Author Topic: buffalo in the USA (Read 1303 times)

longwinters · « **on:** February 18, 2003, 03:29:35 PM »

My brother in law just got invited to go on a NA Buff hunt in Wyoming (where he lives). Some guy has a big ranch by where he lives and invited him out with a few friends to hunt. These are free ranging buffs w/o a fence for miles. Anybody ever done this? Are they worthy trophies or just another version of a cow that spent some time out of the barn yard (they get wild quick but are still not too smart). :wink:

longwinters · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2003, 10:46:17 AM »

Well, I guess it wasnt much of a "hunt". The brother in law shot 2 buffalo @ 10 YARDS. He was somewhat disappointed with shooting buffalo with a domesticated brain. But he was very happy with getting all of the meat for FREE. :roll: How come I never get hundreds of pounds of free gou

rmet meat?

Lawdog · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2003, 02:01:04 PM »

longwinters,

Sorry for your brother-in-laws experience. I shot mine in Mont. on a large ranch but they were true wild animals. We hunted using the spot and stalk method and the buffalo were spooky and hard to get close to. After three days I got my chance and made good the shot at 180 yards. The 200 gr. Nosler Partition out of my .300 Weatherby did it's job. Great trophy and lots of good eating. If I ever hunt them again I will be using my Sharps .45-110, might as well do it the right way if you can. Lawdog

longwinters · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2003, 05:05:41 PM »

LawDog, that sounds like a real thrill. I could see a big buffalo head hanging over something in my house.

Porkypine, I havent heard any offers yet, but will be out there in Oct with the wife and 2 teenage boys, so I imagine that we will eat them out of house and buffalo in the time we are out there. But I think I'll have to razz him about maybe sitting on a saw horse in a loin cloth next time he hunts/shoots buffalo. Then at least we can have some good pictures to grin over. :lol:

wyote · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2003, 11:55:54 PM »

I've been on hunts for wild buffalo and ranch buffalo. I couldn't tell much difference between the two.

I drew a Wyoming tag for a cow bison (wild) 2 years ago north of Jackson hole. These were wild buffalo on the national forest. Bulls were easy to find in the NF but the cows had retreated to the Teton NP. I finally found a spring where some cows were coming in for water late in the evening.

The ranch hunt was for a 2 year old bull that had gone thru a fence and was on some BLM land. He could go for miles. We found him late in the evening. It took awhile but my friend finally got up on him and shot him with his FA 454 and a 350 gr LBT cast bullet

Lawdog · « **Reply #5 on:** March 11, 2003, 12:15:05 PM »

longwinters,

I've been talking with my cousin about going with him to New Mexico for a buffalo hunt there. If it firms up I'm going to have to work up a good hunting load for my Shiloh Sharps Model 1874 in .45-110. Any ideas on a good load for it? And you are so very right longwinters, the head does look great behind my desk and I think a second would finish the wall even better. Lawdog

Lawdog · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2003, 06:58:00 AM »

I didn't put my request right, my fault. My Sharps shoots just fine, accurate as beyond my capabilities. What I should have said was What about a hunting bullet for the Sharps? I have my worries about that solid lead bullet doing the job quickly with a body shot. I know the lead bullets the old time buffalo hunters used to wipe out the buffalo herds in the 1800's were softer than the ones I'm using now. I took a bunch of old phone books and soaked them in water, fired one round into them and the bullet I recovered almost looked good enough to reuse. The round nose was blunted back some but not what I would call expansion for hunting use. I'm going to post this request on the Black Powder Cartridge Guns forum here and see if anyone over there has any ideas. Oh, by the way if this hunt comes together I plan on dressing the part. Lawdog

longwinters · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2003, 11:24:23 AM »

Boy Lawdog, your hunt sounds great!! Take a few pictures for us who are up in the snow belt so we can dream on our cold winter nites eh? My brother in law used a 300 win mag so I can't be of any help to you on bullets. But I'm so green with envy people will think I'm a Leprechaun. and there are'nt many in Michigans north country.

Cottonwood · « **Reply #8 on:** March 16, 2003, 11:57:27 AM »

Lawdog

I posted on the other forum for your reading. I posted a link to Bonus Bullets http://www.bonusbullets.com look under black powder bullets. I would use their 20:1 alloy bullets lubed with SPG.

You would do fine with a 500-gr 1881 round nose with your 45-110 using 100.0 of either FFg or FFFg Goex

This last issue of Guns Magazine has a good artical about just what to use on your Bison hunt and yes a round nose 500-gr is plenty to take one down effectively with one shot.

I plan on a hunt this year with my 45-90 using a 535-gr paper patched bullet cast from a RCBS mold for paper patch bullets, but are cast using pure lead 99.9%. I load 90.0 gr of FFFg Goex slowly poured down a 24" drop tube, compressed .450" and then use a grease cookie/wad then seat my bullet.[/url]

Lawdog · « **Reply #9 on:** March 17, 2003, 07:21:33 AM »

The Montanan,

I read your post on the other site and I wanted to thank you for the information and the address to Bonus Bullets. I sent off an order for the bullet you recommended and will check them out. I planned on thanking you sooner but work got in the way. I'm new to shooting black powder cartridges and although I've had my Shiloh Sharps now for almost three years(birthday present from the wife) I've fired less 100 rounds through it. I figure it's about time to really get to know how to shoot this rifle so any and all advice I'll gladly take. Again THANK YOU for the address. Lawdog