A friend of mine got a bison last year and I would like to hunt one with a longbow. My criteria is that I would like the hunt to be as open range and fair chase as possible, within the realities of what is available to us.
I do have a budget, but I can screen for that
later.
Thanks in advance
Joshua
Here in UT in the Henries and Arizona, but you have a better chance at winning the lotto. Up in BC in the Pink Mountains, but I think you'd better have a deep wallet. I also think WY now offers some hunts, but I don't know if they are open to NR. Mabey some other folks could help out. They would be fun to hunt :thumbsup:
My dream hunt Josh and Ryan! :readit:
Tracy
There are some draw hunts in Alaska on wild bison, and they are open to non-residents.
My dream hunt as well,I would love to take one with my homemade Hill style longbow.
Look at true north outfitters in alberta, the owners name is jeff. They have some bison hunting available. Very tough weather conditions I understand but completely fair chase, spot and stalk. He is great guy, we went bear hunting with him last spring. Google his website, I forget the address but I am sure he can help you out.
The ones in the northeast corner of the province are open to all who want to hunt them as I understand it. There isn't a tag involved. The weather is pretty heavy up there .... try -45 C in the winter at times.
I just checked out his site. That's brutal cold!! Think I'll stay back in camp and keep the stove fired up :campfire:
I was curious about the same thing, good thread, thanks.
Any updates on this?
Pink Mountain, BC Sikanni River Outfitters
Wow that Alberta hunt would be a hunt for sure. The only way it would be better is off a horse! Take plenty of layers and survival gear oh crap situations.
Build time machine.
Go back 200 years.
Hunt.
Don't come back, wait, take us with you! Oh, learn to speak Sioux first, or carry a lot of gold or gunpowder. Either might save your bacon. Oh, take bacon!
Sorry, I got nothin'.
I thought there were some good open range bison on peoples farms available for hunting. No fence but also would not quality for P&Y - which is no issue with me - just don't want to be in a pen.
If you don't have to shoot a bull, put in for a cow tag on the Henry's in Utah, I have 10 points for a bull tag, maye in another ten years I'll get drawn
Custer State Park in Dakotas has free range P&Y qualified heard. they have reasonable draw or just pay up front hunts and choice of Trophy -old bull $$$$$ or cheaper younger bull.
Are you sure about the SD hunt Dave? I did a little searching and it looked to me like it was B&Y eligible, but not P&Y. The trophy bull hunts are limited to rifle only according to the SD State Park website.
In any case, buffalo are a really unique animal to hunt if you can find a fair chase place to do it.
As mentioned, if you aren't hung up on a trophy bull, consider one of the cow only hunts in Utah Henry Mountains. Although the draw is still difficult and may take a number of years to pull a tag, the odds are much better than the bull tags.
As far as I'm concerned, a cow bison IS a trophy!
Here's mine from December 2012.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Utah%20Buffalo/UtahBuffalo131_zps03e0f7e3.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Jlasch/media/Utah%20Buffalo/UtahBuffalo131_zps03e0f7e3.jpg.html)
i am looking for a now draw location - would like to hunt them next year at this time. Any leads?
I am pretty sure that BC, AZ, UT, AK and WY are the only P&Y heards. All are offering non res hunts but tags are high and odds are low.
Don't care about P&Y - just a "fair" chase hunt.
Just a heads up. The Bison that wander out of Wood Buffalo are huntable but not eligible for P&Y. Because you need a license.
I used to be a measurer and I spoke with Glenn Hisey about this once I heard that they could be hunted if they wandered out of there. Not that it should matter. The experience would be worth it.
They are huge!
There was a resident only tag for a few years. I think it was put on hold for evaluation.
Give Mike Hammet a call at Sikkani River Outfitters.
I recall him having a couple of year wait on his hunts, but like most outfitters he probably runs a stand-by cancellation list.
will do
pink mountains and no prices.....guess that one is going to be out of my range!
how about texas or nebraska?
Mike,
You'll be looking at about $9500 USD for that hunt, plus tags and flights.
And yes, Pink Mountain is a spectacular area to hunt.
d.
Bill (zipper bowss) killed a free range bison. You can search for the thread or he may point u in a decent direction.
Very cool pic Joe - nice!
yep that is what i thought!! no pink mountains for me
Be careful about fair chase for Bison. I wanted to go and did tons of research years back. A lot of fair chase claims were actually capturing a herd bull, bringing it a mile away from the herd and setting you up on its return path. I'm not saying this is an evil thing....just might not be what you are expecting.
Just saying, make sure you ask. Expensive hunts like these can be very disappointing with things that aren't disclosed till you get there.
Look into the reservation hunts in the Dakotas.Yes there may be fences of some type involved but it will be thousands of acres. These hunts can be had for much less money and a reservation with a wild herd is not difficult to find.Just ask questions and be up front about what you are looking for. If you dont care about the horns ask about cull or cow hunts.
Bill
I killed my Bison in Texas, however the ranch I hunted no longer offers archery hunts. It was low fence and about 20,000 acers but if you want truly wild then you have to go to the places listed above and it will be very expensive or a once in a lifetime draw. I do not know about the reservation hunts in South Dakota, not sure if they have fences or not, but might be the way to go. My hunt was no cake walk but not the same as camping out in the wild and finding the Bison and then trying to stalk them, yeah I had to find them but on a ranch it is not that hard. Once found then a stalk was planned and if they smell or see you, well you have to try and get ahead of them and plan another stalk but pretty much can be done in a day.
I was involved in hunt/harvest on the Pine Ridge Res. in SD a few years back. Check with Res. hunting/fishing office. It seems these herds just roam the res.