Bison Shot Placement

thecrittergitter

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Bozeman, MT
Had an interesting experience the other day. Had a guy that wanted a Bison for the freezer but was too busy to take any time off to go get it. Said if I went to the place and shot it, i could keep the skull and hide. Sounded like a pretty good gig for me, i get to shoot, keep the good stuff and just drop it off at the butcher shop.

Well, we "picked out" a nice trophy 3 yr old cow for harvest. It was standing facing toward me and i asked if he wanted me to wait for it to turn or just shoot it head on in the skull. Well, he said oh, this is fine go ahead. So i did. Put the crosshairs between the eyes, raised up about an inch or so and kablam! That thing jerked its head back and piled over and laid there stiff as a board. At least for about 8 seconds, then the SOB got up and started running off with blood pouring out the throat and mouth. As i stood there dumbfounded, i tried getting another shot but all the other damn bison kept running it and harassing the hell out of it. Well, an hour later and 3/4 mile away, i finally got up to it again and it was standing there acting like nothing had happened, except for the entire front covered red. So, I shot it again this time from the side at about 90 yards. And for good measure shot it a 3rd time right behind the ear.

After we skinned the head, we found the hole and i'm still dumbfounded how that thing survived. Shows you the little margin of error. I felt terrible about it but i guess i know next time to be about 1" higher:)

Must have been because i shot from about 10' higher elevation. I'm sure if i had been on level ground, it wouldn't have twitched:)

Crazy stuff.
 

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I always heard that you shoot them behind the ear. You're going to have some explaining to do in heaven Matt:D That's going be one angry bison you're going to be explaining too.
 
Yeah I had heard the behind the ear rule as well. But i gotta say critter, based on the picture, I would have been as shocked as you when that thing got up and ran off.
 
I see what you meant ealrier...that sucks it took so long...but at least you know for next time...and you did get to shoot a bison! Congrats on that!
 
Is that a Ted buffalo?

My vet friend tells me you make a cross from eyes to ears and shoot where the lines cross for the kill shot. So yeah an inch or two higher maybe
 
You are right, you were too low. The best way to try and ensure that you have a humane/killing shot on the first try is to draw an imaginary line (pretty sure that the buff wouldn't let you use a sharpie) from the medial canthus (inside or middle corner of the eye) to the opposite horn base then repeat on the other side and where the two lines cross is your target. Obviously, if the animal is not facing you straight-on or if the head is up or down, your target will be affected. It's best to try and wait until positioning is good. That being said, sometimes stuff happens, even if you're following the rules.
 
Yea, the last two we have killed were right behind the ear. I have understood the same thing, draw an X between eyes and horns and its there. In fact, when the MT FWP sends out their bison packets when you draw a tag, this is one of the shot placements they tell you is good. I drew the line in my mind and squeezed trigger.......i actually think the x hairs were a scosh higher but the trajectory being that close may have been a little low?

Think i'm sticking to right behind the ear from now on.

Not a Turner buffalo. Another guy here in MT that is starting to thin his herd down because of the testing and hastle to keep them is almost not worth it anymore.

I'll bet this one isn't gamey:)
 
You dont think an hour of running around and stressing over that shot wont make her gamey? Hopefully you are right!

Yep...looks low,especially if you were higher... Cool though.
 
What are you planning on doing with the cape? Because I was thinking You should make a Jeremiah Johnson coat out it. That would be pretty sweet.
 
Capes this time of year suck as the hair slips really bad. But tanning with hair off would be cool.....

Traded cape for the Euro:)
 
Now that sounds like a sweet deal...get to shoot a bison for practically free and get at free euro.
 
Sounds like what some of you mountain state boys like to derisively refer to as a 'Texas hunt'.

....just sayin.
 
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Don't know where Tom is hangin his hat these days but the man used to just crack me up...he took crap with the best and never bitched much about it.

That prairie carp he shot still reminds me of Princess Leia's head on a barrel..
 
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