Thoughts about bison hunting

[JGBowman]

I am at the point in my life I am starting to plan hunts for bucket list animals. From time to time I fantasize about going for a bison. When I watch rifle bison hunts they don't see that difficult (which I could be totally wrong). However, a bow hunt for a bison excites me. Just curious of any of you roksliders have cool bison hunting stories.

Also, have another related question. Bison hunting on Indian Reservations? Any experience with that?

Thank you in advance and happy Monday everyone!

 

[wildwilderness]

It's all dependent on what you want- I personally have not hunted bison yet. For me my goal is to get one with a bow fair chase by P&Y standards which precludes many options and costs a lot more to buy a tag. For now I put in the draws.

If you just want the meat there are many affordable options and "easy" hunts, heck you can just buy them at a livestock auction if all you want was the meat/hide. For a paid "hunt" there are many many different options from small pen raised in Texas, vast Reservations herds, completely free range in Canada. the costs are related to the trophy as well- cow, yearling, old bull. Decided your budget and goals then the advice will be more specific-

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

If you want to do it, then you have two primary options. First, you're going to a "ranch" of some sort. Varying levels of difficulty which is nice but it is still going to be a managed herd on private land. Second, save money and go to Alberta, BC, NWT, or the Yukon; look for wild and not on private land.

If you want a truly wild hunt in the US, then start applying in AK, AZ, MT, SD, UT, WY. Be realistic as you can go an entire lifetime and never draw.

Whenever you do the hunt, do it in the winter months for better coat.

 

[JGBowman]

I never really considered Canada as an option. I was well aware of AK heard.

So is it safe to say. If you hunt a private ranch in the lower 48. It would not be P&Y standards?

 

[realunlucky]

I never really considered Canada as an option. I was well aware of AK heard.

So is it safe to say. If you hunt a private ranch in the lower 48. It would not be P&Y standards?

That's correct needs to be free ranging animal

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[realunlucky]

I drew a Utah tag https://www.rokslide.com/forums/threads/bookcliffs-bison-cow-recap.144488/
I think people underestimate them due to thier size but they share very few characteristics with cattle. They eat very little compared to their wieght and no one knows how often they need to drink water.

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[Nick Muche]

My free range bison hunt in Alaska was short and I feel like I got extremely lucky to harvest one with a bow. They were spooky as can be, I was in the right place at the right time.

 

[wildwilderness]

I never really considered Canada as an option. I was well aware of AK heard.

So is it safe to say. If you hunt a private ranch in the lower 48. It would not be P&Y standards?

P&Y is a tough one to nail down- When pressed they said its a case by case situation if the animal qualifies or not- they do have minimum standards though and certain herds that have been approved in the past. The records guy died of Covid last year so maybe the new P&Y records contact may be more user friendly. That's part of the reason I am not a regular member of P&Y..... but that's another thread

The minimum for P&Y - The State/Province has to recognize them as a game animal and issue a hunting permit for the animal. It has to be free ranging- as in no roundup, fences, shots, etc. So the known herds that qualify- Utah Henrys, AZ house rock, WY yellowstone overflow, AK-herds with a tag, Canada- Pink mountains?

There are a few I had questions on like the new UT Book cliffs but they would not say yes or no (very annoying). I know there are other free range options like some Woods bison in Canada but they don't qualify because the province doesn't issue a tag, and considers them pests since the herd has tuberculosis and brucellosis so its an affordable hunt.... also Custer State Park qualifies for B&C but not P&Y. Some Reservation herds may or may not qualify depending on their management, but I haven't seen any for sure.

If you are G$CO and looking for a "Super 10, or 25,29" then many herds qualify.

 

[JGBowman]

My free range bison hunt in Alaska was short and I feel like I got extremely lucky to harvest one with a bow. They were spooky as can be, I was in the right place at the right time. View attachment 297337

Properly the coolest picture I have seen in a while. Not guna lie.

 

[JGBowman]

P&Y is a tough one to nail down- When pressed they said its a case by case situation if the animal qualifies or not- they do have minimum standards though and certain herds that have been approved in the past. The records guy died of Covid last year so maybe the new P&Y records contact may be more user friendly. That's part of the reason I am not a regular member of P&Y..... but that's another thread

The minimum for P&Y - The State/Province has to recognize them as a game animal and issue a hunting permit for the animal. It has to be free ranging- as in no roundup, fences, shots, etc. So the known herds that qualify- Utah Henrys, AZ house rock, WY yellowstone overflow, AK-herds with a tag, Canada- Pink mountains?

There are a few I had questions on like the new UT Book cliffs but they would say yes or no. I know there are other free range options like some Woods bison in Canada but they don't qualify because the province doesn't issue a tag, and considers them pests since the herd has tuberculosis and brucellosis so its an affordable hunt.... also Custer State Park qualifies for B&C but not P&Y. Some Reservation herds may or may not qualify depending on their management, but I haven't seen any for sure.

If you are G$CO and looking for a "Super 10, or 25,29" then many herds qualify.

This wood bison in Canada. Which providence would this be in?

I could care less if its P&Y to be honest. I just feel like if it was in accepted P&Y area it would add validity to the hunt. However, I am not prideful and just want the adventure. So would a private ranch or reservation be a bad idea? I am not sure for my self yet. I just want to hunt bison at the end of day and don't want to die not trying.

 

[mtnbiker208]

My take on the ranch hunts is like shooting cattle. hopefully i am wrong, but that is what has been described to me.

 

[Okhotnik]

The crow Rez in Montana has bison hunts. You'll be hunting them up in the bighorn mountains. I think the hunts run around 12k.

Ive bird and antelope hunted there quite a bit. beautiful country

 

[wildwilderness]

Not sure on the current Canada situation since I stopped looking there a while ago., but they have ranch hunts and free range hunts like the US. Canada does have the Woods bison, and Plains while the L48 has Plains bison, unfortunately usually mixed with some bovine. A true free range purebred herd is hard to find. That's the management goal of many states, like AZ that killed off most of the Raymond herd to get a pure bred one started.

If you plan to hunt bison, then most likely you will be paying to hunt a Ranch/Reservation. Do your research on what you want out of the hunt and pick one that meets your needs.

 

[Opah]

You should have volunteered as a shooter for that AZ Bison hunt

 

[wytx]

I've taken 2 cow bison on Wyoming state licenses, neither archery. First was not a hard hunt, 6 hunters took bison out of the same group.
Last hunt was 3 days of post holing through thigh deep snow. Bitter cold also. Had an outfitter issue, another story.
The hunt was pretty brutal for conditions but I got lucky they moved onto the NER.
Spouse also has taken a Wyoming cow bison, much different hunt but still deep snow.
Outfitters put their hunters on horses and rode right up to the animal for dismount and archery shot.

I will not be applying for another cow tag, hunt is too iffy now but a bull license would be nice to have in the future.
Wyoming had 413 NR applicants for 25 any bison licenses this year. Spendy tag but odds may not be terrible. You get it all too if you harvest one. Not sure you can buy a ranch hunt for the $4,402 Wyoming license price.
My last cow hunt ran us about $850 all in ; license, lodging, food and retrieval service.

 

[MTPipeliner]

I always thought a hunt where you shot one with a long bow from a horse while they’re running like you see in the movies would be cool, not sure if there are any ranches where that would be an option, I’ll probably never have the opportunity to give it a try but it’s something to dream about.

 

[Blockcaver]

I drew a Henry Mt NR tag in UT in 2000 after a dozen yrs of applying. Was a relatively tough bowhunt that took me about a week to find and arrow one. Pack out with a buddy was tough as well....5 loads each around the mountain as they were living in steep "sheep country" around 11,000'.

BC has wild bison. Fairly tough to draw an LEH tag. I've tried for a tag for 11 yrs unsuccessfully. NR must hunt through an outfitter with a guide. Pink Mt area in NE BC. Good luck!

 

[JGBowman]

You should have volunteered as a shooter for that AZ Bison hunt

I put in for it but was not selected

 

[Fishn4eyes]

I shot a cow with my bow on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. It was a tough hunt and it is a free-ranging herd.

It was more like a high country elk hunt, we were hunting them up around 9,000 Feet and they were quite wary.
They are getting more expensive all the time so if you are going to go, I would think about doing it sooner than later.

It was a quality experience and certainly not shooting fish in a barrel for sure.

 

[JGBowman]

I shot a cow with my bow on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. It was a tough hunt and it is a free-ranging herd.

It was more like a high country elk hunt, we were hunting them up around 9,000 Feet and they were quite wary.
They are getting more expensive all the time so if you are going to go, I would think about doing it sooner than later.

It was a quality experience and certainly not shooting fish in a barrel for sure.

Just to be able to say you hunted bison on a Crow Indian Reservation sounds bad ass