Wyoming Bison
- Thread starter songdog
- Start date
R
Rem308
Guest
I applied for 8 years and never got a license ,so gave up.
JRABQ
Active Member
- Messages
- 874
I applied first time in 2007 and got a tag, quite a shock.
Here's a link with some discussion and pics,
http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID8/3183.html
They settled a lawsuit that year and increased the number of tags issued by a factor of 5 or 10. I believe this increase in tags is scheduled to run for another 5 years until they get the herd under control. They also let most, if not all people hunt on the Elk Refuge, at least later in the year. I had #26 as NR, and was in the last group they called, I went up in December of 2007.
Quick answer, it was not much of a hunt, more of a shoot, even though these are technically free ranging bison. My "hunt" (on the Elk Refuge) lasted about 2 hours, and that was only because I decided to try to make it seem like a hunt. I "stalked" a small herd and shot one about 600 yards off the road. I had two guys for help, we did boneless method and packed it out ourselves, including the whole skin, took us 8 hrs. That was quite a chore, most guys were paying this fellow with a horse and sled to haul theirs out to the road, then use a crane to load it in to their truck on onto trailer.
I have heard that guys that got their bison on forest service property had to hunt a bit harder to get one.
Summary: It was an adventure, I had a good time, no regrets. But a great hunt, not exactly.
JR
Here's a link with some discussion and pics,
http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID8/3183.html
They settled a lawsuit that year and increased the number of tags issued by a factor of 5 or 10. I believe this increase in tags is scheduled to run for another 5 years until they get the herd under control. They also let most, if not all people hunt on the Elk Refuge, at least later in the year. I had #26 as NR, and was in the last group they called, I went up in December of 2007.
Quick answer, it was not much of a hunt, more of a shoot, even though these are technically free ranging bison. My "hunt" (on the Elk Refuge) lasted about 2 hours, and that was only because I decided to try to make it seem like a hunt. I "stalked" a small herd and shot one about 600 yards off the road. I had two guys for help, we did boneless method and packed it out ourselves, including the whole skin, took us 8 hrs. That was quite a chore, most guys were paying this fellow with a horse and sled to haul theirs out to the road, then use a crane to load it in to their truck on onto trailer.
I have heard that guys that got their bison on forest service property had to hunt a bit harder to get one.
Summary: It was an adventure, I had a good time, no regrets. But a great hunt, not exactly.
JR
H
hunterbob
Guest
This past fall I got a bull. It is not like it used to be where you had to wait for a phone call. If you get a low number you just go buy the license and go hunt. I did not hunt on the refuge but got one one the forest. The hunt itself was not hard. Finding one on the forest was the hard part. The real hard part was getting it to the truck. We did this ourselves. I would do it all over again if my son's ever draw. It is once in a life time hunt. They want to take about 500 or so animals and last I heard they only got about 140 or so. Most of the buffalo hang out on the hay fields around Kelly and you have to catch them when they cross the river to the refuge or onto forest service land.
Bob
Bob
H
HerbD
Guest
hunterbob
Nice bull.Congrats.Great pictures!
Looks like you and your capable helpers were up on Shadow early in the season before the snow fell and the roads got really nasty.
Anyway your pictures bring back great memories as I hiked that very same spot last fall chasing that boxcar looking bull.
Herb
Nice bull.Congrats.Great pictures!
Looks like you and your capable helpers were up on Shadow early in the season before the snow fell and the roads got really nasty.
Anyway your pictures bring back great memories as I hiked that very same spot last fall chasing that boxcar looking bull.
Herb
H
HerbD
Guest
songdog,
I applied last year for the first time and drew #9 NR bull, which almost caused me to fall off my chair!
Anyway I spent 3 weeks around Jackson Hole before getting my 124 2/8 B&C Bull.
I had a chance during the first week there to get a ?monster bull? but the cow hunters who were there to ?help? me spooked him back into the no shoot zone.
I hired ?Tag N Drag? which is the professional retrieval service for elk and buffalo. They came out with a boom truck to gut him and delivered him to the local locker plant for caping, skinning, and hanging. The old guy, Johnny, who was a local legend retired last year after selling the business.
Overall, I had a great time there. MY first stalk was hunting but the bull I got was more like shooting.
It all depends on the weather. Last year the buffalo just didn't come in early and that made it tough on a lot of hunters who had to go back to Jackson Hole 3,4 or 5 times before getting their animal.
If you have further questions, feel free to PM me.
Herb
H
hunterbob
Guest
Yes, it is on Shadow Mountain. It was October 18.
Bob
Bob
H
HerbD
Guest
Gorgeous spot-especially with a nice animal on the ground.I was there in early Oct. and got mine on the 13th. Hopefully yours isn't as tough as mine which is more like shoeleather.
Like you I'd like to do it again and might be able to if, as the rumor has it, G&F is working on changing the "once in a lifetime" rule. In the meantime I'll have to try and convince the wife to apply which might just be a good excuse to buy her a new rifle.
Herb
Like you I'd like to do it again and might be able to if, as the rumor has it, G&F is working on changing the "once in a lifetime" rule. In the meantime I'll have to try and convince the wife to apply which might just be a good excuse to buy her a new rifle.
Herb
Wyoming Hunting Guides & Outfitters
Urge 2 Hunt
We focus on trophy elk, mule deer, antelope and moose hunts and take B&C bucks most years.
