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I was lucky enough to draw a Wyoming bull bison tag last spring. I’ve put in for WY, AZ, and UT for a decade or so and pulled a AZ tag a few years back and was unsuccessful after sitting in a blind for 158 hours. I was really hoping for another chance as I really couldn’t bring myself to shoot a fenced one on a ranch or reservation (I’m 1hr from the Ft peck rez which has bison hunts but they are fenced). The season runs aug 15-dec31 and then they reopen it from jan1-31 if they haven’t had any buffalo migrate down from the park. They shut the hunt down as soon as they start feeding the elk in Jackson Hole which has traditionally been mid jan. I decided to go as late as I thought was comfortable without getting shut out. Turned out it was still early. These hunts used to be easy, the buffalo would show up in nov or dec and they’d be near 100% success. The last 5 years or so the buffalo just don’t come down. The snow was deep when we got there, so much so we needed horses just to get through it at all. The buffalo unfortunately still hadn’t come down. There was a rumor of one bull on the elk refuge, there were about 15 more on the park about 5 miles off and the rest were all way way off in the park and likely won’t be here before they close the season. Well my luck finally turned on wild bison. We picked up tracks in the river bottom first am and caught up to the lone old bull on horseback. I was able to get into about 125 yards. I tucked a 175 swift a frame into his heart with my 7mm STW, then another. He spun around and started heading out. Couldn’t believe it. I put the next two into his low shoulder to break him, which sort of worked. I had time to reload and put two more in the base of his skull before he finally tipped. All shots where lethal. Can’t believe how tough they are!!! We got him gutted and were able to get horses and a sled to him. They’ve got draft horses here to drag them out, I really didn’t think it was possible but they got him drug about a mile to the nearest retrieval road and loaded whole!!! He weighed 958# carcass weight! That puts him at about 1600-1700# on the hoof. Should make Boone and Crockett and we are gonna have a few years of great eating!! Super stoked to have finally ended this quest. We were able to get done early enough to get in a little skiing and are having him butchered and frozen right away so we can haul him home ready to go in the freezer (freezers!). Edit: Sorry about the sideway pics. They all looked the same on my phone.

If Jimmy Carter had a pair this would have been taken care of in 1979.

Time to just put these dogs down,and move on with our lives.We've dealt with there bullsh!T long enough. God bless the U.S.A. and our brave young men and women serving.

Blow them $##%&%#s off the map!

That is the upcharge for dealing with the CWT.com assholes.

I normally don't post stories on here, but since this was the 3rd time in 4 years my sons and I have gone 3/3 on opening morning I thought I would share that but the real story here is this is the first year they let me shoot first... I guess the time has come where they are looking out for me vs me looking out for them. Heck why not, I'll take it and thanks boys! Happy New Years all and good luck

I’ve killed around 20 animals with a bow in Arizona with my boots on. I ain’t starting now.

taking your boots off to make a stalk in cholla country? heres your sign...

Not south, but in more central AZ, I got real close to this one on Saturday. Swirl of wind got me busted. Saw 8 bucks total (6 muleys & 2 WT). Rut in full swing for both.

My son decided last year he wanted to go javelina hunting. I figured because he has already killed a couple deer with a rifle, I would put him in for the general archery javelina hunt in January. I told him that he needed to start practicing with his bow and be confident out to 40 yards, which he did. About noon on the first morning, I finally glassed up a herd of about 15 pigs. As we started to hike to an area to get up wind, we bumped 4 deer, which proceeded to run right into the middle of them and scare them up the hill. We ended up having to hike up some pretty rough terrain, but eventually got to a point where I figured we would be above them. Not long after working our way down, we ended up hearing them not to far away. After passing on a small one at 10 yards, he finally got a decent sized pig at 20 yards, standing broadside, eating on a cactus. He let the arrow fly and hit it a little back, but was able to get on it again real soon and put a finishing shot in it. Unlike his dad, he didn't lose any arrows or miss any shots. Lol. Rest of the weekend was spent chasing quail with him. Love spending time in the hills with my kids.

Just informed of an out of state family wedding scheduled for 9-12 that I cannot miss. I’m happy for the couple, but...... who gets married in September!!!? Ugh!

This is prob gonna be bad

MAGA!!!

i would think there would be a lot less pressure in 22.

I think you’d be making a mistake to switch units. A lot of guys undermine themselves trying to cover too much ground and/or trying to run away from other hunters. 33 is a high producing deer unit, there’s plenty of coues and muleys there, stay after it. just my .02 good luck!

Congrats and what a magnificent bull you harvested. A bison is next after an elk. FIFY. Eddie

I agree. I joined this site in 2005 when there were about 600 members. Before that I just hiked all day long and all I ever saw were white tails flagging running away. Over the years I have picked up a lot of great info and I have put it into practice in the field. Now I cover all those miles with my eyes. The best hunts that I have been on are the ones where I help a friend or family member fill a big game tag for the first time. There are lots of us willing to help out.

Thanks to deer not being so wise during the rut, I was able to bring this buck home with a last ditch evening hunt for the year. The rolling hills and cliffs near me, when they are in the rut, are very conducive to hunting as follows: walk until you see some in a little canyon, since you are not being careful, they are usually standing up and looking at you but they usually don’t spook too bad, back out the way you came until they can’t see you, and circle around down wind and pop over as close to them as you can for a shot. Shot this guy from a large boulder cliff, 67 yards down hill.

Once a buck is located and you decide to make a stalk, lots of guys actually remove their boots and go double socks. I took a pair of beach shoes and glued carpet to the bottom and keep them in my pack for when needed. There is also a product I think called cat's paws that strach to your boots. As far as basic walking just depends on the terrain and boots as others have stated.

Just made 65lbs of summer sausage and 5lbs of jerky out of last years 4 pigs and haven't had anyone yet say anything but good and can I have more. 5 in the cooler right now and thinking another batch of chorizo or breakfast sausage for 1/2 and then keep the rest of summer sausage toward the end of the year.

I’ve been shooting a .264 win mag my whole life. They are hard to beat. I load 130 eldm’s at 3300fps. Coues poison

No tick ever on any Javie's I have harvested or assisted on. I have had a few Elk and Deer with ticks. Another huge determinant is taste is field care. If you are touching your recently harvested javie and later process it...that is your first problem. YOU are contaminating the meat. Think about all of your hero photos.... I go way over board but I use 6-8 knifes and at least 10 pairs of gloves to process my javie. The gloves and knife is changed out for a fresh one ANY time they touch the outside. The famous gland? Do touch it, do not even look at it. It will come off with the hide.

That goes to show you how nasty they are when a tick won’t even suck their blood.

I have taken 15 or so and also never a tick one. I think the amount of stink is directly related to how shitty the shot is. If the first shot is a good shot, little to no stink. If the animal is alive longer than they should have been after the shot, the amount of stink goes up.

Cuz they stink.