Author Topic: Buffalo Hunt with .54 Hawken  (Read 1005 times)

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Offline Lost Okie

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Buffalo Hunt with .54 Hawken
« on: July 23, 2006, 06:58:01 AM »
 ;D I have a meat hunt scheduled for oct.  Plan is to take a 600 -700 cow using my .54 Hawken.
Plan is to use roundball with 10 grains FF (current hunting load).  Anyone with experience
hunting buffalo (american bison) with a Muzzle loader ???

Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Buffalo Hunt with .54 Hawken
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2006, 07:25:45 AM »
;D Plan is to use roundball with 10 grains FF (current hunting load).

10grs is a bit light!! ;D
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline lonewolf5348

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Re: Buffalo Hunt with .54 Hawken
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2006, 11:06:46 AM »
I think he forgot a zero 0
I hope  ;D

Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Buffalo Hunt with .54 Hawken
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2006, 11:17:36 AM »
A 0 or a 1!! :D

"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline lostid

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Re: Buffalo Hunt with .54 Hawken
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2006, 02:48:51 PM »
Yes. The 54. round ball is enough to take Bison with a clean kill.
 The key to any sportsmenship, is to know your own personal limits and accuracy of range of your firearm as well as the anatomy of the creature you choose to hunt.
 Please do not be tempted too up-grade too larger projectiles and "magunm" loads..A heart shot is a heart shot. Don't expect your animal too "Fall Over" like a north carolina deer,,it's 600-700 pounds!
 There are NO wild bison game hunting rules/laws today in the US..Bison are taken in a "box hunt" type situations only,,usually done by Ranchers needing too "cull" the herd. These animals are driven to a smaller enclosed area than the larger selection of breeding stock..
 Buffallo is a fine meat, lean and healthy,,,,,,,
i'm a realist. i've not seen it all, but man ,,I've Been Around the block once or twice

Offline dodd3

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Re: Buffalo Hunt with .54 Hawken
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2006, 02:16:59 AM »
Lost Okie here are two pages from sam fadala's black powder loading manual on taking a bison with a .54 cal muzzel loader. it will tell you all you need to no.just save it to my documents and then you can zoom it up biger to read good luck with the hunt.
bernie :D





if its feral its in peril

Offline Lost Okie

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Re: Buffalo Hunt with .54 Hawken
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2006, 11:07:55 AM »
First let me say thanks for the info.  2nd, I left off the 5 = 105 grains.  Accuracy wise, I usually hold a 4" group (with rest) at 80 yrds and have taken several whitetail with it.  Knew I was OK with black bear but felt that a buffalo is a whole lot of animal compared to a whitetail.  Like any buffalo hunt, they are not as swift as whitetail or elk, but in the area we are going, it should still offer a challenge.  I am a meat hunter at heart but still like the challenge of a hunt.  If I wanted just meat, I can buy it at one of several buffalo ranches in the state.  Again, thanks for the info.