Anyone have any information on the Indian Reservation hunting programs in Montana for bison?

I googled all of them, and looked at the Nations websites, but most of them are not up to date.

Best bet is to seek out and call the tribal F&G office.

What Ann says or maybe try here:

http://huntingtherez.com/

I know that Ft. Belknap Indian Reservation (Assiniboine & Gros Ventre nations) used to offer bison "hunts" in the past. I have a feeleing it was mostly a harvest, but the Belknap Reservation is always worth a visit.

http://www.ftbelfnw.com/big.html

- mike

The Crow offer hunts also. At one time they did a full blown, teepee, horses, native guides, set up. Not sure any more. I think they have the largest free roaming private herd in North America. But I can't vouch for the quality of the hunt. My oldest son went a few years ago on a cull hunt, and was not impressed and never pulled the trigger.

I have seen some tv shows featuring the Crow.

Time zones and calling are just hard from the other side of the planet.

Isn't Bison hunting akin to hunting domesticated cows.
Would seem that going to someplace like Texas and asking a rancher if you can hunt for a free roaming cow or bull would be about the same challenge, if the ranch is at least 2000 acres.

yeah go to texas and you can shoot a Bison, a deer, a pig and a turkey all under the same feeder! That's real hunting.

Mmm, don't discount bison. They have an attitude. Most figure they are the biggest thing on the prairie and thus aren't about to run off. Probably have a fair share of curiosity too.

That said, I have hunted antelope on Tribal land in the past. I had a very good experience.

quote:

Isn't Bison hunting akin to hunting domesticated cows.
Would seem that going to someplace like Texas and asking a rancher if you can hunt for a free roaming cow or bull would be about the same challenge, if the ranch is at least 2000 acres.

I have heard that the buffalo in the Henry's Mountains in Utah are pretty hard to hunt if you can draw a tag. From most of the folks I have talked to, hunting buffalo(Bison, just so no one gets confused even though thi is the American Big Game topic area) leaves something to be desired as far as "hunting" is concerned. It is what it is. I have never hunted buffalo(see note above), but I have hunted musk ox, and like buffalo, normally humans do not mess with them so they really don't fear humans, so they don't really react a lot of the time unless you get to close.

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Originally posted by Bob Nisbet:
Isn't Bison hunting akin to hunting domesticated cows.
.

Bob its very obvious that you've never seen a free range Bison, if you had you would realize just how "off" your comparison to cattle you are.
Ranch Bison = Cattle, wild Bison are like black mountain Goats or spooky elk.

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Bob its very obvious that you've never seen a free range Bison, if you had you would realize just how "off" your comparison to cattle you are.
Ranch Bison = Cattle, wild Bison are like black mountain Goats or spooky elk.

While it is true free range bison/buffalo, are a lot harder to hunt, how many places are you going to have the opportunity to hunt actual free range animals and even then, the hunts, like moose/pronghorn/sheep are high success rate hunts when compared to free range elk.

Reality is buffalo evolved having little actual fear of anything. yes, shooting a record book free ranging buffalo is difficult, but npot as difficult as say a recpord book muley or elk.

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Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

Bob its very obvious that you've never seen a free range Bison, if you had you would realize just how "off" your comparison to cattle you are.
Ranch Bison = Cattle, wild Bison are like black mountain Goats or spooky elk.

While it is true free range bison/buffalo, are a lot harder to hunt, how many places are you going to have the opportunity to hunt actual free range animals and even then, the hunts, like moose/pronghorn/sheep are high success rate hunts when compared to free range elk.

Reality is buffalo evolved having little actual fear of anything. yes, shooting a record book free ranging buffalo is difficult, but npot as difficult as say a recpord book muley or elk.

You've not seen them in the Henry mountains in Utah.

[QUOTEYou've not seen them in the Henry mountains in Utah.] [/QUOTE]

Neither have a lot of other people, but the people I have talked to that drew tags got a buffalo.

What is it, 4200 square miles of country for them to roam on, yet the success rate is high in comparison to free range elk.

Buffalo are not elk, and few places are like the Henry's Mountains.

Maybe you missed this from my first response on this topic:

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I have heard that the buffalo in the Henry's Mountains in Utah are pretty hard to hunt if you can draw a tag.

Every couple years on AR, someone gets spooled up and compares a cape buffalo and a bison and a holstein.

The end result is very similar to that snake eating itself photo on ann signature.

Wild bison is fully 400 pounds bigger than any cape buffalo that lived. And runs at speeds over dirt that would give a baja vehicle a good challenge.

We don't have lions or hyaenas in North America, but wild bison are hunted especially those in the Yellowstone Ecosystem by bears, wolves, mountain lions and occasionally people.

Dumb thing to argue about.

The Henry Mountains bison hunt has the lowest success ratio of any of the once-in-a-lifetime hunts offered in Utah. If they hear the engine of a four-wheeler or truck they start running and don't stop for miles.

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Originally posted by picespursuer:
The Henry Mountains bison hunt has the lowest success ratio of any of the once-in-a-lifetime hunts offered in Utah. If they hear the engine of a four-wheeler or truck they start running and don't stop for miles.

I have heard that too, tough hunt.

Antelope island only gets 1 non-res bull per year though.

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Isn't Bison hunting akin to hunting domesticated cows.
Would seem that going to someplace like Texas and asking a rancher if you can hunt for a free roaming cow or bull would be about the same challenge, if the ranch is at least 2000 acres.

Does hunting have to alway be a test of ones manhood? I have shot both bison and cape buffalo, to be honest, my experience, one was niether more difficult than the other as for physical prowess, and hunting skills. One broke the bank, the other broke my game cart.

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Does hunting have to alway be a test of ones manhood? I have shot both bison and cape buffalo, to be honest, my experience, one was niether more difficult than the other as for physical prowess, and hunting skills. One broke the bank, the other broke my game cart.

quote:

Does hunting have to alway be a test of ones manhood? I have shot both bison and cape buffalo, to be honest, my experience, one was niether more difficult than the other as for physical prowess, and hunting skills. One broke the bank, the other broke my game cart.

Excellent!!

They have both bison and feral long horn cattle in the Quasitaw (spl) mountains in OK. The rangers say neither are to be trifled with but of the two, the long horns are more unpredictable and dangerous.
If buffaloes are so skittish and wild, why did they just stand around looking dumb while folks just about wiped them all out?
I have a sneaky feeling it's kinda like the fellow in a tree stand that shoots a black bear with his head in a garbage can full of doughnuts and then trys to "dramatize" the event. I don't really know however.

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Originally posted by kudu56:

quote:

Isn't Bison hunting akin to hunting domesticated cows.
Would seem that going to someplace like Texas and asking a rancher if you can hunt for a free roaming cow or bull would be about the same challenge, if the ranch is at least 2000 acres.

Does hunting have to alway be a test of ones manhood? I have shot both bison and cape buffalo, to be honest, my experience, one was niether more difficult than the other as for physical prowess, and hunting skills. One broke the bank, the other broke my game cart.

Excellent point. Last year I killed a great bull moose almost from camp and the year before a great bull miles from camp and a long ways from the boat. Both great hunts with an entirely different amount of energy required.

Most here have probable experience a great waterfowl hunt where the birds just wanted in the field/ pond/ decoy spread and even the gunfire couldn't drive 'em away. Another example of a great hunt that certainly doesn't test ones stamina.

For an amazingly good analysis of hunting and behavior of various Western America animals, pick up a copy of Theodore Roosevelt's Hunting Trips of a Ranchman. I've just been reading it in paperback.

He has a chapter on bison. Bison were almost wiped out in just a 12 year period. Not that hard if you can catch up with them, but they can be aggressive. He did some hunting, but generally only for food. This is the book that made Roosevelt famous and he said he would never have become President without his SD ranch experiences.

Teddy was a profoundly great conservationist and a very honest writer, always ready to admit what a poor shot he was but totally enthusiastic. So much so that it makes you ready to drop everything else and go hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
They have both bison and feral long horn cattle in the Quasitaw (spl) mountains in OK. The rangers say neither are to be trifled with but of the two, the long horns are more unpredictable and dangerous.
If buffaloes are so skittish and wild, why did they just stand around looking dumb while folks just about wiped them all out?
I have a sneaky feeling it's kinda like the fellow in a tree stand that shoots a black bear with his head in a garbage can full of doughnuts and then trys to "dramatize" the event. I don't really know however.

Good post,

Or spend tons of ink telling us that turkeys are the smartest big game animal on the planet.

I think one can get domestic cow or real Bison hunt, depending on what one looks for.

A coworker went on a hunt a few years ago, 3 hours of stalking in snow, 25 degrees ans 20 mile an hour wind and he shot it.

He and or his wife/son have gone on a couple since that are more the domesticated cow and in one case, cow at feeding time types of hunts.

he did say "They all eat good" and cheaper than beef in the store."