Price of hunts

Don't know the prices on Buffalo Hunts, but dropping some feed and then pulling the trigging isn't hunting in my book. I wouldn't have pulled the trigger. Sounds like whoever booked the hunt didn't do enough homework.

I agree that isn't hunting at all seems to me they got ripped off and should go get their money back

There aren't alot of places in the US for a "fair chase" buffalo hunt. Alaska has some wood bison, Utah on Antelope Island and Yellowstone outside the park. I am sure I have forgotten some as well. Yellowstone is still kinda unknown, as you still only kill them when they leave the park. For a ranch hunt for buffalo, $1000 for a 2-3 year old and $2000 for a mature bull(6 years or older) would be a good price if you get the whole animal. Several places in South Dakota and area states run maybe $1800, but you do not get the meat. For those who want the head but not the meat. I did my hunt in Central Wyoming on 10,000 mountain fenced acres. So, it wasn't some much of an extreme, as the first person described. The younger bulls will stay in the low country and shots of 40 yards are not unheard of. The older bulls wander up into harder terrain and spend more time alone, making them alittle harder to get at. You would be pretty lucky to get within 100 yards or so, so with a bow-it could be difficult. Lets face it, alot of people want a Buffalo for their prized trophyrooms, I did! But, there aren't alot of places to go get one on "fairchase" conditions. I chose a large ranch with rough terrain to at least make it a challenge. The hunters from the first string of this forum kinda took it in the shorts. But the lesson is learned for all of us. You talk to the outfitter and call his or her references then if it checks out , get it in writing exactly what you are hunting for. That way if it is not as described you have a leg to stand on in civil court. IE: making a person shoot a 2 year old bull when you signed in for a 7 year old. Times have changed GET IT IN WRITING!

Montana actually came quite close to having a "fair chase" Bison hunt this year. It was supposed to have started the 15th of Jan. 10 tags were to be drawn, non residents could apply but could not hold more than 10% (1 in this case) of the tags. Over 10 years ago we used to have a "hunt" for Bison that left the park but it got alot of bad publicity, the protesters won and the hunt was shut down. This more recent hunt was approved by the members of the Mt Fish and Game Commision in December of 04. Two days before the drawing was supposed to take place our newly elected "Look at me, I am all for the sportsman and hunters of this great state (until I am in office)" governor" booted the members of the Commision that wanted the hunt to take place and replaced them with "Buffalo friendly" chairmen. An emergency meeting was called and the new apointees decided the hunt wasnt such a great idea. Our new governor felt it would give a black eye to Montana and Buffalo hugging tourists would never again spend their money here.
10 names were ultimately drawn from the 8500 applicants for a hunt that would take place "in the future", more than likely when a new governor is elected.
Its a tough call. I applied for a tag but I must admit I wasnt real sure how much of a fair chase hunt this really was going to be. I WAS looking forward to putting several hundred pounds of tasty buffalo steaks in the freezer.
The problem is this herd spends most of the year in Yellowstone National Park where they are veiwed close up by thousands of polaroid packing tourists. I dont think they have much fear of humans when they leave the park in the winter. To be honest with you, Im not sure how much fear buffalo had of humans 130 years ago when they were nearly extinguished from our great plains. I have read captions from Journals where one or two sharp shooters would kill hundreds of buffalo from a single hill in one day without stampeding the herd. I dont think they will ever be as human fearing as a white tail no matter how much they are hunted.
I am not opposed to ranchers keeping Bison as an alternative livestock. Alot of folks around here do. They seem to take to domestication quite well and there are several places in the west that offer harvesting of these animals, Im not sure what you would call it. I would not be interested in that but I cant say the person that does is a bad person. Its just discouraging for fair chase hunters to get classified in the same group as the people who shoot bison out of a small fenced in area.
I have herd the Bison in Arizona are hard to hunt and harvest, I am not sure about Alaska or Wyoming. I THINK there is some small, free ranging herds in Central Mt on the Indian reservations (Fort Beltnap and Rocky Boy) that are far from "shooting fish in a barrel" I guess Im not too dissapointed Montanas most recent attempt on Bison hunt got cancelled, but if I finally draw my Mountain Goat tag this year and the new Governor decides to cancel that too, you can bet I will be on my way to the Capitol wanting a scalp! Happy "hunting" or "harvesting" everyone.

doesnt sound like much of a HUNT to me. wierd

cool

Sounds to me like someone should have checked their refrences before sending that deposit in.

i think that is not hunting that is like killing a dary cow there is no fun in it that way