I have just returned from my 2nd attempt at free range bison. Oh the sweet taste of a hunt where the country is still pristine and water pure enough to drink straight from the river...
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I hunted Pink Mountain British Columbia in 2007 in December..... definitely not the time to go buffalo hunting but there I was, -35 on snow mobiles looking for bison and then attempting to spot and stalk ....a feat only 1 of us 7 bowhunters were successful at and he was a compound guy with a long range shot skill.
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I would come in at night frozen and stiff and exhausted...
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These herds are willey and very wary because of the high wolf population. Here is 90lb wolf...they mature out at about 150lbs...
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I hunted with sikanni river outfiters, Mike and Dixie Hammett. we stayed in their home... a beautiful hand crafted log cabin...
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This hunt was set up thru bowhunting safari consultants 800 833 9777
the herds were spotted and then attempts to spot and stalk followed. It is very tough to get close to them because they have a keen sense of smell and they feed along at a fast pace. you have to try and position yourself to either ambush them along the way as they feed or get close enough with cover you can get a shot....
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Finally on day 8 of the 10 day hunt... the meat pole has alittle bend to it....
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Good for you, you got one. Sounds like a great hunt. Thanks for posting.
here is what happened....we spotted this herd from about a mile away, glassing from a lookout where we could see an entire valley....7 days earlier Tom Miranda and his film crew where at this same spot and ultimately Tom arrowed his nice bull from 37 yds catching the whole thing on film for an upcoming episode on ESPN... back to the story...My guide and I headed out on foot to the area where we could approach the herd that was feeding in a meadow. Having attempted many spot and stalks all week thus far, we arrived this time with the wind in our face and prayed no wind swirling would ocur and bust us like had happened all week long,,,,fortunately my prayers were answered... the herd was at the meadows edge and we had positioned ourselves just inside the trees...I shed my pack and binocs, had my face camo net in place, my hands gloved, an arrow on the string and set out to stalk the last few feet of cover...moving carefully and slowly and leaving my guide behind...the wind continued strong in my face...a nice cow and calf were first to feed in range and I stood motionless at 32 yards hoping the wind would not alert them I was waiting...next came a very nice bull...Praise the Lord i rejoiced! I had seen bulls all week but not where I could confidently draw and comfortably set myself ready for a great shot. The big guys don't travel with the herds typically and when i had seen them, they often were moving about inside the group and not on an outer edge.... I had little time to think this over.. one instant there is a cow/calf and the next I am seeing massive horn bases, a dark head and then a quick glance to check sex and it was now or never...a small spruce sappling group hid me and my shooting lane was between the limbs and branches. I had already bent a few and twisted othe limbs to give me adaquate clearance to thread an arrow thru and now in an instant there he was...feeding along and in my shooting lane...My bow was already vertical, my fingers applied tension on the string, this was the moment and then he paused and looked up to view his surroundings... in one motion I drew... my 55lb Palmer at 28", stretching it to my 30.5" draw length and the 585 gr Easton FMJ 300 was set to do the job I had in mind when I put the 4 fletch 4" feathers on it. The 175 gr single bevel Zwickey head just touched my riser, anchor 1, then I touched my nose to the feather end,anchor 2, my leather glove tip touched my mouth corner and thumb caught the back of my jaw bone, anchor 3, and in my sight picture I focused on the spot behind the shoulder, just at the top of the the bottom 1/3 of his enormous body, all 1500lbs of him. Later i learned my guide ranged him at 32 yards from my shooting spot... Earlier in the week, 2 compound hunters had lost their bulls after sticking them and having them bust out and disappear into the timber and never recovered them... I was doing my best mentally,to not have him tagged and mounted before I even released the arrow... I prayed for calmness and asked God to annoint the path of my arrow and keep it free from deflection....I heard Rick Welch saying "hold, hold, hold..let everything stop moving" just as if he was there again beside me during his coaching school...I revisted the mental imagery I had rehearsed over and over and over again in my mind....seeing my sight picture with my bull in clear position, my chosen spot defined to individual hairs and upon release, my arrow, flying true to the spot..... then it happened, I released...as in slow motion, it all came together but as the arrow traveled part way to him, i went from releasing it, to the next moment of, what happened? My guide's whisper seemd like a silent shout..Did you miss him? Where is your arrow? Confused, I looked hard at the big bulls vital area and strained to see red and white feathers, nothing.... the big bull just stood there unaware a bow had just lanched an arrow his direction...My heart sunk, my eyes and ears told me I missed...there had been no familiar striking thud.. the sound successful hunters hear as the unmistakeable confirmation that their arrow found the mark...nothing... then the bull turned slightly and I caught the view of the broadhead and shaft exiting his other side! I was able to confirm a great hit, a pass thru penetration and now it made sense at that moment why I was not able to see feathers in the fur of his kill zone... they were not there but rather inside his body cavity! Now the heavy praying began..Dear Lord put this bull on the ground... keep me hidden and don't let him spook....and just that, He granted...the bull appeared as if nothing happened...I watched him intently... I studied his every move... Yes, he was beginning to appear weak! ... he stopped feeding and just took steps in the general direction away from my position... He got out to 66 yards and then to my satisfaction, laid down...at this point I am convinced there is a very good chance this hunt is almost over...I am thanking Jesus and praisng God and hoping he is down permanently...The rest of the herd continued feeding away and he did not care to join them..then I got nervous...He got back up and walked to the edge of a patch of willows. his steps less than solid, his hind quarters showing some wobble... fearing he may not be as hurt as he appeared...we backed out of our position to try and get close again for a 2nd arrow. The bull was not interested in staying with the rest of the herd. yet he was not in an approachable spot either...we were unable to stalk close enough to get a second shot.. He got to his feet again and went back toward the area where he first laid down. along the way, he chose to lay down again and this time he would not get back up. Without notice, the herd fed away and were soon into the trees at the meadows far edge...my bull did not rejoin them and we broke out of the cover of trees to begin the process of getting him back to camp. The outfitter was able to get his truck, equiped with a winch, into the meadow.
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after a few pics we were on our way back to camp and I was thinking about a shoulder mount and backstraps for dinner....
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the hunt was a success..not because of the bull on the ground, that was just an added bonus... Seeing the country, making new friends, testing my skills and enjoying 10 days in this paradise was truly remarkable... I learned soooo much to help me be a better hunter thanks to the other hunters in camp, my guide Don Harris, and the outfitter. Mike and Dixie run a first class operation and I would not hesitate to return to hunt with them again. they are outfitters for several species including bison, moose, sheep, goats, and grizzly. I look forward to Columbia blacktail deer next month in California and will keep you posted....
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Wow!!! look like an awesome trip
Congrats, what an amazing acomplishment with trad equipment the free ranging bison is.Well done and thanks for taking us along. What an impressive piece that shoulder mount will be on your wall.
NICE!
Congrats!!
Fun hunt! thanks for sharing.
Great hunt. Congratulations.
Awesome hunt, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing (awesome) :notworthy:
Thank you!
This is as close as I will ever get.. too bad for me.
You have been a wonderful witness!!
God bless,Mudd
Sounds like a great time. Thanks for sharing your hunt!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats Bryce! What a great hunt! :thumbsup:
Awsome story thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the trip I don't think i'll ever get to go on... How sweet ! Keep'm comming.....Jeff
p.s. S.Brant Osborn...Great way to get a "DETENTION SLIP"
Thanks for sharing such an incredible hunting experience with us. Congrats! :notworthy: :clapper:
Oh my those are BIG CRITTERS. I'm happy for you it was done with a single arrow. I watched if horror as it took way to many arrows on a caned shoot in MI.
Congratulations!!!
:thumbsup: Congrats on a great animal! Beautiful place.
Very cool. Thanks for sharing.
Great story Bryce. Thank you for sharing.
That is my dream hunt right there! free range bison - I am SUPER excited for you and I must admit very envious!
GREAT JOB! saled the deal when the pressure was truly on!
J
I was glued to the screen for that! What a hunt!!!!
Man great hunt. Thanks for bringing me along. Looks like a much better time of year than your last trip. I would rather se you take the bull with the recurve than Miranda with his wheelie bow.
Thats AWESOME. Thanks for shareing your hunt. Congratulations.
Gilbert
Congrats! Thank you for sharring.
Awesome hunt...
In the future, will ya hit the return button from time to time? One big paragraph makes it hard to read on these weary eyes! :thumbsup:
WOW :thumbsup:
Thanks for sharing, great pics and a good story :campfire:
Congrats!
Margly
Bryce-great hunt and congratulations! thanks for sharing and excellent pics!
Kennyb
Very impressive! Thanks for sharing.
I am sure that free range Bison, is indeed the envy of the crowd, as we have all wished were were there at one time or another, but thanks loads for the vicarious ride....
Well Done
Mike
Awesome hunt. Do you have a link to their website?
http://www.sikanniriver.com/
wasapt,
Thanks for sharing that story. It says a lot about you and at the same time it shares a bit about our Lord.
I may or may not ever hunt bison, but if I do, I'll remember your story and I'll pick that spot, draw - anchor - release...
Blessings! todd
Bryce, awsome hunt story and great shooting too!
Congrats to you on a fine hunt.
:thumbsup:
Thanks Todd. It is really a perspective that adds so much to every experience....I am blessed beyond all measure and I know that and I pray others will find what I have.. and have untold abundance of Grace to draw from and share..
And I thank you Smallwood....you were first to point out the kill zone to me on buffalo over a year ago... I have not forgot the influence you played in my way to a successful harvest...
Awsome hunt. Thank you so much. I have some bison in the freezer from that free range hunt, I have a friend that has gone three times and scored once. Its certainly anything but a gimmie and this guy is a real live hunter. He kills elk and deer every year and sometimes several, He said it is a hard hunt. However that meat is awsome. God bless you all and have a great evening. Steve
Congratulations!!! That looked like some beautiful country. :thumbsup:
Very nice story. Thanks for sharing the pics and sounds like you made a perfect shot.
Thats just flat out awesome congrats brother!!!
That looks like an awsome adventure there.
Congradulations on such a magnificent beast. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Incredible!
Congrats Bryce,it looks that you like some cold weather for hunting,are you trying to escape the Texas heat?
You kept me glued to my seat wanting to jump ahead to the conclusion, but alas, I read every word not wanting to miss one single detail. Wow!!! Great hunt. You are a fortunate man.
Pic perfect Bryce! Thanks.
I'm very, very happy for you, Bryce! Well-done! Thanks for sharing such a terrific, positive story.
Great story, great shot and great animal. Thanks for taking us along.
:campfire:
Good job!
That is some mighty fine eating. I put one in the freezer myself this year. My wife is happy, plenty of meat for winter!
Congrats!
Absolutely awesome animal! Congratulations on a fine hunt and thanks for sharing! Good luck on your hunt next month! :thumbsup:
A great hunt to be experienced by few yet shared by many.
Thank you!
Good going Bryce! Looks like your trip went better than ours....I am definitely second guessing which outfit I used.
TJ Conrads, Dale Karch, Stacee Frost and I just finished our hunt with a big goose egg with very few bison sighted. I went days 2-5 with ZERO bison spotted.
Sorry to hear that Steve...... I can relate howevervand am pleased I went with Sikanni River Outfitters
Just awesome! Congrats!
W-O-W! What a handsome bull. Congratulations :clapper:
I love bison meat. I have a freind that raises them. Rather dangerous to be around. Bison are on my "bucket" list.
Great story, thanks for sharing.
Kip
Congrats on a great hunt!
Wonderful story! Once again toughness and persistance wins the day.
Dave
What a hunk of meat on that meat pole! Congratulations on a great hunt.
I hunted moose and caribou with Mike and Dixie. Great folks. Great hunt.
oh boythat buffalo made my mouth water
Thats awsome and is one of my "to do" hunts. What late season tag did you draw in CA?
hey rxhntr ur in merced!? i'm living in winton!
ATA BOY >>--->
Man those things are HUGE! Where are you hunting blacktails at in CA? With Arrow 5 Outfitters? They are right in my backyard.
Awesome that is a great Bison! :)
Your hunting trip threads always seem to take me along. Thank you and congrats on a hunt well done.
I'm hunting in Covelo,CA. I will be close to arrow 5 outfitters land. I hunted Coues with them in Jan 2010 in Mexico and they are first class. My outfitter this time is Butch Carley, has a small operation but lots of nice deer and am looking forward to being there.
TTT
Great job and concratulations...I enjoyed the story very much and as Mudd said you are a Great Witness as well...God Bless and as always I like reading about your hunts..
Keefers <><
Wow - never had a big desire to hunt bison but your pictures and story changed that, Awesome :clapper:
Missed this one somehow, fantastic stuff Bryce congrats.
awesome hunt, congrats! definitely on my bucket list
Yes Sir Bryce!
Well done!!!!!!!
Congrats Bryce!
Excellent! :thumbsup:
Awesome story and pics! Congrats on a dream hunt come true!
Bisch
This is in my top 3 dream hunts. Free range bison with a trad bow. Wow. Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup: :campfire:
Congratulations on a great hunt. Thanks for sharing. Really enjoyed it.
Pretty awesome stuff right there
Awesome story and Pics, thanks for sharin', J
Awesome experience for sure!! Congrats!
That is one awesome bull! Congratulations!
Great story, I just read it. Do you have a Polar Bear story on here as well on Tradgang? If so can you share the link?
I don't recall reading this one before, probably because it came during the fall. Sure glad it came up again!
Congratulations on a fine animal. Free range bison is just about as good as it gets in traditional bowhunting!
Congratulations on a fine trophy!
Now thats buffalo hunting!!! Awesome story , I just read this for the first time too. I have heard of the Pink Mountain herds in British Columbia. What an experience. You must have a large area in your home for that Bull!! In Alberta they have a wild buffalo hunt as well but it is draw and a lottery system with no priority if you have put in for the draw before. Try every year. The hunt is in winter and way up north so the conditions would be harsh but worth it!!! Congrsatulations again on a great shot and a truly great hunt!!
That is so cool.
Great story telling, too.
Wish the hunt in Alberta was offered in more "friendly" weather . Your winter hunt looked like it was very tough on the body...
Have you got the mount back yet? If so love to see some pics of it !!
Even after two years, great story! Thanks for sharing. Must have been a great adventure.
Beautiful country.
Bison with my recurve is on my bucket list. For the tradition and the great table fare.
Congratulations and thanks for sharing.
Realy cool stuff. :thumbsup:
Awesome! Congrats on your bison. I would love to take a bison one of these days.
Congrats again,
Bisch
What a thrill! Congrats!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Wow great story,,,and hunt,,,congrats
there is a three named mussk ox down that has both the musk ox and polar bear stories and pics, FYI
Thanks Bryce,
Yeah I read that thread a few years ago. I didn't realize that you the bison hunter was the same OP of the 2009 Polar bear hunt.
I remembered reading a great polar bear story on here a few years ago and since I really enjoyed your bison story and saw the polar bear on you avatar I wondered if you had a polar bear story which i was sure would be a great story. I re-read the Polar Bear hunt story againg anyway. It was great. I love to read good stuff. And that was a Great read. I used to dabble a little taxidermy back in the day. Please email me pics of the Muskox and Polar bear mounts.
mickeymatos@yahoo.com
Photos send my friend