Population management hunts

[Mark-Devin]

I hunted the bison at House Rock a couple of years ago in June <hot>.

 

House Rock is not Raymond Ranch so be careful what people tell you about what they've heard.

 

At House Rock we didn't hunt with a Game and Fish employee...nobody tellin' you which animal to shoot (you and your tag tell you what you can shoot). Game and Fish will be there for you with as much information as you'll need. You said you have a cow or yearling tag...be sure you pay attention to the information that they'll give you about identifying a legal animal.

Listen to them and ask alot of questions.

 

Take friends with you. You'll need them. Buffalo is yummy...share the meat and you shouldn't have much trouble finding help.

If you have an OHV to help haul that's great but, if not you'll need strong backs and frame packs.

A cordless saw is nice but only if you don't have to haul it around. Keep the saw in the truck just in case. Sharp knives is what you'll need. A buffalo can be cut into bite size pieces.

 

You might be lucky and kill an animal close to a road where you can get close. DON'T COUNT ON IT. Come prepared or don't shoot.

It will be warm and you'll need coolers. We took 5 or 6 100 qt coolers and filled them with ice on the way out of Flagstaff. One of our other hunters killed a buffalo with a single shot right by a tank and within a few yards of a road. That hunter's name is "Lucky".

 

Two of us hunted Tank #1 and killed our buffalo on the 1st day. Game and Fish is likely observing their movement and will tell you where they're seeing them and possibly which tanks they're hittin'. Buffalo and water are a good mix. Will you be at the right water at the right time....hmmmm? Perhaps you should also be prepared to go out on the prowl. Be sure you know where the water is (game and fish will tell you). If G & F is sittin' up high glassing then they may be sharing information via radio. Be sure you have a radio. Tank #1 wasn't radio friendly (cut off from those watchin' from high up) and it was a mile and a half from where our trucks had to stop.

 

When our buffalo came in to the tank it was incredible. Fifteen or so animals sounding like 100 and they all wanted in that tank. The other hunter I was with shot shortly after they got to the tank...two shots from a .30 cal dropped it where it stood. The herd watched and moved about but, didn't bolt. I moved a bit for a shot and dropped a nice buffalo...right through the lungs. It got right up. I shot again and down it went...up again until a 3rd 180 gr bullet from my .300 Win Mag finished the job. All the shots were on their mark...buff's are tough...I wouldn't squeeze the trigger if you aren't sure that you'll be able to follow up.

 

It took me nearly an hour to bone that critter out and bag it up (there will be flys, take game bags)...my buddies have strong backs but their knife skills are still improving (invite a butcher and you'll be out in no time).

 

Keep in mind:

This is not Raymond Ranch

This is not a canned hunt

This could be a very challenging hunt (mine turned out easy...I had 2 friends and the other hunter brought 2 as well)

This is your hunt

Don't expect others to do your work (bring your help with you). Please note: all the other invited hunters were extremely friendly and all offered help.

Game and Fish will help you but they're not your guides/outfitters (don't count on more than information and advice...if you get more than that be thankful).

Things change...my hunt a couple years ago may be different than yours.

Keep asking questions but, ignore anyone that hasn't hunted House Rock buffalo .

Have a great hunt...this is a free ranging herd, wild and challenging and worth every bit of the effort

[wackycouesaddict]

On my grandfathers hutn they sent them out with game and fish officer. Witch really sucked for him bein 60 and a construction worker bbut then we went our own and shot his and could drive the truck to it. You will need help for sure even with the truck there we needed the three guys we brought and the head officer for house rock load it. If its the same guy watch out hes got some very dry harsh humor. My grandpa had the yearling tag and when he walked up (watched the stalk) he told my grandpa it was a two year old and he would have to right him up. evryones heart droped and then like five min of just standing there he said im just messing with you guys. hahaha did not like that but he helped load it after.

 

Good luck hope it goes good for you.

take your kids if you can they will remember it forever i know i will.

 

Tyler

[DCMHunter]

Thanks for all the help. This change in dates should work out for the best if the hunt goes. This weekend is Wapiti weekend with the AES at the Sipes Ranch and I would lose lots of help to that. Now I can help at Wapiti and my help can go on the hunt with me. I will be taking horses to carry the meet out and I will do a gutless quartering when I get one down. I do have a good bone saw that braeks down and is easy to pack and a Battery operated zawsaw that the horses can carry. I just spoke to the lady at rock house and she said few are coming down at this time and are hanging tight to the wilderness and tank one. There are some others in the cocks comb area but hopefully will drop down. There is still one hunter in the area with a govenors tag and she hopes that he will not get to chasing them to bad. She also said that last year there were a lot that never came down but stayed up by the Kaibab Lodge area and the park. This not being a Raymand ranch hunt makes it all the better. But my wife is getting tired of watching the identification video every night.

 

Thanks again for all the help and if you think of anything else please post it here or PM me.

[wackycouesaddict]

You better hope they come out of the cocks combs. They are killer even as a wrestler they kicked my but big time.

[DCMHunter]

Hunt has been postponed again. Is this common? I try to rearange schedules to fit the hunt in and then have to rearange them again and again, my boss will not keep doing this forever. I hope they do not change it again. Or should I say I hope the Buffalo come down onto the House Rock so the WM will OK the hunt.

 

DCM (AKA Frustrated)

[Browning'sCustomMeat]

Hunt has been postponed again. Is this common? I try to rearange schedules to fit the hunt in and then have to rearange them again and again, my boss will not keep doing this forever. I hope they do not change it again. Or should I say I hope the Buffalo come down onto the House Rock so the WM will OK the hunt.

 

DCM (AKA Frustrated)

 

Man Oh Man sorry to hear about all the rescheduling. I sure hope it all works out into your favor.

 

-Jeremy-

[arizonaelitefreak]

wow twice , id go up there and start chasing them buffaloe back down onto the ranch! good luck with all that!

[Mark-Devin]

Sorry to hear about the postponement.

 

My hunt was never postponed. G&F observed a large number of animals on House Rock and they hurried us up there.

 

The good thing about the postponement is that G&F is not wasting your time.

 

They very much want you to be successful. The herd needs to be managed and you are their best tool to do that.

 

One of the earlier posts even mentions that G&F employee (Tom) accompanied his grandfather for part of the hunt.

 

Tom and the others will do what they can to help you. If your employer can't be as flexible as you need them to be then by all means contact G&F (those that you've spoken to already or those numbers you were given....don't call customer service) and ask them what they can do to help you get up there and hunt.

 

Best of luck to you!

 

Hope you had a fantastic time at Wapiti Weekend!

[DCMHunter]

Thanks everyone for the help that was provided, but after nearly two months of swapping and changing shifts everytime the G&F postponed or rescheduled the hunt they the have postponed it one to many times. I was called today and told the the buffalo are not coming off the top and they are postponing the hunt another week. After the last change my boss told me I could not continue to swap shifts every week or every other week. If they call and offer me the tag again I will have to decline the offer unless by chance it is on a weekend I already have off. Thanks again for all the help and hopefully I will be able to put it use someday.

 

DCM

[Browning'sCustomMeat]

uhhh just sickening....Man, I feel horrible for you. Wish your boss could understand, but he has a biz to run...Dang, just tough luck. Keep yer head up!

 

-Jeremy-

[200"mulie]

so what happened. you got hook line and sinker on me. im in suspence??? did you go? did they reschedule again???