Alf,

I would like to appologize for all stockmen who raise american bison. Just read your hunting report in the "rest of the world" forumn.

I have never heard of such a sorry hunt in all of my life.

There is not much to a 2 year old american bison. We never butchered ours until three years old and even then you had to have a geneticly superior line for it to look like much.

They are not mature until 7 yrs and you were right to pay for a 5 year old.

If you had been presented with a five year old your 404 may have been alot better as there would have been some meat to slow your bullet down.

Given your shot placement I am surprised you did not shock him as you would have been clse to the spine. the very tall spinal process makes it appear the center of mass is where to shoot and you were correct in aiming in lower third.

The spine dips down like a ski slope and is much lower than it appears to be.

My bison dressed out under 55% live weight. Domestic black angus are over 60%. If you had shot a mature bull I am pretty sure you would have had a more typical reaction.

Ron, I got 2825 fps with IMR 4831 in my improved case with 300 gr and 2975 fps with the 275. these would almost entirely destroy the heart. I used the 275 gr Bitterroot alot.

Andy

Do you all think I would have the same problems as Alf with this load? 500 A Square, 570gr Barnes X bullet, muzzle velocity of 2330 fps. I have used this load on buffalo with great success, but it sounds as though bison aren't nearly as tough. Wouldn't want to go through what Alf has.

Thanks,
Lucs

Lucs,

Withthat combo I would go for a shot through both (not one but both) shoulders.

There is good bison anatomy photos and a complete skeleton in The Bison Book. You might search Amazon for it. Published in the 1970's but still a good refeence book.

I would not actually agree with Alf that there is not much to bison. Remember he shot a two year old, or what he was told was one.

These guys can get 6 1/2 foot tall and over a ton. (My largest was about 2,500 pounds though we seldom kept them so long as they took forever to mature).

I do suppose I would kill one quicker with my 375 improved than your 500 A2 and that is why Id hit the shoulders.

If you get the buffalo book study where the spine is. It really does drop down like a ski slope.

PS We ground up all the meat into hamburger, including steaks and roasts. Delicious.

Andy

Study where the spine is in location to some reference points