Howdy all,
I mentioned awhile back that my hunting partner drew a bull tag this year, well after much preparation and a scouting/ orientation trip to Jackson earlier in the week, we traveled to Jackson on Friday and located a big bull. We had hiked in the rolling foothills east of the Grand Tetons, just outside of the park and had glassed 7 other bulls, all in the park. We had seen 5 big bull elk heading for the refuge in the early am, and also filmed a lone black colored wolf shadowing a couple of horseback hunters. We gave up on the area and were about to pull out when a G&F warden told us he had seen two bulls in the forest just out of the park boundary. Back up the hill we went. After a 2 hour trudge through 10-15" of snow, our other buddy spotted a hump in a little swale below a ridge. Our hunter stalked to about 90 yds and as he readied for the shot the bull spotted or perhaps winded us and he stood up. He started to slowly quarter away, going left to right. When he paused, the Sharps roared and the 460 gr. LBT plowed through the Bull. A puff of dust appeared on his chest just before he humped up. The shot hit the second to last rib, went through one lung and took out the major vessels of the top of the heart and came to rest next to the hide in front of the left shoulder. What we initially thought was dust, I later decided was vented air in the cold. He took two quick lunges and came to a stop. With his head hung low, he turned to his left and fell straight down, hump still vertical. This Bull had a buddy who didn't want to leave, he did eventually. It took us 4 hours to semi-cape, skin, gut and quarter that bull. Three men, a lady, and 3 kids. Everyone jumped in, all were bloodied. We managed to take him out on 6 loads on 2 four wheelers the next morning. The ravens had worked him a little, but no wolf sign around the kill site. I will continue to try to get a tag, after all, my rifle can't have all the fun without me. The hung quarters weighed 840# and the horns were 16 1/2 and 16 3/4 inches long, I don't know if the bases were measured. Nice tight hook to them, he will make a tremendous mount as his cape is exceptionally nice. My buddy is ecstatic. I had a blast. If you have the chance, I highly recommend it.

By the Gods, I am envious!

I am trying for a tag, also. When the magical time arrives, a Ruger #1 in 500NE will be called upon to do the deed.

Congratulations to you, your friend, and all the participants.

A nice buffalo roast certainly helps warm the Wyoming winters, eh?!

Regards,

~Holmes

Congrats! This actually sounds like a hunt! Something I could get interested in. Something for my .45-70 to do... How tough is it to get drawn? Guy

Thank you for sharing a nice story.

Howdy all, exceptionally tough tag to get, some years they just scrap the hunt, depending on the political/ public breeze. My friend had tag #17, I was 974 or such out of 1400 applicants.

I think I failed to mention that this was a .45-70 #1 Sporter Shiloh sharps. It has a front globe and mid-range vernier tange sight. I think it was fulfilled too. That is if Walnut and steel could long for a sense of being. If I could figure out how to link a .jpg file, I'd post some pics. Help would be appreciated. Gary

GoWyo!

Fantastic!

Fair chase Bison hunts are about as rare as hen's teeth these days. I sincerely hope your friend realizes how fortunate he is to have hunted such a wonderful animal under such conditions!
Now for the photos?????

Best Regards,

JohnTheGreek

Outstanding!!

Were you in the Shadow Mountain vicinity or past Kelly towards Gros Ventre? Both are fantasitic areas and I see lots of those big shaggies in both areas.

How could it be anymore perfect than to take such an animal with a Shiloh Sharps .45-70?! I long for the day when I can do that hunt with my .45-70!

Looking forward to the pics!

Howdy Trapdoor, JTG, we hunted the Wallace area up the spread creek road by the Hatchet Inn. If you look South of the KOA up on the first large ridge you probably could have seen us. Yup, my buddy is on cloud nine, ready to hawk the farm to get his taxidermy and processing paid for. I don't think it'll be necessary tho'. I've never posted pics on the net before, any suggestions? I can email them (.jpg files) but that's all I know. I'll work on it. Gary

Gary,

Email me the pictures and I will post them for you.

Also, see this if you want to post them yourself:

http://www.serveroptions.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=44;t=000086

Regards,

Terry

GoWyo,

Sounds like a great hunt, I'm envious. I died on the list in 2000 with tag number 16. Close, but no cigar!

Ok Guys and Gals, here goes nothing. I'll try to post them in order. I had to delete this pic to show the last one!

[ 12-02-2002, 10:37: Message edited by: GoWyo! ]

Next pic, the first was the buffalo standing up after seein or winding us.

This is Jerry getting in position, you can see the bull to the right of the front sight.

Next frame, I think you can actually make out the bullet in flight, small silver dot at upper edge of smoke plume.

I had a chance to hunt Buffalo in Utah's Henry Mountains. Like the Jackson Herd, these Buffalo are 100% free ranging. It was quite a shock on the orientation when they stated, "There are hunters in this room who will not get their Buffalo". The song about Buffalo roaming is true. They can move 10 miles in a single night.
I drew a cow permit and got a dandy the first day. Cleaning her was a chore because I was by myself at the time and you can't balance them on the hump. I had to gut her as she layed on her side.
It was a fun hunt and she still hangs proudly on my wall.

Here is the beastie on the ground. My buddy is still flying high! And he hasn't returned my rifle yet!!!

The Henry's Mountain hunt is for the most part public land, but I know of no one who posts their property. The odds of drawing are not good, around 1 in 200 for a hunters choice permit, 1 in 30 for a cow only. You can check out the DWR page at:
http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/
Good luck

OldFart,

Congrats on your Cow. My Old Man put in for the bull hunt on the Henrys for a lot of years until he passed away in '91 and never drew. I still put in for the Cow tag there but the hunters choice is just too unreasonable to me from a statistical perspective. If someone has the money, the odds are much better (1/5 or so I think) on the Custer State Park herd but with a $4000 tag fee - OUCH!. Again, way to go on your Henry Mountain Hunt!

Best Regards,

JohnTheGreek