My brother, Mark Mitten, just got back from the Lakota Reservation in Brule' South Dakota with his friend Shane LaRoche. Shane is a member of two contemporary Native American bands called Brule' and AIRO. Shane filmed Mark on his hunt for American bison.

SD just had a big snow fall which piled the white stuff 3 feet in the valleys, but the wind blew most of it off of the tops of the ridges. After finding the herd they watched as two mature bulls wandered away from the main body, so the stalk began. The first attempt failed as Mark and Shane got bogged down in the snow drifts allowing the great buffalo to flee. It took them awhile to locate the animals again, but eventually they got another chance. Leaving Shane back on a parallel ridge, Marked crawled 150 yards away to set up near a sage bush as the buffalo approached. With Shane looking on and filming, and the tribal game warden positioned several hundred yards away pray and singing the buffalo song, Mark rose up as the noble beast turned to look back toward his partner. He drew and launched his 795 gr birch arrow tipped with a stone head from his 75# Great Northern Bush Bow. The arrow was fletched with turkey feathers, and had a self-nock, while the stone head was secured with whitetail deer sinew. Shane could hear the arrow's impact through the cold clear prairie air. The buffalo went down in less than a minute and the celebration began. The huge breeding bull sported a beautiful hide and sharp curved horns. Mark was told that this was the first bull taken with a stone head on these lands in over 100 years.

The arrow glanced off the rib and got 18 inches of penetration through both lungs. The head looks in good shape and may be ready to use again. Mark claimed his little wagon got a lot better traction on the way home loaded down with prime meat, cape, and skull! Mike

 
 

Wow! Not much else can be said.

That is quite an accomplishment and is something I would LOVE to do, although I would not have the skills to do it with the straight limbed longbow, wood shaft, or stone point!.

With that said Carcass does look a little "slumpy" in the photo and what in the world is he looking at off in the distance???

Are there any pictures of him hauling the beast back in the Subaru wagon?  With the head and hide strapped to the luggage rack???

That's the PROPER way to take a BISON!!
Enough said.      

that is awesome.

He said the other bull was a little older and had broomed off points, so actually bulls like this do more breeding.

Hey Mike, great story, I can't wait to see the footage.

What an opportunity, and beautiful Bison. Great shot and super accomplishment!

Amazing to think about all that coming together.  Congratulations to Mark on overcoming all the odds!

Steve, You know Carcass, his stifting eyes always seem to look else where, while leaving little unnoticed. Ha!

That's sweet!

Did Mark knap the head?  What kind of stone?

WOW is an understatement!

Thats the way to do it great job. Widow

That is absolutely AMAZING! A hundred years is a long time. A heart felt congratulations on a fine and TRULY ethical hunt. I can't wait to see the footage.

That is just way too cool! Tell Mark Congrats and thanks for sharing with us Mike.

Are you guys saving that footage for a new Primal Dreams DVD... or can you share a little with us now    

Kevin.

   

Thats the only way to do it.Sweet,
 If you've never did it that way.You'll just never know that feeling.
 Knapped head ALSOME

DEAD IS DEAD NO MATTER HOW FAST YOUR ARROW GETS THERE

Selfbow and knapped head.If you've never did it.You can ever know that feeling.Sweet.
 Had to take a second look.

That is awseome! That sure is quite an accomplishment!!!!     Mark was told that this was the first bull taken with a stone head on these lands in over 100 years.
That sentemce gave me the goosebumps!!!! I can only dream of doing a hunt like that someday. Congragulations              

Awesome!!!  Simply awesome.