Buffalo Hunts

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

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Pappy
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:14 pm

Buffalo Hunts

Post by Pappy »

I was planning on doing a buffalo hunt this year, not a trophy hunt but for some good table food. I have read some of the stories on the post of the buffalo hunts but most seemed to be about 8 years ago or even later. Has anyone done a buffalo hunt lately. I would like to take one with my sharps rifle. Surly don't want to shoot a pen raised one. I know some one mention the Rock 7 ranch but they are already booked. Any suggestions on a good outfit to plan such a hunt.
Thanks Pappy.
Marathonman
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Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2002 6:47 am

Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by Marathonman »

An often overlooked source is your meat packer. They will know which ranches produce ones that taste best!
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.

~Billy Dixon~

Adobe Walls 1874
SharpsBig50
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Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by SharpsBig50 »

I've no been on a buffalo hunt, but from reading about modern hunts they don't really seem all that different. Ride out to your stand, shoot a buffalo have someone else skin and proscess it.

I wouldn't shoot one in a pen, however I suspect most of the buffalo available for "hunting" have at least some exposure to humans.
jackrabbit
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Location: Carpenter Wyoming

Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by jackrabbit »

I will have to disagree with you here. Most of the folks I know that go buffalo hunting are actually surprised about how difficult of a hunt it is. Think about it, most ranches that sell hunts have a group of trophy buffalo in a large pasture. It's usually between 4 and 20 sections. The only time they see humans is when they are coming to kill one of them. The humans show up and somebody dies. They are quite wearisome and it is not easy to get a shot in, especially with a period rifle. I think they may even be wilder than some of the buffalo from the old days. Animals that have never seen humans are usually quite tame. I know some of the folks that have hunted Alaska are surprised how easy the hunt is as a lot of the game has never seen a human and as we are the only animals that are able to do harm without actually touching our victim, they feel safe a few hundred yards away. Granted, there are probably some silly farm/pen hunts that are a joke, but I don't know of any. My experience comes from hunting wild bison near Jackson Wyoming, helping with several hunts on the Durham Ranch at Wright, Wyoming as well as hearing the stories of many other hunts. For sure, don't downplay modern buffalo hunting and go do it if you get the chance.
just my two cents, Cody
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Don McDowell
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Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by Don McDowell »

The deadline for applying for a Wild Bison hunt in Wyoming is Feb 28. Check out the Wyoming Game and Fish dept web page to apply.
AKA Donny Ray Rockslinger :?
Kurt
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Location: Not Far enough NW in Illinois

Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by Kurt »

There is a difference in the taste of Bison. I have taken them in North Dakota and Nebraska and I like the Neb. the best. The difference is in the grass they feed on.
The Buffalo when you stalk them and they discover that your there they will bunch up and move off and they might hook off. When they bunch up all you see is glairing eyes and it is hard to get a clear shot with out also take one or two behind the one your sights are on.
Yes there are pen shots that I heard of. One I called up in Montana for information suggested a coral shot because it was up to you to get the Animal out of the hills if you take one there. I asked if I could use a black powder cartridge rifle and his answer was you can use a AR-15 if you want. I said thank you and hung up.
There was a exotic game ranch here in Illinois about two hrs from me. I drove down to see it and what it was all about. When I talked to the owner he took me out and showed me around. He said I will spot you here off the ground and I will have a heard pushed your way and you shoot what you want. That was in a 40 acer wooded field and 35 Buffalos. He did have some nice Elk.
If you want a pen shoot, there out there, but not for me.

Kurt
The reason a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"Winston Churchill
Marathonman
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Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2002 6:47 am

Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by Marathonman »

Kurt wrote:There is a difference in the taste of Bison.

Kurt
I've said the same thing on this forum and no one has ever replied. I say contact the meat processors and see what they say about taste from the various sources.
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.

~Billy Dixon~

Adobe Walls 1874
Marathonman
Posts: 1000
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2002 6:47 am

Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by Marathonman »

Marathonman wrote:
Kurt wrote:There is a difference in the taste of Bison.

Kurt
I've said the same thing on this forum and no one has ever replied. I say contact the meat processors and see what they say about taste from the various sources.
I'll reply to my own post. The best antelope bar none I've tasted is from the medicine bow river drainage of Wyoming. Since mammals are mostly water the water they drink has a profound impact on the taste of the meat.
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.

~Billy Dixon~

Adobe Walls 1874
jackrabbit
Posts: 1792
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 12:04 pm
Location: Carpenter Wyoming

Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by jackrabbit »

Marathonman wrote:
Marathonman wrote:
Kurt wrote:There is a difference in the taste of Bison.

Kurt
I've said the same thing on this forum and no one has ever replied. I say contact the meat processors and see what they say about taste from the various sources.
I'll reply to my own post. The best antelope bar none I've tasted is from the medicine bow river drainage of Wyoming. Since mammals are mostly water the water they drink has a profound impact on the taste of the meat.

I think it has more to do with the air. Since animals breath a lot more air than they drink water, the air they breathe has the most profound impact on the taste of the meat. I always try to shoot wild game that has not been sniffing too many farts.... :lol: :lol: :lol:
Trigger1212
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Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by Trigger1212 »

Good one Jackrabbit! :lol: :lol: :lol:
TexasRider
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Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: Buffalo Hunts

Post by TexasRider »

I keep looking for a real hunt with my 1874 too. Or more so a real hunt experience. I certainly well know buffalo hunting on The Plains was never like other game animals. But I don't want to shoot one in a pen or on a small parcel. I even looked at Alaska too.

Heck I might just have to box up this 1874 and make it along to Africa.
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