Meat Bison the old fashioned way

[Fishhuntmike]

Here is a little info on the bison hunt I did last november for a meat bull with a Sharps 44-77 (44 2 1/4 SBN) with a traditional paper patched bullet.

On the Montana-Dakotas border (16 hr drive) I shot yearling meat bull of approximately 800#'s. My buddy and I booked a yearling bull hunt with the Crazy Woman Bison Ranch about 25 miles from Ekalaka. The weather was beautiful with a low around 20F and a high a bit over 40F. The last 4 miles to the ranch was a two track road through the hilly country that became a steeringwheel clenching ordeal on the way out due to the mud! We almost didn't make it out of there! To say this ranch is in BFE is the polite way to put it. The owner is an an interesting character and I really enjoyed his conversation and way of life. He owns approximately 4400 acres and raises bison only letting the yearling bulls (best meat) to be harvested.

I dont recommend this hunt to anyone thinking there is a sporting element to the hunt. Although the animals graze over a large area they have been conditioned to the owners truck. I did not shoot from the truck, but I could have very easily. I shot the bull quartering away low behind the right shoulder at less than 50 yards. The bull hit the ground feet in the air immediately. I put one more through the boilerroom to put it out of its misery, although it wasnt needed.

My load was a 405 grain round nose with a flat tip and straight sides 0.425" wrapped with thick paper to 0.436". I had Accurate make me the bullet mold to my specification with the sole purpose of hunting. Under the bullet sandwiched between 0.030 wads was a 3/16" 2:1 peanut oil/beeswax cookie. I drop tubed 76 grains KIK 2F in the baco reformed case primed with a BR-2. With this load I can shoot several times without any blowing or wiping, but can continue shooting with a breath of air down the pipe ever once in a while. Accuracy is about 2" for 4 out of 5 shots at 100 yards. The bullet was cast 50:1. I tried KIK 1.5, Swiss 1.5, and KIK 2F and 2F was the best and cleanest for that bullet.

My rifle is a plain wood 28" Shiloh Sharps business rifle in 44-77. I added an extra 1/2" length of pull and bone/charcoal case hardening. I swapped out the silver blade and replaced it with a penny. I filed out the vee in the semibuckhorn slightly for more light.

[bullcrazy]

Awesome! always wanted to do that, some amazing eats right there

[h20hunter]

That sounds like a great hunt. Thanks for posting.

[arees]

It may not be a rugged hunt deep in the wilderness, but it sounds like more fun than shopping at Safeway.  Congratulations and nice rifle.

[C-Money]

Very nice freezer full of meat!

[Atroxus]

It may not be a rugged hunt deep in the wilderness, but it sounds like more fun than shopping at Safeway.  Congratulations and nice rifle.

 

Mind if I ask what the cost per pound of processed meat came out to? I like buffalo meat, maybe I can convince my wife it would be worth the cost to fill our freezer with Buffalo meat. 

[Fishhuntmike]

Atroxus,

They charge $1500.  I signed up thinking I was not going to get an elk but dang if I drew a cow muzz tag.  Since I lucked out last year with a bear, elk, and eventually a deer in the freezer I had the hind quarters cut, wrapped, and vacuum sealed for 75 cents per pound.    I boned out the rest and ground and packaged everything else so I don't know what it would have cost.  I didn't want to pay for all that bone $$$.  I had to buy a third freezer this year.

An 800# animal on the hoof probably ends up (a guess since I cut up my own animals) 500# at the butcher or $375 to cut up and maybe 200# packaged.  Again just a guess. So ($1500+$375)/200 = $9.37 per pound vacuum sealed.  Not counting gas/etc.

Mike

[MLBowhunting]

very cool

[yote]

Pretty country, good lookin rifle and sounds like a fun hunt