That Mr. Derf tell his story of that buffalo hunt I heard he did. More day to day cat control work than you can handle can be awfully routine sometimes and a little buffalo story on the side can help one regain focus. No tale of buffalo adventure is too big for SMALL GAME FORUM. Besides, I'm always looking for hints to improve my game. Just like Bullalo Bill needed a break from the wild west show sometimes and would go ranch cougar/lap lynx hunting, I for one need a break from control patrol. I don't have no game rich ranch in the great west like a certain lady poster or a big pet alligator like another poster from the windy state to brag on, drinking buddy name of Tick, or lifetime pass to GCII. I'll leave the thread open for you Mr. Derf.....ned

Well, Dan, tonight you gets what you asked for!
After Mike got his Moose and it was all dressed out and lunch was partaken of, he was still pretty restless so he took his Bow and went to see if that Whitetail Buck was still around. And indeed it was,along with the 3 does. The deer were hanging out in the corner of a field/pasture close to the road and a strip of bush along side of the field. As Mike stalked them they kept moving slowly along on the other side of the brush from him and were not the least bit allarmed as they had not been hunted that year and on top of that Mike,who has only guided and hunted Mulies, used Mulie hunting technics on these Whitetail. We were only allowed Bucks at that time so it was he only target. Eventually 2 of the does drifted out through the brush and crossed about 27 yards in front of Mike but the Buck was being coy and holding back. Mike came back on draw 3 or 4 times in anticipation but the buck always backed off into the brush again. It was at this point that Mike realized that he hadn't seen the third doe come out and wondered where she had disappeared too. Looking around showed her to be behind him and she was licking the seat of the ATV. Mike said rather emabarassedly that at that point he had the mental image of himself hunting in a petting zoo! As he turned back around the Buck must have decided that he was in no danger.(Personally while Mike was preoccupied,the deer made a deal with Murphy) The Buck walked slowly out through the brush and onto the dirt road. Mike made a kissing noise and the Buck stopped broadside. Mike had already come to full draw while he was catching the Bucks attention and let fyl with his arrow. He said that he could see and envision that arrow going right into the vitals of the Buck. Remember that pact with Murphy? About halfway to the target the arrow drops like it has hit a branch except that there is nothing between hunter and victim. Well, except for Murphy! The arrow strikes the ground and slides to a stop between the deers front and back legs right under its heart/lung area. The deer does its "disdainful/insulted/offended" routine and walks off leaving Mike standing there in stunned bisbelief. The day before we hit the road he had been practicing at 25 yards in his back yard on a deer 3D target. It should have been a gimme. Later upon investigation I discovered that one of the limbs on his Hoyt had slipped. Since the bow had been transported on the very soft bunk of the camper with nothing to cause that sort of damage the only reason that I could come up with for this problem was that damned Buck making a deal with that devil Murphy. Now what do you suppose the chances are that a miserable joler like me is ever going to let my new hunting partner forget this embarrassment!
Now, on to the Buffalo hunt. This is rather anti-climatic after the Whitetail and the Moose but, There were 49 young Buff(Praire Varient) in this 90 acre wood lot. It had snowed the day before and there were tracks everywhere even those of a young Moose that Bill didn't know was trapped in there. We looked for those 49 animals for an hour and a half and might never have found them if they hadn't eventually wander out into the open portion of the woodlot. These Buffwere mostly wild but in the form of unhunted large game animals so were not too alarmed by our presence. They still maintain a distance of about 125 yards as a comfort zone though once We came into the open. While we were in the bush, they allowed us within 10 yards or so. Once out in the open and Mike and Bill had glassed them fairly well,I was maning the video camera, Mike picked out an 18 month old Buff and let fly with his Sako in 340 WBY using a 250 gr bullet. I got Mike framed on on side of the pictures with the Buff centred in the frame. One can see Mike riding the recoil and the Buff rearing straight up in the air on its back legs and doing a dance to keep from going over backwards,then falling onto its right side,jumping up and bolting for cover in the rest of the herd Later when autopsied Mikes slug had been shown to have hit not between the eyes like he had tried for but had grazed its cheek and stuck it in the right front shoulder. Now most of you guys ans Ann, understand terminal ballistics but Mike doesn't(or didn't at that time) and was both totally pissed at himself and very upset at his poor shot that had hurt this young Buff without putting it down instantly. Bill took the next 2 shots and they were both heart/lung but with the Buff already in shock it didn't really react and kept trying to run while I headed it off with Mikes ATV(my horsie ) and ran the video camera at the same time. The Buff skidded at an oblique angle into the fence and in that second of hesitation Mike nailed it in the right side of its head from behind. I saw the impact from about 50 yards through the view finder at it was gristly. One Buff down and one to go! Mike had misplaced his confidence and asked Bill to use his 338 on the next one. They picked a 2 year old whose coat was ust starting to turn to that lovely buff colour on the shoulders and wth one shot to the forehead, that one was done as well. There were some truck troubles in the offinf and some scouting for bear and a couple of chikens taken but that was small potatos compared to the Big Game. We are going back next year just a bit later for the Cow Elk and Moose seasons and I will be trying for both myself. I ave a lot more confidence in my shooting abilites and am working with Mike to develope his to a higher degree including his introduction to B/P in the form of a 54Cal Renegade. With all the cows we saw up there of both Moose and Elk and with sniper techniques I feel quite sure that we are garanteed 4 critters next season. Whew, that was a long one and I didn't even mention the snow storm that took out all of the Oats, Barley and Canola crops up there ,ruining several poor farmers. The trip back wasn't tottally uneventful either. With the fuel problem the truck was having,we couldn't slow down below 50mph or the thing would stall. And Mikey now realizes just how much trouble I have driving at night. We were going through a curve,there was an oncoing car with its lights on bright and I cut a curve just a tad tigt, and Mike woke up with a start as we touched the gravel and I said ooops! We were never in any danger, honest! He does'nt like me driving at night now in traffic,go figure! derf

Great Tail derf! HIgh adventure throughout, even the ride home! Appreciate the telling, and hope you have a happy New Year!

Dan

Pres., TYHC

www.HiYo.Buffalo !

Thank you Dan. I tried to send a special greeting to all those on my emailing list but your's came back. derf

Great story Mr Derf! Thanks for putting it up. Why you will just have to give us some more of those Canadian adventures every now and and again. Great start for the New Year's forum work. Regards, ned

Thanks Derf, great story of a great adventure.
We could use more of these.

But it isn't small game, well, unless you are a Dinosaur!