I will be hunting on the UUU Ranch in South Dakota for Bison. My big concern though is, how to judge horn size? They all look big to me.

Is there any outstanding factors to judge by, such as length, mass, curves, bases, etc.

Help, please.

I think this rule applies in all guided hunting scenarios . . . IMHO one should shoot the animal that the PH/Guide says is of the best trophy quality IF you like the looks of it. If you are looking for a Bison with great curl and you shoot one that doesn't have it just because it books higher (maybe bigger bases and longer straighter horns) or something stupid like that, you will regret it every time you have to look at the thing on your wall. With Bison, I think hide quality comes into play too. You should decide if you want one that is jet black or blonde up on the front shoulders? Maybe body size is a factor too . . . are you trying to fill a freezer (or two or three)?
Just a few things to think about.

JohntheGreek

[This message has been edited by JohnTheGreek (edited 09-28-2001).]

I would juge a Bison by his robe, rather than the unimpressive horns...Look for a smooth heavy coat in the hump sans patches and shoot the biggest bull in the herd...

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

I hunted the Triple U last Dec. Don't worry, the guides they send you out with will point out the good ones for you. If you happen to hunt with Clint, tell him the guy he took out from Alaska last year, says hi!

Thanks for the pointers. I must agree that hide quality should play an important factor. The sheer size of a Bison has always amazed me, but I now have a better understanding of what makes a good trophy.
I'll try to stay focused....

The only advice I can give is that you'll know a big one when you see it. More important to me than horn size, would be finding a mature bull with a nice robe. There horns are kinda like mt. goat horns. The difference between a "book" animal and an average mature animal is measured in fractions of an inch. Any bull 7 years old or older will get your juices flowing. They are big!

Canuck