Method of Harvest

 

Because bison are a herd animal by nature and they're not afraid of much, the universal truth is that finding and approaching a herd of a bison standing out on the plains within rifle range is fairly simple. But it takes strategy, patience, and marksmanship to select a quality eating young bison from the herd and obtain a good, safe shot at a reasonable distance (we should be able to get you within 150 yards, sometimes within 100). We urge - if not require - our clients to take a rifle shot 2-3" behind the base of the ear to put the animal down instantaneously.  This isn't the "gimme" shot as the vast majority of people think. You may likely be dealing with a variety of factors that impact your shooting, including cold, wind, movement, and traffic within the herd. Precision and velocity are more important than the kick of your gun and the size of your bullet in these regards. This approach yields the best possible meat on your dinner table and avoids an injured animal getting surrounded by the herd, which will actually attack and try to kill an injured bison. This is a very bad situation that we try to avoid at all costs. At the end of the day, our primary objective is to put the best possible meat in your freezer.

 

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Weapon selection and shot placement.

 

Shot placement is far more important than power. We strongly recommend, actually urge our clients to take a head/neck shot. With a well-placed bullet 2-3" behind the base of the ear, a bison can be killed instantly by an average deer or elk rifle. We personally use .270s to take our own bison - - big and small.

 

The head / ear shot is not only the most humane way to take a bison, it also prevents waste and allows for an excellent bleed. The end result is a cleaner carcass, less waste, and higher quality meat. We've had clients who have hunted almost every animal known to man and they overwhelmingly say that the bison is among the toughest, most resilient animals they've ever seen. So we really cant overstate that shot placement is the most important aspect of the hunt.  

 

For the best results, we encourage our clients to become comfortable hitting a 3" target at a minimum of 100 yards while standing or kneeling (with or without shooting sticks) in open and windy conditions. Prone and sitting shots are few and far between out on the prairie, due to tall grasses, brush, rocks, and knolls.

 

 

What types of bison hunts are available?

 

We pride ourselves on providing the highest quality bison meat. This is why our hunts are for young butcher animals between 18 and 22 months of age - both bulls and heifers - having a live weight of 600 to 800 pounds (depending on gender, age, and time of year). On average, young bulls appear larger than heifers of the same class, but choosing between the two is simply a matter of personal preference. Heifers tend to carry more fat, less hair, hide, and bone, and will often yield a comparable amount of meat and sometimes even more than a young bull. Both taste excellent when harvested and handled appropriately.

 

Our clients will often choose a heifer if they are looking for a nice robe, or they will choose a bull if they want a shoulder mount or European mount. The bulls will also produce nice robes later in the season.  Although these are young animals, make no mistake:  These bison are awfully impressive to look at!

 

Why book with us?

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Simply put: we're all about providing the best quality bison meat and our methods are tried and true over the course of multiple decades doing this. These bison are bred, born, raised, harvested, slaughtered, butchered, and packaged all right here, in house, by the owner. 

 

We frequently have customers who book bison hunts on an annual or biannual basis because it's the only product they want to put on their table. Several of our clients have told us that they have hunted bison with other outfitters, but our meat is unmatched. We attribute this to a couple things.  First, our herd is born and raised in their native habitat where you would have seen thousands of bison roaming 200 years ago. Our bison are 100% grass fed on native prairie, supplemented with alfalfa-grass mix in the winter -- no grains, no hormones, no antibiotics, no needles of any sort. This is the real deal; an authentic product. Second, our tried-and-true method of harvest and the very important handling of the carcass after the shot is all done with the ultimate goal of ensuring premium quality meat. Unlike our competitors, we handle the meat processing at our in-house, state-approved custom butcher shop. 

 

Sure, playing cowboy and shooting big, tough, hulking old bulls and cull cows might be fun and they're certainly impressive to look at (we've got plenty to gaze at and take pictures of while you're here!), but if you're looking for the finest quality bison meat, look no further.