Thanks,
Casey
There are plenty of places one can hunt Bison in the Lower 48 for between $1500 USD and $5000 USD. A main difference between the lower priced hunts ranch hunts and those above $3K being that you will not get the meat from the low price operations, just the head and hide.
From what I have read, I think Cowboy Heaven (cowboyhvn.com) in Montana provides as close to a "real deal" bison hunt as can be had in the lower 48 without being fortunate enough to draw a tag in the Henry Mountains of Utah or spending $5K. You can also hunt on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana for about $5K and that hunt is truly fair chase and any animals taken are Boone and Crockett eligible.
For about the same money or a bit less you can hunt plains bison, wood bison or hybrids in The Yukon or Northwest Territories of Canada and these are great hunts! No field shooting on these critters. You will snowmobile and look around for days for them and they will run when they see you coming. Further, after you take one up there, the REAL work begins. Took two of us 4 days to get mine back to the vehicle.
Good Hunting,
JohnTheGreek