Montana Fish and Game called for Bison Hunt!!!!

[go4steelhd]

Last Friday I got a call from Montana Fish and Game asking If I wanted to go on a Bull Bison Hunt!! I said yes, and they said before we issue a tag there is more to this hunt. This hunt is for one Bull that keeps traveling into the wilderness. And is three to four miles from the trail head as a crow would fly and 3000 feet of elevation gain. You must have horses or get a packer. It's grizzle country and you must get all the buffalo off the mountain with out spoilage, and come down to hunt ASAP.
Yes, Yes,Yes was my answer. I was thinking what are the chances of getting a chance to hunt fair chase bison. So I lined up a packer for Tuesday, a good friend of mine and I took off to Montana Sunday morning. Monday morning I picked up my tag in Bozeman region 3 Fish and game office. Then we went to the trailhead and hiked in to try to locate the bison. We walked about 11 miles over the next 12 hours and glassed the whole way up and down the mountain. We seen deer, elk, black bear, but no buffalo We got off the mountain at about 8pm and I called the packer hoping to change to a later day. But we were set in stone to meet the next morning. We rode around the next day starting at 6am. We seen lots of old tracks and hair, but nothing recent. About 10 miles into this trip I was thinking to myself this is just a wild goose chase, and that this day was just going to be a trail ride! About noon we seen fresh tracks About  1/2 a mile up the trail the buffalo must have heard us coming and came running out. Stopped for about 1 second then ran off again. I hopped off my horse and took off running in the direction he went. I figured I would catch right up to him in no time. WRONG the fish and game had run this bull out of the wilderness with a helicopter and horses three times. So when the bull seen us he was out of there. This is not what I thought would happen when I went on this hunt. I figured he would stand there let you take pics then harvest him. NOPE!!! The chase is on. I went about 400 yards with out sight of him and hoped back on my horse and we took off running after him. Then we see him running about three hundred yards in front of us, but he got over the next ridge before I could get on him.  Now back on the horse and running again. We go for about half a mile and do not see him. As we approach a big canyon that he was forced to go thru due to granite peaks on the up hill side, we see him running out the bottom. I lay down and take a rest. He was at 525 yards. Before I got him in the scope he started running off again. Then he stops and some one yells out 653. I dialed my scope to 650 took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger. As the gun reports and rests back on the pack I got to watch the buffalo fall to rest in the scope

[92xj]

Sounds and looks like an amazing hunt. Congrats!!!

[Gringo31]

Wow....

That is s hunt and post on here that fits the unique category...

 

[go4steelhd]

More Pics

[ICEMAN]

Wow!    Cool hunt. Thanks for posting.

[trophyhunt]

That's damn sweet, nice job!! my neck hurts now though!! Jackalope could you turn the pic's???

[Halo]

Awesome, Congrats, Nothing like hunting wild bison.

[Threewolves]

I am truly impressed by you and your friends response plan, way to go on the attack. You guys didn't mess around at all you guys made it happen. Also, nice shot.

So, how did this come about? did you draw a tag and where you on some kind of waiting list.

Also, what caliber and make of rifle/scope?

Congratulations and thanks for the story and photos, Paul

[Bigshooter]

Congrats

[go4steelhd]

Paul, I put in for a any Bison tag in 2013, and as a second choice you can put in for the cow/calf roster, which I did. I was pulled #18. If the roster is activated during the Nov. 15 to Feb. 15 season, they go down the list. The list never made it to me. Then Friday the fish and game called and asked if I wanted to go on a special bull hunt, for only one bull in the area. They used the roster for this special hunt. They had already issued the tag to one guy and he was unable to harvest the bull. So they went down the list and it got to me.

As far as the rifle: its a 7mm RUM,  and about 4 years ago I changed the scope on it. I put a huskemaw Blue Diamond scope on it then. Its a great system for hunting quick and easy.

[Stein]

Congrats, I was worried that the draw happened early and I didn't get a call for this season.

The closest I got was number 65 last year.  Hopefully the odds will be better this year with the hefty hike in the application fee.

[huntnphool]

Awesome

[RB]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing 

[starbailey]

Thats amazing. Congrats!

[headshot5]

With what did you shoot him?

Couple posts up.

As far as the rifle: its a 7mm RUM,  and about 4 years ago I changed the scope on it. I put a huskemaw Blue Diamond scope on it then. Its a great system for hunting quick and easy

.