Hunting Tatanka

The morning started at my usual time of 5 AM.  Shannon and Trent said they would be ready at 9 AM as they live in Aberdeen just 28 miles north and wanted to get the family off to work and school before coming down to join me.  That was fine with me, as I had breakfast with the hunters from Wisconsin. They reviewed how to hunt Tatanka (Buffalo) and we visited about their success.   Great people and I enjoyed their company and wished them well as they left with a load of buffalo meat, hides and heads. 

South Dakota Prairie in the Winter

Shannon and Trent got to the lodge around 8 AM and we sat down and had some coffee.  The discussion was the plan of the best way to locate and stalk the buffalo.  A lot of the snow had melted then re-froze again leaving a crusty surface.  When we walked, we would crush through it making a lot of noise.  The buffalo would hear this crunch.  It was dead calm at the time we left but wind was to come up to 15 mph from the southwest, so we would have to walk toward that direction until a buffalo was spotted.

More of the plains

We started driving around the plains looking for either a grazing buffalo or one lying down chewing the cud.  They graze for a couple of hours and rest for several hours chewing away, then start over again.  Many pastures held hay bales and I assumed they would feed on the bales.  Not so.  They would lay by the bales out of the wind and in the sun, but did not feed on them.  Instead they always grazed the prairie grasses.

More of the plains.  This will not be easy.

It did not take long to spot a lone bull back up against a rise in the ground.  He was over 1000 yards away and we would have to stalk him to get close to a shot.  The plan was for the three of us to be in single file.  Shannon in the front, me in the middle, and Trent in 3rd place.  Each of them covered themselves with white camo.  Below a rise in the ground we started walking northwest to get in line with the bull.  

They like to lay by the hale bales

The prairie was rolling in this area so we were able to stay below the top of the hills where we might be spotted.  Periodically, Shannon would creep up to a high point and check our location in relationship to the bull.  The concern was that he might hear us crunching through the snow or if we got too close he might walk away.  Please note, I did not say run.  A large bull buffalo fears nothing.

The walking was really tough.  You would step on the snow, and with a loud crunch your weight would cause your boot to go through,  In six to eight inches or deeper in some spots, the walking was really tough, and again, I had too many clothes on.  A mere balmy 15 degrees was almost like spring to the residents of northern South Dakota.

When we were 90 degrees to the wind, Shannon went up to a rise on the prairie and took a look to our location.  We were still out almost 600 yards and had not closed much of the distance, but the wind would now be right in our face.  It was cold, but not uncomfortable and that would keep the animal from hearing us crunch through the snow due to the wind.  In single file we approached the great beast.  Periodically, he would stop grazing, turn and look straight at us, but he could only see one person or maybe nothing at all as we slowly closed the gap.  Tatanka fears no one.  Each time he took a look, we stopped and crouched down.  When he went back to grazing we started our slow approach.  

The walk had me really heated up.  What I should have done when we were below the tops of the rises  was to shed some clothes and pick them up when we walked back.  This is mentioned so that some of you that do this kind of hunt or a stalking hunt in the winter will do what I did not do. 

We reached a point where we stopped just to take a breather and I took the camera and put it on zoom and took the picture below.

I do not know what the yardage was at this point, but we slid off to the left of the picture to a better shooting position.

Slowly moving up to within about 300 yards, we stopped and picked out a wind blown spot to put down the shooting sticks.  My range finder showed 325 yards.  This would be the longest shot I have ever made.  However, this was almost like shooting at a billboard.  The wind was right in our face.  I was a little higher than the target and would be shooting somewhat downhill.  We could not go any closer for fear of him leaving or deciding to come over and say HELLO to whatever was standing and looking at him.   We did not want him to come over.  

As the rifle was placed in the sticks, he turned and his back side was staring straight at me.  This would be a bad shot.  Shannon stood off to my right and close.  Trent stayed right behind me.  Each of them whispered, "Wait." I waited.  Then he turned to the right and gave me a total broadside view.  This was just beautiful.  The scope was placed on the sweet spot and adjusted for the distance.  The round was sent on it's way.  I did not hear the thud, but the guys did and both said in unison, "Great shot!"  He took one step and stood totally still with his head dropping down.  Trent and Shannon both recommended another round, and it was sent to the target.  Shortly after the second thud, he fell to the ground and we waited about ten minutes before approaching him.  You never know what will happen with an animal this size.  He never moved the entire time we walked toward him. 

He has a really nice big head.  

Trent on the left and Shannon on the right facing the picture.  The hunters from Wisconsin were so right when they said you will have a great time with these two outfitters.

 He was outstanding and a really healthy animal.  The guys estimated his age at around five to seven years old.

I am shooting a Winchester Model 70 - 300 Win Mag, Federal Ammo with a Nosler 180 grain bullet.

Good hunting, good fishing, and good luck.  Hank

 

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Where the Buffalo Roam

The American Bison roamed over an enormous amount of territory in the country before any settlements moved west. The numbers were estimated at 30 to 60 million, and the herds were described as endless.  Now I needed to find where I could hunt, and what the cost would be.  In addition, I wanted to be guided, lodged and fed.  Hopefully there would also be a good processor that was accustomed to working with this type of meat nearby.  A tall order, but if you want to have a good time and have results, you need to be taken care of.

Starting in Wyoming, I moved east.  The license fee in Wyoming was $1,400 and I found no private ranches that either raised buffalo commercially or hunted them.  In Nebraska, the pickings were totally non existent.  I thought for sure this state would have some hunting on the big private ranches of the sand hill country across the northern counties of the state.  Nothing turned up.  I will probably get a nasty e-mail from someone on this finding.  If so, they should check their search engine capability, because I found nothing.  I did not search Kansas or Oklahoma because to me the buffalo were a high plains animal and so I moved north to South Dakota.

The hunting opportunities started in the western part of the state and moved across the northern half almost to Sioux Falls.  This was getting close to home and is country and people I am familiar with.  South of Aberdeen, I found what appeared to be a good fit with Northern Plains Outfitters. (http://www.northernplainsoutfitters.com/buffalo-hunts/)  I traded e-mails in June with them, and reviewed their literature.  For references I called the bait store in Webster, SD, and asked them what they knew.  I have been a customer there for 15 years as fishing the glacial lakes is a ritual each year.  They came back with an outstanding reference, and I made a commitment for January.(Their phone is (605) 380-9971)

The main lodge.  The inside is outstanding

When the time came, the weather was horrible.  I believe the South Pole was warmer and they were having gale winds with wind chill temps down to 50 below.  Forget it, I am not going to drive up there with that kind of weather.  I kept in touch with Shannon, one of the owners, and kept watching the weather forecasts from my location in Iowa.  I made a call on January 10th to see what was forecasted locally and compared it to other forecasts.  They all concluded.  There was a window of opportunity where the temps would rise with light winds and a balmy 15 degrees.  Not bad, and I took it.  On Sunday morning off I went to Athol, SD with the hunt on Monday.

Looking from the back to the front of the dining room and lounge area.

Athol, SD is just west of Watertown and it was an easy drive.  Arriving at the lodge, I was really impressed with the facilities.  I met four hunters from Wisconsin, and their opening remarks were, "You will have one of the best times you have ever had with the two owners.  They will go out of their way to make sure you have success and are pleased with the service.  Plus, they are really great people."  Wow, that was some recommendation, and it was totally unsolicited.  This proved out to be more than 100% true.

Looking from the front to the back of the dining room.  The kitchen is seen.  When they are in full swing with the bird and deer hunters, cooks and guides are working to make sure you have a good experience.

That afternoon and into the evening the four hunters filled me in on how to do it.  Walk and stalk would be the order of the day.  I would search initially in a four wheel drive truck until a buffalo could be spotted.  Then it would be stalking the animal in wide open country.

My bedroom with room for a total of three hunters.  I believe the main lodge can sleep a maximum of 12 hunters.

I looked around the lodge and the facilities were outstanding.  I would have a private room with my own bathroom and the food was extremely good.  Meeting Shannon and Trent, the owners, proved to be everything the Wisconsin hunters told me.  These men want your business and will work to make sure you have a good experience.  Upon meeting Shannon and Trent, I hit it off with them immediately.  You can always tell right away when you meet someone how things will go, and we became instant friends.  After all, this is South Dakota, and the people are some of the finest you will ever meet.

Additional rooms are available in two different buildings.

Their business is mainly pheasants and deer.  During their peak season, they will have 30 to 40 hunters weekly providing guides and dogs.  Plus, they butcher and package everything for the hunter, so all he has to do is shoot and enjoy life at the lodge.

More rooms. Noticed the ground behind this building.  You are in the wide open plains of South Dakota.

After dinner we visited about what to expect the next day and what time to be ready.  On Monday, January 13th, I will hunt for "Tatanka."  This is the Sioux term for buffalo, and it means" Big Hump."

Good hunting, good fishing, and good luck.  Hank

 

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Prelude to a Bison Hunt

Last June I started thinking about a Buffalo hunt on the prairies of the great plains.  Research about the animal to be hunted would provide an understanding about habitat, hunting methods, and time of year when the hunt would be best.  With that in mind, the research started and one of the first places to review was on Wikipedia.  Excellent information was available and a list of references was available that would give me everything needed.

These majestic animals once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds. They became nearly extinct from the commercial hunting done during the 19th century and the movement of the settlers onto the American plain. The animals now exist mainly in National and State Parks throughout the country.  In recent years ranchers have undertaken the job of raising and marketing the animals much the same way as raising beef cattle.

Their coats vary from winter to summer with a long dark brown winter coat to a lighter weight brown summer coat.  After visiting with outfitters, they all recommended hunting in the cold months of December to January to harvest the best thickest and heaviest hide.  The animal is not small.  Head and body range from six to eleven feet with weights up to as high as one ton depending on the age and whether it is a bull or cow.  The buffalo are herbivores and graze on native grasses of the prairies.  Their day will consist of a couple of hours of feeding and then having a rest period of lying down and chewing their cud for a couple of hours.  Then they move on.  Not a bad life, especially if you live on a private ranch where life expectancy can reach 25 years.  Wild buffalo in the parks of the country generally have a life expectancy much shorter. I did not research why, but discovered that periodically a white buffalo will be born.  This condition is extremely rare and these are considered sacred by the Native Americans.

I found it interesting that the animal can jump almost six feet and when running, can reach speeds of up to 35 to 40 mph.  This is something to keep locked in my mind when the time comes for the hunt.  I can't out run it.  They have been described as having a wild and ungovernable temper, and for this reason they are very difficult to control and manage as a domesticated creature.   Since my wife is from Sidney, Nebraska, we had the good fortune of visiting a rancher that raised buffalo.  His fences were very stout and high.  He told us they took very little care.  Just turn them loose and they look after themselves.  We drove out to see part of the herd and were instructed not to leave the truck.  The rancher took a bucket of some commercial feed, shook it, and they came running.  He got back into the truck, pronto.

In the winter when the snow is deep, the buffalo will continue to graze by clearing the snow away from the grass land with their big heads.  This is done by moving the skull back and forth.  When their water supply is frozen, they will eat the snow.  This animal is totally self sufficient. 

The big males will stay to themselves away from the herd.  The herd will be comprised of mostly cows with some adult males.  When the mating season starts, the big bulls will re-join the herd and display their dominance.  A noisy bellow or roar is the method the big bulls do to attract the cows and show their dominance.  The big bulls mate in the first several weeks of the mating season.

If you write about Buffalo, nothing is more fitting than to have a picture of the man himself, Buffalo Bill Cody.

With a feel for the animal, the next step is to plan a hunt with an outfitter either on government property or with a private ranch.  The research continues.

 

Good hunting, good fishing, and good luck. Hank

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