Joe (Whip) Lash - TATONKA! Story pg 9

[BowHuntingFool]

This is awesome......CONGRATS BROTHER!

[champ38]

[jcar315]

Had to check in on this one first thing!

 

[JohnnyWayne]

Keep em coming Joe  

 

[BCWV]

Loving it!!!  

[Whip]

In addition to being home of one of the only free ranging bison herds in the country, the Henry Mountains are also one of the best mule deer units to be found anywhere. We saw plenty of really nice bucks, but I never seemed to have my camera ready at the right time for pictures of them. I don't claim to be an expert field judge, but I swear that one buck I got a very good look at would have easily surpassed the magical 30" mark.



My trusty stead Jakey is sizing me up wondering how in the world he is going to carry my fat rear end up and down those mountains.



He lucked out though. After the three bad days of weather that kept us camp bound, we actually only ended up hunting two days. And on each of them we were fortunate to spot buffalo just a short ways out of camp. The first day they were bedded on an open slope with no chance for an approach into longbow range. I spent the entire afternoon perched above them hoping that when they finally got up they might move to a more approachable spot. Of course that didn't happen, and we backed off to leave them for the next morning and hope we could find them again.

The following morning found us saddled up a little earlier, and it wasn't long before we found the same group. Leaving the guides with the mules, I took off on my own. It took a few approaches, and about three hours, but I was getting close.



Sometimes in hunting it seems like everything that can go wrong does, and nothing you do can change the outcome. Animals turn the wrong way, another hunter interferes, the wind swirls just a bit at exactly the wrong time. So many things can go wrong at the moment of truth. This day would be different though. Everything went as if I had written a script and the buffalo had it memorized. The terrain allowed me a silent and unseen approach to less than 20 yards, and I think my jaw dropped in amazement as I watched my shaft disappear in the cows side.

Buffalo Down!! I could hardly believe what had just happened, and stood on the ridge for a long time afterward soaking it all in and making sure she wasn't going anywhere.

[Whip]

Buffalo are big animals, and I had been worried about penetration if I did get lucky enough to get a shot. I was shooting an RER LX takedown longbow that pulls 57# at my 29" draw. I built some heavyweight arrows using a batch of old Carbonwood 5000 shafts that I had laying around. They were tipped with 250 grain VPA 2 blade heads with an additional 100 grain brass insert up front. Total arrow weight was 715 grains.

Penetration was fantastic! After entering near the last rib on a hard quatering away shot, more than half of the arrow shaft was sticking out in front of the opposite leg.



I had seen her go down of course, so no trailing was needed, but nothing beats a blood trail in fresh snow!



I'm a happy boy now!!

[Whip]

I'm sure you noticed the collars on the buffalo in the picture above. From what I have read there was a project conducted a couple of years ago during which a number of bison were fitted with radio collars. I have contacted the Utah Game and Fish department and will be sending them back of course. I sure hope that I will be able to get some information from them on the history behind my cow.

I also want to sing a few praises for my outfitter, Tom Dowland, and his nephew Nate Dowland who helped with the guiding and camp chores. As I mentioned before, I normally don't do guided hunts. I prefer to be on my own, making my own mistakes, and to have nobody but myself to blame when things go wrong. I haven't been on many guided hunts, but I have had some disappointments that have made me very leary. I so much as swore I would never do another one. But the circumstances of this trip seemed to leave me with little choice, so I went ahead and took a chance. I couldn't be more happy with the way it turned out.

Tom is the real deal when it comes to a guide and outfitter. Although not extravegant, his camp set up and gear had everything we needed to have a successful and safe hunt. He knew the mountains, and the animals that lived there. He knew how to get us away from other hunters, and to me that was the key. Best of all, Tom allowed me the freedom to do my part and actually be a hunter. He put me in the right spot, and from there it was all up to me. He listened to what my thoughts were, gave what advice he could, and cut me loose. I have no interest in following someone around until they tell me it's time to shoot as is common with many guides.





If anyone ever is looking for an outfitter in the Henry Mountains, or anywhere in Utah for that matter, Tom is the man. And his tales of elk hunts and lion chases have me hoping that this hunt with him won't be my last. Hunting with Tom was a very refreshing change for me, and came away with a new found respect for outfitters. He and Nate were truly as excited with my success as I was myself, and it was a joy to share the experience with them.

[centaur]

     Good stuff here Joe!

[JV Rooster]

Great story.

[Mike Manassa]

Very exciting story Joe.Thanks for taking us along.Congratulations on a fine cow.Mike  

[gringol]

Good stuff!  Thanks for posting.

Just curious (Maybe I missed it?) how long did it take Mrs. Bison to go down?

[wingnut]

Wow! Joe thanks for taking us along.  Looks like a fine cow and a lot of great meat.

You'll need to share the story in person however when we meet up this summer.

Mike

[e alexander]

Great hunt, congrat's!

[Possum Head]

I dont know which you do best, cow kill or story tell. Excellent Joe. Congrats

[awbowman]

That's a whole lot of hamburgers right there.  Congrats again Joe.

[Whip]

gringol, after the shot she ran about 70 yards before stopping.  She stood there for what seemed like forever - maybe 5 - 10 minutes - and then took a few steps before laying down.  Even then she didn't give it up easily, and it took another 5 - 10 minutes before she rolled onto her side for good.

We used the gutless method to cut her up, so I didn't do a full autopsy.  But I did pull out the heart, and the arrow had passed through the connective chambers at the top of the heart.  She had sprung a serious leak, yet still held on for a good long while.

[Kip]

Joe  One of the few men getting to do it all in retirement very happy for you.See you soon.          

[Pete McMiller]

Fantastic hunt Joe, congratulations.  How much meat do you think you netted out of the animal?  Any idea how old she was.

[Owlgrowler]

Joe, You ARE the man!! When people start talking cows, (does), my mind starts to wander... But that is something else. Fine looking animal. What are you doing with the head/hide? Buffalo robe in the old teepee for those cold fall nights? Congrats Brother