I have been thinking about hunting Bison, but know nothing about it. Any information would be helpfull. I'm worried the hunt would lack challange and would simply be a matter of walking up and shooting one like in the scenes of the westerns.

The meat and trophy appeal to me and I would probably use a handgun but need some info from people who have actual experience. Thanks,

Double AA

I have "hunted" bison. Was it a challenge yes, kinda. I went strictly for the meat. I found a good deal on a cow hunt. The challange comes in the form of getting a clear shot and the ability of these critters to take lead. If you are going to do this look for a hunt that offers herd hunting. To many places release a single bull from a coral the day before you hunt or even the day of the hunt. Herd hunting takes patience and skillful quick shooting if you fail to drop the animal on the first shot. Trust me on this. I would never have thought any animal could take mutiple shoots to the head and show no effect. They have a very small brain that is easy to miss,but you would think any head shoot would at least stun any animal. Not have them turn and look at you. My brother shot one with his 44 mag. He hit her in the head just in front of the eye angleing back through the front of the brain. She did not even stumble. She got back into the herd and it took nearly an hour to pick her out and finally put her down with a 358 winchester. So was it a hunt not really but I don't think bison ever were a hunt. So find yourself a ranch that basically does nothing with their herd other than give them land to roam and you will have as much of a hunt as bison can be. Do a spot and stalk on foot to make it more of challenge. I was just not comfortable with a couple hundred animals looking at me like ok who is going to trample that dumbass first. So If I do this again I would rather hunt from a sturdy blind or with a vehicle nearby if things got ugly.Very few trees to climb in bison coutry.I always respect the animals I hunt. Bison were the first animal that made me nearly fear them and question my ablities. Overcoming those feelings were the biggest challange of the hunt.

Pretty horrific story, but here goes. My brother was having a 4 year old, very large hereford/holstein cross bull butchered. He had run loose his entire life so you could only get about 25 yards near him. The "butcher" showed up with a 300 Weatherby & proceeded to shoot the bull three times in the head with 180 grain bullets - no effect. My bro then shot him 3 more times in the head with a 7mm Rem Mag, again with no effect. An old timer took a 22 and creeped in behind a tree, shot from about 20 yards & dropped him with one shot !! Small brain indeed !! Probably comparable to shooting a big Buff.

I have bison hunts in Montana.

Please PM me with details..........

Thanks..........

I killed one in NMN. It was a "black timber" hunt with bison that had escaped their pasture. they were as wild as deer and would sooner run you over than run away!! We killed 9 of them , the whole herd, I killed a cow with my 270 and it was very exciting. To shoot one out here on the plains, from what I have seen on TV would be similar to shooting a Black Angus steer. Pick it out of the herd and wait for a clear shot

Of all of my trophies, the bison is my favorite mount. And the meat is excellent. But as far as being a challanging hunt, not so much. Bison are huge and have few natural enemies so they are not wiley like and elk or deer. Just because they aren't as difficult doesn't mean you can't have an enjoyable hunt anyway. All hunting is good if you do it the right way; on foot, sort him out of a herd out on the prairie, etc. Have a great time and post a picture.

If you feel VERY lucky, and if Alaska still offers the chance at drawing a permit to non-residents, then check out the buffs up there. Most of the hunting is in the Delta Junction area. Most of it is in the BITTER cold with more than a little snow. A very tough hunt if you do more than run the roads and hope.

I shot a big bull bison in NZ when I went for red stag. The first .30-06 180 gr went thru completely, passing in and out between two ribs. The second did not exit, the third finishing shot from 10 yards did not either. He only ran about 40 yards. The shots were from 120 yards. The hide is 9x8 feet and very nice. I shot a cow bison here in Texas with a 180 gr PMC .300 win mag at 90 yards and it literally picked her up and knocked her on her side, again a broadside shot. no other shot was necessary. I ate the cow for about a year, and still have one rump roast left. Her hide is about 8x7 feet and much thinner than the bull and much mor flexible. The hide of the bull over the skull is almost one inch thick! and about 1/2 inch over the hindquarters. It still weighs about 100 pounds. If you want meat, DO N OT SHOOT AN OLD BULL. You will be chewing from here to eternity.

I

Shot my large meat cow with a .416 Rigby at 110 yards or so. Used the same ammo as used in Africa for Cape Buffalo ... 350 gr Barnes X at 2700 fps.

Blew completely through just behind the leg about 1/3 of the way up. Hit a rib on one side though that did not matter. She bolted at the shot, ran 30 or so yards, and crashed dead on landing.

Quite a job to butcher alone. Great tasting meat. Glad I did it once ... will pay to have it done next time.

Wyo. has a hunt also. you apply in Jan.

I book Bison hunts on the ranch where the movie Dances with Wolves was made. It is a big ranch and low fenced. The hunts are not expensive.

As to challange??, it's about as challanging as a Bison hunt can get. Sometimes it takes a couple of days to get one but mostly you get one on the first day out.

Keep in mind, since the beginning of time Bison have not been the challange that elk and deer have been, they are basically a lazy dumb animal and the old hide hunters could kill a 1000 at one sitting.

There are exceptions to this rule. The last Bison I hunted was one of the toughest hunts I have been on and took me 5 days to get one.

I think a lot of folks approach Bison hunting with unrealistic expectations, in fact many approach hunting in general with unrealistic expections. PH Roy Vicent, a man of great insight, told me this some years back and I have always remembered those words of wisdom.

Dang, I didn't know bison were so tough to kill. Reading all about these head shots, etc.

I watched ol Ted Nugent arrow a large bull in Texas on some game ranch. He used a 2 bladed Nugent head. The bull ran about 30 yards and fell over dead. He was dead within 15 seconds.

If you want to add challenge to a bison hunt, then go with a bow or muzzleloader. Hunt them with an old smoke pole like they used to. That would be fun.

I've been considering bison for 2 years now also, but solely for the meat. Well, I say that now, but I sure wouldn't mind having a big bull trophy. I've always wondered what the meat of an old bull would be like, I guess I'd have the whole thing just ground up, made into jerky and sausages. I don't care for tough chewy meat.

Here's a link to my hunt report from February: https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8321043/m/200109026

The meat is AWESOME!!

When I hunted my bison the ranch owner told me they go down way quicker with a bow. The only thing quicker is a perfect head shot. Through the lungs with an arrow will put em down quicker than a bullet through the lungs so he claims. I really don't want to find out. After seeing the lead they can take I'll be damned if I am going after them with a pointy stick.

I killed mine with my 270, 130gr. NP. bullets 2 shots one in the shoulder and one through the lungs, didn't go 5 feet.

Mine was taken with the 500 Linebaugh built by Jack Huntinton. Load was the 525 Grain WLN @ 1120 FPS one shot through the heart ( bullet exited) was enough Bull went no where. 70 1/4 SCI score A picture here;

I took a three year old cow for meat last spring, about 1100 pounds according to the rancher. I used a cast bullet from a 8mm mauser, 250 gr at about 1900 fps, one shot to the neck from 40 yards, she never even took one step, collapsed ontop of her hooves. As we walked up to her to cut her throat, he turned to me and said, what was that cartridge again? He went on to tell me about one taken earlier in the year that was shot and didn't go down, took out several fences before they killed it several hours later on a neighbors ranchIIRC. Excellent meat!

I took a meat cow off a hunting ranch in Missouri last year using my .54 Hawken, black powder and round ball. Shot was taken from approx 80 yrds. First ball stopped in the opposite shoulder, 2nd shot was a pass thru. Had more problems getting the other buffs away from her so we could gut and haul out. Meats good, but can be tough depending on who butchers. I enjoyed the hunt, but, like it has been said, they are not the smartest critter in the woods.

I plan on shooting a meat animal this fall with a 50 caliber flintlock with heavy conical. What is the proper way to have the animal butchered to obtain the best quality meat? Should the animal be hung to age? Should I specify deboned?

With my cow I did everything deboned. The butcher did all the same cuts as beef.Only meat on a bone I took was the ribs. They are crap as far as ribs go. But roast them in a very hot oven to brown and then use them for soup best soup I have ever had. As soon as the carcass cooled they cut mine. Only thing that was tough was the round steak. But its round steak to be expected. Cut the round steak into very thin strips and makes for excellent stirfry. You might be surprised by the amount of burger you end up with. Don't worry. I like the burger as much as the steaks.

I shot my Buffalo (the name that they were known by for the past 200 or so years until the recent trend of calling them by their Latin name) with a .54 cal. Hawken rifle that I put together about 35 years ago. One 435 gr T/C Maxi Hunter bullet in front of 100 gr of FF black powder hit just behind the shoulder dropped him. He got up, walked 10 yds, layed down, and it was over.

He was an 11 yr old bull. I told the butcher to cut the backstraps into steaks, and to grind the rest into (495 lbs of) hamburger. Twice we tried to grill (then chew) the steaks. I then ground up the rest of the steaks and made them into jerky.

There are a few free-range opportunities in the US available. As far as ranch hunts go... I guess they vary from shooting it in the pen across the fence, to stuff that actually resembles a hunt. There are a few opportunities in Canada as well, but the free range hunts are wood bison, which can't be imported back into the US. In Alberta you can hunt hybrids (wood/prairie) free range. Check out
http://www.silvertipoutfitters.com/hunt/bison_hunts.html

Frans

What does a typical bison hunt cost?

give me break down, price per pound after all was said and done. transportation, license, tips, ect.

I hunted on Medicine Lodge Ranch near Dubois,ID Idaho 250,000 acres of free ranging Bison,if I ever do it again it will only be for a cow or 2.5 yr old bull reason being I shot a 7 yr old burger bull with strong flavored meat.A shot behind the ear drops them in their tracks when I shot my bull I was about 250 yds away and it was in a small herd of bulls,I couldn't chance taking a neck shot as it could've wounded another bull sure didn't want to buy 2 bulls.I prefer does,cow elk,etc since they eat a whole lot better.When I booked my hunt it was thru Cabela's cost about $4000 when all finished getting a prime winter hide and a european mount skull & horns.Cows average 800# & 2.5 yr old bulls about the same so costs are much less. http://www.medicinelodgeranch.com