Trophy Buffalo hunt

[Kootenaibill]

I need some suggestions on bullet grain size for trophy buffalo (1800 to 2000 pounds). The guide says to expect 100 to 150 yard shots. I am partial to the polymer pointed bullet due to their accuracy and punch over this distance. I will be pushing the bullet with 120 grains of BH209 out of my Triumph. I have used the Hornady 250 grain sst in my past hunts with success on moose and deer but I think it may be a little light for the buffalo hunt (moose was only 50 yards, taken deer, mulies and whitetail, at 130+ yards measured with a Nikon laser range finder). I have full faith in the rifle to deliver the bullet as aimed at 150 yards as it does it easily with the 250 sst's. Thanks !

 

[lane]

Use the 300g Bonded SST, and bring 2 reloads, you're gonna need them :wink:

Here's what some "Buffalo Ranch" shooters had to say about just walking up to about 20-50 yards away, with several different weapons..... :shock:

Skinning them was the easy part. Killing them was alot harder than I had figured.

I didnt know that a buff could take two headshots from a .50 cal ml and still not die. Forget about a behind the shoulder shot, they dont even flintch, even with a 7mm. Bows do little to nothing, and a .44 pistol will ricochet off their forehead at point blank.

Yea, bring reloads




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[SWThomas]

I would definitely find something that is going to expand well and not fragment. Maybe a Barnes bullet of your choice. The bigger the better.

 

[beckmw]

Buffalo Hunt

I had the oppertunity to shoot a buffalo a couple years ago. While not 1800 lbs (more like 1000), I used my Disc Elite 50 shooting 110 gr 777 and a Barnes 285 gr spitfire, NOT the tipped one. The Barnes did a fantastic job putting it down DRT. Complete pass thru at about 45 yds, massive damage internally good exit about the size of a 50 cent piece. I would have complete confidence in this bullet even out to 100-150 yds especially pushed with 120 grs of blackhorn if it is accurate out of your gun.

 

[CarlV]

I didnt know that a buff could take two headshots from a .50 cal ml and still not die. Forget about a behind the shoulder shot, they dont even flintch, even with a 7mm. Bows do little to nothing, and a .44 pistol will ricochet off their forehead at point blank.

I can't believe they are immune to killing with a ML. The American hunter almost exterminated them into extintion with old-time calibers and rifles.

Any bullet of sufficient weight and speed behind the shoulders will take out the lungs and kill them. I have no personal experience, but it just makes sence.

I would probably opt for a hard cast slug in the 400+ grain neighborhood.

 

[greatbasin]

Re: Buffalo Hunt

I had the oppertunity to shoot a buffalo a couple years ago. While not 1800 lbs (more like 1000), I used my Disc Elite 50 shooting 110 gr 777 and a Barnes 285 gr spitfire, NOT the tipped one. The Barnes did a fantastic job putting it down DRT. Complete pass thru at about 45 yds, massive damage internally good exit about the size of a 50 cent piece. I would have complete confidence in this bullet even out to 100-150 yds especially pushed with 120 grs of blackhorn if it is accurate out of your gun.

+1 on the 285 gr. Barnes Spitfire.
I used it in Africa and it preformed great on everything I shot.

 

[SteveB]

Bows do little to nothing,

At best - misinformed.
At worst - flat out lie.
Same with thinking a mz in the lung/heart behind the shoulder will no result in a quick kill.

Steve

 

[lane]

Bows do little to nothing,

At best - misinformed.
At worst - flat out lie.
Same with thinking a mz in the lung/heart behind the shoulder will no result in a quick kill.

Steve

Steve

They actually shot one of the 2 Bufs with the bow at close range, the gent telling the story(Not a Bow hunter at the time) expected the beast to die quicker.

Not a liar, not misinformed, but was there when it happened. :wink:

 

[SteveB]

What's "quicker"
Broadheads kill in a far different manner then a gunshot.
A mid to low double lung shot with a SHARP broadhead will put most any animal down in less then 2 minutes - usually well under a minute.


Perhaps "basing his opinion on a single incident led to a wrong conclusion" would have been better wording.

Steve

 

[SteveB]

From Ron LaClair's website - Shrew Bows:

This picture is of Jim Stepp from Maine with a cow Buffalo that he shot with my 57#@27" Super Shrew longbow. The arrows in the quiver are my 780gr. Maples that I was useing at the time. Jim shot it with his 410gr Gold Tip Carbons and a 4bld Steel Force broadhead that he had in the hip quiver he's wearing. I witnessed the shot which was from 20yd's on the moving buffalo and couldn't believe my eyes when the arrow passed completely through the animal cutting a rib going in and between the ribs going out. The Buff was shot in January and had thick hide and long heavy hair not to mention at least 3 feet across.

[/img]

That arrow changed that buff's day.

Steve

 

[frontier gander]

Skinning them was the easy part. Killing them was alot harder than I had figured.

I didnt know that a buff could take two headshots from a .50 cal ml and still not die. Forget about a behind the shoulder shot, they dont even flintch, even with a 7mm. Bows do little to nothing, and a .44 pistol will ricochet off their forehead at point blank.

I'd have to call BS on that. Especially with bows. I have a buffalo hunting movie and they all used bows and put them down within easy distance. Except for the moron that shot one in the ham! Target that huge and he fudges it up LOL.

 

[SWThomas]

Yeah, either someone is making stuff up or those guys are horrible shots. A bow, 7mm bullet, or a pistol to the head is going to put them down. Unless they're shooting drunk with their eyes closed.

 

[cayuga]

If I were hunting Bison, I would be using a White with a large conical bullet. I would have that loaded as hot, but as accurate as I could. I would aim for the heart and lungs and let the conical bullet do the rest. If I had to shoot a sabot, then it would be an all copper brand and I would want it pushed hard. So that it would give max penetration and expansion.

Now I never hunted them. And I am the last to say one thing or another is true or not. But I just find it hard to understand how a large bore rifle like a muzzleloader, with a well placed shot can not bring down even a bison. The western plains were crawling with them. And we all but exterminated them with simple large bore rifles.

The native Americans lived for centuries shooting bow in to them. Granted they might not have dropped on the spot, but any time you damage a major organ, and no medical treatment is given, such as the heart, death will occur.

 

[bp45cal]

did you get a draw at pink mt or are you heading south?if it was me i would use my white s91 in 451 with a home cast 680gr flat point and as much powder as possible and still be able to hit in 4 inchs at 100yrd.but thats me 8)

 

[skwirl]

405 grain 45 caliber bullet and 70 grains of black powder...........

 

[UtahRob]

Use the 300g Bonded SST, and bring 2 reloads, you're gonna need them :wink:

Here's what some "Buffalo Ranch" shooters had to say about just walking up to about 20-50 yards away, with several different weapons..... :shock:

Skinning them was the easy part. Killing them was alot harder than I had figured.

I didnt know that a buff could take two headshots from a .50 cal ml and still not die. Forget about a behind the shoulder shot, they dont even flintch, even with a 7mm. Bows do little to nothing, and a .44 pistol will ricochet off their forehead at point blank.

Yea, bring reloads




http://www.nefga.org/forum/picture.php? ... ureid=5639


http://www.nefga.org/forum/picture.php? ... ureid=5640


http://www.nefga.org/forum/picture.php? ... ureid=5645


http://www.nefga.org/forum/picture.php? ... ureid=5641


Full Story/Pics: http://www.nefga.org/forum/nebraska-hun ... hotos.html

http://www.nefga.org/forum/nebraska-hun ... ffalo.html

Those photos show a sad kind of shoot /hunting ?
Shooting out of the back of a truck ??
Just Not sure why anyone would want to do that kind of shooting IMHO .

 

[frontier gander]

i can understand that buffalo are not what you'd consider "wild" these days but my god i could not just walk up to it and do what they did. I'd love one for meat but to call that hunting? I dont think so. I'd want atleast some kind of terrain difficulty and trees. If i were to pay for a high priced shoot like that, i damn sure am going to take my time and enjoy what i am paying for.

 

[Cajun]

I have to agree, I don't see anything sporting about today's buffalo hunting. If your going to kill one for meat, that is cool. Pick a rifle that will get the job done and do it. It doesn't seem any more of a challange to me then stopping on the side of the road and shooting your neighbor's herd bull in his pasture, especially from the back of a truck. If you really want to make it a hunt, get out there in the wide open where he can run your a$$ down if you screw up and just piss him off. That sounds more like fair chase to me. Personally, they can all roam free, I don't like the taste of Buffalo.

 

[frontier gander]

buffalo and elk is the beat type of meat ive tasted. Moose i hear is pretty good too.

 

[younghunter_86]

i can understand that buffalo are not what you'd consider "wild" these days but my god i could not just walk up to it and do what they did. I'd love one for meat but to call that hunting? I dont think so. I'd want atleast some kind of terrain difficulty and trees. If i were to pay for a high priced shoot like that, i damn sure am going to take my time and enjoy what i am paying for.

FG -
To the credit of the guys on that thread, who I have no connection with, here is the first line of text.

"Figured I share a few from Saturdays ice storm buff shoot. This wasnt hunting, it was shopping."

No one ever said it was hunting. And I it was not a high priced hunt, the cost was very similar to butchering a beef. Here is what else was said.

"it was very comparable to buying a beef cow on the hoof pricewise, but a slightly larger animal. In my opinion, the savings came from the meat being worth more than beef. Ive seen it as much as $10 a pound for burger."