bpcr and Shiloh's in particular in this case.
I still think it's kinda unique hunting with these types of rifles. There's plenty of people hunting with muzzleloader's (mainly the modern inlines), bows and of course highpower.
User avatar
Hidehunter
Posts: 214
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2002 1:26 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Post by Hidehunter »

pete - Handling the hide sure gives one an appreciation for the job done by the skinners back in the 'good old days,' doesn't it? How would you like to remove and handled buffalo hides by the stack every day?

What was the new outfitter's policy on follow-up shots? John Hanson was my guide last year. The policy at that time was that he would take a follow-up shot immediately after I took my shot. This was the only thing I didn't like about the hunt. I can see a reason for the guide to be ready in case the client's shot goes astray. My shot hit right in the heart, the buffalo wasn't going anywhere. I would have had time to reload and shoot again if necessary.
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by pete »

Hidehunter; Long time no hear from. It's alot more fun to play buffalo hunter part time. I've got the hide tanned and now I'm trying to soften it up better. I've also got a better appreciation of what the Indian women went through 'cause I'm stiff and sore from working on it. I have a picture of Quanna Parker's mom in a book. She had huge hands and laughingly I told my wife she probably got them by working with those hides. Might not be a joke though.
As far as follow up shot position goes. We asked them about that mentioning that people didn't practice shooting, loading and driving a long way to have someone else shoot unless there was no choice. Kelley and Dan said they didn't want to shoot and wouldn't unless it was necessary which meant they wouldn't unless an animal was going beserk and was threatening people or other animals or was going to run through a fence . We were happy 'cause they didn't act like they were going to shoot even though Larry's animal required a follow up stalk and shot. The only thing I thought strange was that Kelley is a little skeptical about the efectiveness of bp cartridges. I'm sure though as he see's more of them in use he'll change his mind. All in all I think they did a real good job and worked hard to make us happy.
Speaking of bp rounds, the meat cutter found my bullet and it mushroomed to .945. Pretty good I think.
Also, my picture made it to the Shiloh trophy forum. I'm the sorry looking one in the sepia photo.
User avatar
Hidehunter
Posts: 214
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2002 1:26 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Post by Hidehunter »

pete - That's a great picture. When I showed a friend a picture from my hunt he said: "What a big, ugly beast. The one holding the rifle, that is!" It sounds like the new outfitters at the Sandhills ranch are good to work with. I hope they keep it BPCR-friendly.
The Montanan
Posts: 215
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 11:13 pm
Location: Kalispell, Mt

Post by The Montanan »

That is a great picture for sure..... Maybe someday, I can get my picture in there too. What you think Hidehunter? I still want to do that double hunt.

You all have a good one.
The Montanan

"I don't care what a person shoots, as long as he shoots it well"
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by pete »

Thanks. The last time I went I wanted to dress period but didn't want to be the only one. Seems more fun when others are dressed that way too. This time we both were going to but Larry's coat wasn't warm enough for the weather we had. My coat is pretty warm so I did anyway and it turned out good.
I hope they stay BPCR friendly too because I'd like to go for a management bull in a couple of years. I'd just like to get one bull and the younger ones taste good I'm told. They'll stay BPCR friendly if John has a say in it, especially since they advertise in the "Black Powder Cartridge News".
Post Reply