# What gun for bison?



## wyogoob

I have a WY Bison tag. I need some help on what weapon to use. 

Choose one from my list of choices:


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## LostLouisianian

wyogoob said:


> I have a WY Bison tag. I need some help on what weapon to use.
> 
> Choose one from my list of choices:


Hmmmmm can't quite figure out which one to choose....:shock:


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## Mr Muleskinner

I would go with the 45-70 or a bow. During my hunt last year I went down with my 7mm and regretted not having a 45-70 as soon as I hit camp. Since they are part moo cow though you may just want to take sledge hammer or a plunge rod.


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## Huntoholic

Knowing the ancient one that you are, 45-70.

Edit:
Or it might be a good reason to get a Sharps. Just for old times............


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## Loke

Where is the 270 Winchester on the list?


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## GaryFish

You're welcome.


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## DallanC

Ditto on the .45-70 or 45-90 if you have one.


-DallanC


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## wyogoob

Mr Muleskinner said:


> I would go with the 45-70 or a bow. During my hunt last year I went down with my 7mm and regretted not having a 45-70 as soon as I hit camp. Since they are part moo cow though you may just want to take sledge hammer or a plunge rod.


I'm good with a plunge rod but the cape would get ruined when I bled the poor thing out.

.


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## wyogoob

GaryFish said:


> You're welcome.


That's nice Gary but I'm right-handed.


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## wyogoob

Loke said:


> Where is the 270 Winchester on the list?


Next to my 7mm mags. :grin:


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## wyogoob

Loke said:


> Where is the 270 Winchester on the list?


Next to my 6.5mm mags. :grin:

.


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## GaryFish

Try this one then.









And BOOM! Top of page! At least it was until you double posted that 7 mm euro metric comment crap. Sheesh.


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## wyogoob

Uh..........I wouldn't think of doing such a thing.

One post is 7mm mag and the other is 6.5; mag, both formidable Genetically-imperfect Bison calibers. 


Uh...the bison are genetically imperfect, not the calibers...uh...nevermind.

.


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## Huntoholic

http://www.shilohrifle.com/rifles.php

1874 Sharps Buffalo Rifle.......45-110

Be still my heart......

Sorry for the side track.


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## hondodawg

Winchester model 71


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## LostLouisianian

What----no sharps.....HERETIC!:sad:


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## Loke

We have a sweet High Wall 375 H&H if you are so inclined.


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## Dunkem

Take the bow.If your cateracts are that bad you will need to be close


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## wyogoob

Dunkem said:


> Take the bow.If your cataracts are that bad you will need to be close


I hear ya.

Took my driver's license eye exam yesterday. Thank God you only need one eye to drive.

.


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## wyogoob

Loke said:


> We have a sweet High Wall 375 H&H if you are so inclined.


Really? What does the wood look like?................uh nevermind

.


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## Dunkem

Have the same problem,my left eye has a whiskey haze all the time.Makes cutting meat a bit challanging,especially on the band saw!


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## wyogoob

Huntoholic said:


> http://www.shilohrifle.com/rifles.php
> 
> 1874 Sharps Buffalo Rifle.......45-110
> 
> Be still my heart......
> 
> Sorry for the side track.


Yeah, I've been looking at them for years. Now that I can afford one, the waiting time is too long; can't get one from the factory by the end of the hunt.


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## wyogoob

Dunkem said:


> Have the same problem,my left eye has a whiskey haze all the time.Makes cutting meat a bit challanging,especially on the band saw!


Lets retire.

.


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## waspocrew

45-70 would be awesome!


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## Huntoholic

wyogoob said:


> Yeah, I've been looking at them for years. Now that I can afford one, the waiting time is too long; can't get one from the factory by the end of the hunt.


Yes that 16 to 17 months to build does put a damper on it.

What ever you decide to use, it will be a hunt of a lifetime. Enjoy it....

Best of luck.


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## Bax*

Here is a cool article I read sometime ago Goob. Maybe this will give you some more motivation for the 45-70

http://www.chuckhawks.com/buffalo_cartridges.htm


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## wyogoob

Bax* said:


> Here is a cool article I read sometime ago Goob. Maybe this will give you some more motivation for the 45-70
> 
> http://www.chuckhawks.com/buffalo_cartridges.htm


Cool, thanks. It was a great read.

.


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## DallanC

Using this on a bison hunt would be cooler than the other side of the pillow:

http://www.eabco.com/Sharps03.htm

-DallanC


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## massmanute

If the range is very short, how about a 12 gauge slug gun?


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## Cooky

The hand cannon would make for the best stories.


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## lifes short

Looking like 45-70
I am going to try to get close enough on my Bison hunt in Utah to use my 45 70. If a longer shot is necessary .338 win mag 210 Nosler Partitions.
I cast my own 45 70 slugs so far have killed a couple deer and 3 hogs in Texas with them, 405 grain RCBS Flat Point with gas check loaded to 1600 FPS with 40 grns of RL7. Was loading 46 grns at 1800 fps but my shoulder convinced me the lighter load was plenty. Both loads shoot great out of my Marlin Guide Gun. If you would like to try them I would gladly ship some to you.

The picture below is the only slug I have recovered from a kill. It was from about 50 yards a 270 lb boar hog was facing me and would not turn so I aimed between his eyes, hit right below left eye went through head down neck travelled length of body and stopped under skin in left side rump. Had 378 grains retained weight, new slug next to it


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## DallanC

lifes short said:


> I cast my own 45 70 slugs so far have killed a couple deer and 3 hogs in Texas with them


Impressive it didnt break up. Pure lead or Alloy?

-DallanC


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## lifes short

70% clip on wheel weights and 30% pure lead to soften it up a little. So it has a little tin and some antimony in it.


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## AF CYN

Mr Muleskinner said:


> I would go with the 45-70 or a bow.


I'm with Muleskinner.


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## Packout

Seeing as you did not give us the choice of a 54 cal ML shooting round balls.....

I voted 45-70 because it sounds more nastalgic, but I thought a 45-70 was a little too mainstream for you. haha. I thought you'd have a 45-90 at least.


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## wyogoob

A cheap 1oz 12 gauge deer slug out of a 870 pump, about 1" in diameter and 100% intact:


7/8" diameter mushroomed copper solid - nasty


kind of a cool pic


uh...not very good examples for bullet penetration huh?


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## wyogoob

Packout said:


> Seeing as you did not give us the choice of a 54 cal ML shooting round balls.....
> 
> I voted 45-70 because it sounds more nastalgic, but I thought a 45-70 was a little too mainstream for you. haha. I thought you'd have a 45-90 at least.


I'm not a muzzleloader guy. All my hunting buddies back home were ML guys. I would just cook, haul them around to their stands, and tell stories.

I would love to have a 45-90.

.


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## lifes short

wyogoob said:


> A cheap 1oz 12 gauge deer slug out of a 870 pump, about 1" in diameter and 100% intact:
> 
> 
> 7/8" diameter mushroomed copper solid - nasty
> 
> 
> kind of a cool pic
> 
> 
> uh...not very good examples for bullet penetration huh?


 Looks to me they all did their job.


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## wyogoob

lifes short said:


> Looks to me they all did their job.


Yeah good point. I dug them out of dead animals, all one-shot kills.

A bison is a lot thicker than a deer though.

.


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## Springville Shooter

Goob,
You should buy yourself a Ruger #1 in 458 Lott. My friend won one in a raffle, at first he was disappointed.....now it's his go to gun for everything from deer to moose. Shoots great, kills fast, doesn't waste meat. You can load it to perform like a 45-70, or you can stoke it up to full steam. I've shot it and mid range loads are not bad. You seem like the kind of guy who needs a 458 Lott. Tell Mrs. Goob SS said so.-------SS


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## longbow

I voted 45-70 Gubment just for the nostalgia of it. It would fit perfectly with a bison hunt. I would have voted atlatl with a matching breechclout had you given me the choice. :grin:


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## Critter

I think that it is time for you to go find yourself a Ruger #3 in .45-70

I wish that I still had mine.


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## wyogoob

Springville Shooter said:


> Goob,
> You should buy yourself a Ruger #1 in 458 Lott. My friend won one in a raffle, at first he was disappointed.....now it's his go to gun for everything from deer to moose. Shoots great, kills fast, doesn't waste meat. You can load it to perform like a 45-70, or you can stoke it up to full steam. I've shot it and mid range loads are not bad. You seem like the kind of guy who needs a 458 Lott. Tell Mrs. Goob SS said so.-------SS


thanks, I love the #1 Ruger

uh...actually I love any and all guns with wooden stocks

.


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## DallanC

Critter said:


> I think that it is time for you to go find yourself a Ruger #3 in .45-70
> 
> I wish that I still had mine.


OOoooooooo you had one? Dang... its on my list! I would eventually like my rifle collection to resemble this:










-DallanC


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## wyogoob

longbow said:


> I voted 45-70 Gubment just for the nostalgia of it. It would fit perfectly with a bison hunt. I would have voted atlatl with a matching breechclout had you given me the choice. :grin:


Yeah I hear ya about the atlatl, any spear is appealing to me but the Game and Fish won't allow it.

I like the prospect of putting a sneak on one, getting close, I'm favoring an arrow to the heart or a handgun bullet behind the ear.

.

.


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## Critter

DallanC said:


> OOoooooooo you had one? Dang... its on my list! I would eventually like my rifle collection to resemble this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -DallanC


That would be sweet. In all my time here on mother earth I have sold 4 firearms and that #3 is my biggest regret. But it went to a good home down in Texas.


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## wyogoob

The native Indians wore a wolf skin to sneak up within feet of a feeding Bison.


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## Springville Shooter

wyogoob said:


> thanks, I love the #1 Ruger
> 
> uh...actually I love any and all guns with wooden stocks
> 
> .


What's your take on wood laminate? It's really wood.....sort of. I like it both for looks and utility. Nothing compares to the walnut on my Cooper M22 though. You can get the #1 in laminate or walnut you know.------SS


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## Loke

wyogoob said:


> Really? What does the wood look like?................uh nevermind
> 
> .


In a word.............gorgeous. I should have taken a picture while I had it out of the box today. I did wipe off the drool before I put it away.


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## Loke

Oh, I forgot to mention the octagon barrel.


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## Loke

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/historic-detail.asp?family=002C&mid=534159


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## wyogoob

stop it


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## brookieguy1

340 Weatherby Mag.


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## meltedsnowman

My little brother stopped his with one shot from a .300 WSM 324 yds. Gramps shot his in 1995 with a .58 roundball smoke pole. My dad drew the tag this year and will be taking the .300 WSM.


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## wyogoob

Springville Shooter said:


> What's your take on wood laminate? It's really wood.....sort of. I like it both for looks and utility. Nothing compares to the walnut on my Cooper M22 though. You can get the #1 in laminate or walnut you know.------SS


I have nothing against laminates. Don't have one so I just don't know much about them. Some look pretty cool and I hear they are more resistant to "swelling" when they get wet.

.


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## wyogoob

I took the .460 S&W thunderboomer out today. I still can't hit anything with it but I think the noise would kill a bison at 50 yards.........uh...that would be if he was standing 50 yards to the side of the muzzle. :smile:

The firearm is not one of my favorites, but I always take it with me to the range, especially if it's crowded. hee, hee, hee


.


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## wyogoob

Well I took the .460 thunderboomer to the range again. 

I'm confident I can hit a 2,000lb bison in the vitals if it's standing slightly quartering away, perfectly still, less than 25 yards, and I'm on a bench with sandbags wearing ear plugs and ear muffs, and there's no wind...........after I have cataract surgery. 

.


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## Springville Shooter

If you take two shots of Everclear I bet you could extend that range to 40 yards.....calms the nervs you know.------SS


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## GaryFish

Girandoni repeating air rifle. Like Lewis and Clark took on the expedition.


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## wyogoob

GaryFish said:


> Girandoni repeating air rifle. Like Lewis and Clark took on the expedition.


Great idear.....and it's an air rifle so I won't have to pay the FFL transfer fee....save money.


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## wyogoob

Springville Shooter said:


> If you take two shots of Everclear I bet you could extend that range to 40 yards.....calms the nervs you know.------SS


Yeah, I know. I can remember how calm I was back when I drank. :neutral:


ooh, top of da page


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## Loke

You mean there is a gun that you don't already own?


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## wyogoob

Hey, I'm shooting the .460 Smith & Wesson thunderboomer quite a bit lately. I can hit the 12" steel gong thigie at the Range everytime at 75 yards, and that's with my eyes closed. 

First, the projectile forces the heavy steel plate back about 3 inches. Later, the sonic boom pushes the plate back 4 inches.

I'm thinking of using it on the bison hunt.

.


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## DallanC

LOL... I'll bet the first time you touch that off everyone elses heads popped up wondering WTF just happened.


-DallanC


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## LostLouisianian

DallanC said:


> LOL... I'll bet the first time you touch that off everyone elses heads popped up wondering WTF just happened.
> 
> -DallanC


I know when I touch off my 1942 Mosin M38 with milsurp ammo everyone comes ask what the hell am I shooting that puts out a flame 6 feet long and sounds like a howitzer....LOL.


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## fishreaper

wyogoob said:


> Hey, I'm shooting the .460 Smith & Wesson thunderboomer quite a bit lately.
> 
> I'm thinking of using it on the bison hunt.
> 
> .


A hand cannon for antelope and a hand cannon for bison. Is no animal safe from Goob?


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## wyogoob

So I go to the local gun range. The handgun part has two tables. A man is flailing away at a 7-yard Zombie target with one of those plastic concealed weapon thingies guys on snowmobiles use to shoot moose that get in their way. 

I ask the guy if I can set-up next to him and tell him "I have a very noisy gun, a Smith & Wesson .460"
"That's fine, it won't bother me. I have ear plugs." he says.
I say "Thanks, I'll wait till yer done."
"No, no, go right ahead"
"That's fine. This gun is really loud." I told him.
He says "Listen, I was artillery in the Iraqi War. Won't bother me."
"K, here we go. Are you ready?" I asked.
"Yep."
The shooting tables are a little close together, no more than ten feet apart. The muzzle break I'm using has slots that wrap around on the side. I touch one off...KABOOOM

Geeze, the guy flips out. "God &^$%# What the (*&&%^5, Holy )(**&^% Never heard any f-)(*^ thing like that, son of a )(*&[email protected] Uh...you were right about it being loud. Geezus Kriste Almighty."

After I got his nose bleed to stop we became kinda buddies. And I felt bad about ruining what little hearing he had left after the War so I let him shoot the thunderboomer at the gong thingie. He hit it everytime!

.


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## LostLouisianian

wyogoob said:


> So I go to the local gun range. The handgun part has two tables. A man is flailing away at a 7-yard Zombie target with one of those plastic concealed weapon thingies guys on snowmobiles use to shoot moose that get in their way.
> 
> I ask him if I can set-up next to him and "I have a very noisy gun, a .460"
> "That's fine, it won't bother me. I have ear plugs." he says.
> I say "Thanks, I'll wait till yer done."
> "No, no, go right ahead"
> "That's fine. This gun is really loud." I told him.
> He says "Listen, I was artillery in the Iraqi War. Won't bother me."
> "K, here we go. Are you ready?" I asked.
> "Yep."
> The shooting tables are a little close together, no more than ten feet apart. The muzzle break I'm using has slots that wrap around on the side. I touch one off...KABOOOM
> 
> Geeze, the guy flips out. "God &^$%# What the (*&&%^5, Holy )(**&^% Never heard any f-)(*^ thing like that, son of a )(*&[email protected] Uh...you were right about it being loud. Geezus Kriste Almighty."
> 
> After I got his nose bleed to stop we became kinda buddies. I felt bad about ruining what little hearing he had left after the War so I let him shoot the thunderboomer at the gong thingie. He hit it everytime!
> 
> .


Thanks goob, I just shot dr pepper out my nose laughing


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## GaryFish

I'm just not quite sure what my favorite part of that post is. The plastic moose gun reference? The use of shift+number row, the nose bleed, or Goob's new BFF. Very well played Sir Goob. Very well played.


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## willfish4food

I think this is my favorite part of Goob's last post:



> I let him shoot the thunderboomer at the gong thingie.


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## Mtnbeer

wyogoob said:


> So I go to the local gun range. The handgun part has two tables. A man is flailing away at a 7-yard Zombie target with one of those plastic concealed weapon thingies guys on snowmobiles use to shoot moose that get in their way.
> 
> I ask the guy if I can set-up next to him and tell him "I have a very noisy gun, a Smith & Wesson .460"
> "That's fine, it won't bother me. I have ear plugs." he says.
> I say "Thanks, I'll wait till yer done."
> "No, no, go right ahead"
> "That's fine. This gun is really loud." I told him.
> He says "Listen, I was artillery in the Iraqi War. Won't bother me."
> "K, here we go. Are you ready?" I asked.
> "Yep."
> The shooting tables are a little close together, no more than ten feet apart. The muzzle break I'm using has slots that wrap around on the side. I touch one off...KABOOOM
> 
> Geeze, the guy flips out. "God &^$%# What the (*&&%^5, Holy )(**&^% Never heard any f-)(*^ thing like that, son of a )(*&[email protected] Uh...you were right about it being loud. Geezus Kriste Almighty."
> 
> After I got his nose bleed to stop we became kinda buddies. And I felt bad about ruining what little hearing he had left after the War so I let him shoot the thunderboomer at the gong thingie. He hit it everytime!
> 
> .


Hahaha. Goob, you're killing me. I think this post is an all-time classic, even for you.

Guy sounds like a pretty good new buddie. Especially if he's able to ring the gong every time with the ole thunderboomer. That's some impressive shootin'.

Oh, and top o' the page for me.


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## Mtnbeer

Huntoholic said:


> http://www.shilohrifle.com/rifles.php
> 
> 1874 Sharps Buffalo Rifle.......45-110
> 
> Be still my heart......
> 
> Sorry for the side track.


They make some pretty guns, almost too pretty. Those guys are truly dedicated to their craft. My shootin' buddy and I spent nearly a whole day talking to the Shiloh guys at Shot Show in January. They were fun to hang out with and shoot the breeze.


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## wyogoob

Bison run like the wind and can disappear into another dimension like the wolf..

Tomorrow I will get on the back of a farm animal and chase them. 460 S&W in a shoulder holster and a little 300 WSM in a scabbard. 

.


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## gdog

Good luck!


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## bowgy

Yeah....what gdog said.8)


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## Dunkem

Go get um Goob! :thumb:Ive got sat off,and would love to come and help ya whack him up


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## Loke

You're WAY over gunned. Just ride up to them on your pony and poke them with a sharp stick launched from a bow you whittled from a fence post. 

Good luck and be safe.


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## Critter

If you are going to be on a farm animal I would think that you would be using a spear or a long bow. Somehow using a hand cannon off of a horse just doesn't seam fitting. 

-8/-  :llama:


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## Azar

Make sure and take plenty of pics so the rest of us can live vicariously through you.


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## GaryFish

Two words of advise: 
First, if it seems too far, just hold a little high. 
Second, pick up yur empties. 

Good hunting my WhyHoming brother.


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## Idratherbehunting

Good luck man! Looking forward to hearing how it goes!


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## wyogoob

Testing, testing, 1,2,3. Any one out there?

Uh......I didn't take the time to put my ear plugs in when I shot my bison, uh numerous times, with my .460 Smith and Wesson. Good grief my ears are ringing.

So the guy I'm with says "Cool, first time I ever seen a blind man shoot a bull bison"


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## bowgy

PICS we need PICS;-)


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## wyogoob

bowgy said:


> PICS we need PICS;-)


I was waiting until we dug the bullets out of the beast but here's a couple.

Hunted in a river bottom so I could sneak from tree to tree and get within handgun range:


Not a huge bison, but all I want:


.


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## Buckfinder

Congrats!!


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## Dunkem

Did you save the offal,silly question8)


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## bowgy

Awesome, I'm sure you will make all kinds of good things to eat from that beast. Should keep you busy for a while:mrgreen:


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## Loke

How many gun bearers did you employ for that artillery piece?


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## Mtnbeer

Nice work goob. I want to see some good bison recipes coming out soon. Bison tripe anyone?

There is a good side to being deaf. At least you won't be able to hear the crappy stories from family members and friends over the holidays.


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## DallanC

Cool... the most impressive part though is you brought that sucker out whole.


-DallanC


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## Idratherbehunting

That's a horse! Congratulations!


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## wyogoob

I used 275 gr Cor®Bon DPX ammo. My chronograph says they do 1900 fps out of the muzzle. I practiced with the Cor®Bons a lot and felt confident shooting big game out to 150 yards. In October of this year I shot a 6x6 bull elk at 90 yards with the same 275 gr Cor®Bons out of the 460 S&W.

While quartering the bison 2 projectiles were recovered out of the 4 that hit the animal:


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## wyogoob

Dunkem said:


> Did you save the offal,silly question8)


Yes, I saved the normal stuff; heart, some liver, tongue and the testicles.

.


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## wyogoob

Loke said:


> How many gun bearers did you employ for that artillery piece?


Ah, ha, ha

I strapped the thunderboomer across my chest and carried my little 300 WSM in the scabbard. I left my box of 460 shells at home, but had 5 shells in the revolver's cylinder. "That would be enough" I prayed, and mounted my horse.

We found 4 decent bulls in a patch of trees along the Gros Ventre River. I tied up my horse and took off on foot after them with only my revolver, a shooting stick and a knife. I shot and hit the bison 3 times out of 4 shots. The 4th shot, from around 150 yards, knocked the bull down.......And I used the last shell at point blank range to put the animal to rest.

I don't remember any recoil. I do remember seeing the fireball on one shot, taken in some dark spruce trees. :-o Regrettably, I never took the time to put my ear plugs in.

.


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## wyogoob

massmanute said:


> If the range is very short, how about a 12 gauge slug gun?


That's interesting you say that. Slug guns are popular for bison hunting in Wyoming and there's a muzzle loader and shotgun slug only hunt area.

.


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## Cooky

wyogoob said:


> I was waiting until we dug the bullets out of the beast but here's a couple.
> 
> Hunted in a river bottom so I could sneak from tree to tree and get within handgun range:
> 
> 
> Not a huge bison, but all I want:
> 
> 
> .


Not huge huh? It looks pretty darn huge to me. Congratulations on a great hunt. 
So is the next thread in the Recipe forum going to be buffalo hump? Or tongue first?


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## Packout

That is a very neat adventure, great way to hunt them. Congratulations on the bison and on not being able to hear your wife tell you what still needs to be done for Christmas....


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## Mtnbeer

Ha,
I like the heart on a plate just behind the ammo. I bet bison heart tastes good!


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## bowgy

Those slugs look like little fists, I bet they really packed a punch. Pun intended.;-)


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## wyogoob

Mtnbeer said:


> Ha,
> I like the heart on a plate just behind the ammo. I bet bison heart tastes good!


The heart weighs 7.5 lbs

.


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