There is a bounty of information regarding our methods of harvest, weapon selection, shot placement, and butchering services on our Know your Meat page.

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What else can I hunt at The Bison Ranch?

 

In addition to our bison packages, we are licensed outfitters offering semi-guided hunts for waterfowl, upland game, coyote, and in some instances whitetail. 

 

We are located in the heart of the prairie pothole region - right in the central flyway.  The abundance of pothole sloughs, cropland, and grasslands yields some of the best waterfowl hunting in the country. 

 

For upland game, we have a good amount of sharptail grouse in our area as well as fluctuating populations of ringneck pheasant. We do offer premium, fully-guided pheasant hunts through a partner pheasant farm as well. Ask for details.

 

The coyote population has never been larger than now and the hunting is excellent.

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Whitetail deer are abundant on our property and there have been many trophies harvested here. However, getting a non-resident rifle tag is nearly impossible. 

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We offer bison hunting from mid-September through mid-December; usually selling out by December of the preceding year.

 

How long has The Bison Ranch been in business?

 

We started offering bison hunts in 1997, but our experience in the bison business goes back to the 1980s.

 

Can my child come with me on a hunt at The Bison Ranch?

 

We welcome children of all ages to come hunt at The Bison Ranch so long as they are accompanied by a responsible adult and are educated in hunter's safety.  We have great experience mentoring and teaching children the sport of hunting and we take pride in teaching youth love for the sport.
 

How do I get there?

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Most of our clients make the trip by vehicle so they can take their bison meat home with them. We have had clients fly in and check their coolers of meat home on the plane. You would be responsible for making those arrangements, if you so desire.

 

Are your bison wild?

We get asked this question a lot - and it's a fair one considering the history and current status of North American bison. In short:  there's no such thing as a truly "wild" bison.  
 

The North American bison, as a species, has a pretty unique history. Where there were once approximately 50 million of them stampeding up and down the plains in giant herds, now there are under a half-million existing in the entire world. Because of their capability to multiply and destroy everything in their path, virtually every single bison in existence is owned, managed, and accounted for by either government authorities (national and state parks) or private ranches. You simply will not find a free-roaming wild bison is not owned or managed by somebody.  (Click here for information on Yellowstone's bison management program).

 

For example, Yellowstone National Park rounds up its herd with helicopters and snowmobiles on an annual basis, then loads hundreds of bison onto trailers and hauls them off to be slaughtered on a conveyor belt much like cattle.  (Click here for link).  Certain state parks or tribal authorities offer bison hunting tags to the public, where a herd manager will take the hunter to the herd and instruct which animal needs to be culled (usually old or lame animals to be removed from the gene pool).  

 

Our bison are privately owned and our hunts are conducted on thousands of acres of native prairie in the rolling hills of North Dakota.  This land is exactly how it looked hundreds of years ago when it was grazed by our herd's ancestors.  Our bison are 100% grass fed; no grains, no hormones, no antibiotics.  Our bison do not see or experience a trailer or a needle of any sort.  They are born and raised on the prairie and they are harvested by our clients on their natural habitat. The end result is an authentic meat product like no other.

 

Our bison herd sees way less human activity than those in the state and federal parks.  In this respect, our bison are wilder than anything you'll see in the parks, where tourists seem to get attacked at an alarming rate because they get way too close to these majestic animals.  
 

For more information on this, please take a look at our gallery, which shows the wide-open expanses of our prairie.

 

Doesn't winter make it too difficult to hunt there?

There is no denying that winter in North Dakota can be tough.  This is why our hunting season runs from mid-September to mid-December. We encourage our guests arriving in November or later to have four wheel drive - just in case the roads get bad.

When winter does arrive, it can be as cold as -30 degrees F.  But as they say:  if you don't like the weather in North Dakota, just wait 2 days.  Temperature changes of 40-50 degrees are not uncommon up here on the open plains, so watch the forecast and come prepared!

We have conducted hundreds of hunts here in the great outdoors and are equipped for cold, wind, and blizzard conditions.  And--just to give you peace of mind--IF inclement weather prevents you from traveling here for your scheduled hunt, we will allow you to rebook.

How do I book a hunt?

The first step in booking a hunt with us: E-mail us at info@thebisonranch.com with a range of dates that will work for you. (Or call us at 701-269-1558). Upon your e-mail inquiry, we will send out additional information.  Or, we will call you if your e-mail indicates you'd prefer a call.

 

Once you've decided on a date, please fill out our waiver form.  This form is not only the traditional waiver of liability. It is an important tool that helps us keep track of your contact information and the dates you are scheduled to hunt with us.