couesdeerhntr Report post Posted October 13, 2019 It all started with the credit card update and then the morning check to see if the cards got any hits.Boom $650 hit on the card and now the waiting game began to see if it was the wife or I that grew the bison tag. Weeks later and I find out I am the one that drew the tag and the homework began. Started watching every video I could find on bison including everything the game and fish had for us.also sent out a few pm messages to catfishkev and idgaf. They both handed out info on the hunt and catfishkev was gracious enough to let me jump on is bandwagon and use his trail cams that he had. politics up there made us come to conclusion it would be best to have our own information. catfishkev made the first trip up to place trail cams. He placed 6 cams on different locations. My turn was next and I headed up with my dad and son to meet up with another hunter that catfishkev new and we checked cams and went over the pics for the start of his hunt which started sept 13th. After viewing the cam pictures we learned that we had a lot of bison coming thru different locations with some at night and some during day. The other hunter took that info and just couldn’t make it happen during his hunt. i also Sent the cards to Kev so he could view them and also see what the bison were doing. Seeing this cam pics made the weeks before my hunt even longer and to top it off I was unable to make it for opening day and weekend for my hunt. From day one of getting drawn and looking at graphs of herd movement and what time of year the herds were moving to different places from there gps collars I had my eyes set on the east side of the unit. All the cameras on the east side said different and that the bison just were not there. I had e mail game and fish to ask about any information I would be missing on the hunter meeting that takes place night before hunt. I got an e mail telling me I didn’t miss much and was told over the last week or so there was some movement on the east side. 5 days into the hunt and I arrive on the plateau worried I would not have a place to hunt. Went to the east side and checked out first spot. Cam didn’t work but there was very fresh sign that wasn’t there 2 weeks before. Decided to sit there for evening sense there was not any other hunters. Sat from 3 to dark and only saw deer. On way out I stoped at another camera location and man had that place changed. For over a week there was bison at that location everyday and nobody was there hunting them. That night I reviewed the cameras and saw there was a guide checking cams too that day and he had placed a ground blind in the location due to what he saw on cam. That morning I get to location and there is nobody there and I had the spot to myself so I thought. Hour into sitting with sun up I hear a truck driving up close. Said to myself no way is somebody going to walk up on me after seeing my truck. Few minutes later I hear foot steps hour after sun up. I look over and see it’s a guy my age and an older man with crutches. Start talking to them and find out that the hunter Dan is a wounded warrior that received the tag a week prior to hunt. He had met up with the Guides up there and they had sent him to this location. After I found out he was a wounded warrior and he had a hard time getting around I decided I was going to leave the area and let them hunt it telling them that there are bison coming in everyday. They turned and looked at me like I was crazy and asked me to stay which at first I was still going to leave still but then decided to stay and hunt with them. Told the wounded warrior to take the first shot if anything comes in and i will see what happens after. 0930 comes around and they are at 90 yards and closing. The heard came In and it was a mad dash to the water then the fight for the first licks of the salt. That’s when the real stress started and had to try and identify a cow bison out of the herd. I can hear the other hunting trying to figure out which one to shoot and I was doing the same. Boom they take a shot and the herd scatters. son jumps out of there blind and says well he shot let’s go look for blood. As he was doing that I decided to Pursue the herd and I went around a clump of aspen and they’re were standing there 80 to 100yards away. I dropped to the prone position and put my crosshairs on the first bison I see. She was starring right at me facing me for what seemed like an eternity. She then turned broadside and one shot dropped her in her tracks. I guess the east side of unit was calling to me because that’s were I made it happen. Turns out the wounded warrior missed his shot and didn’t get a bison down. The wounded warrior and his son stayed with me after my harvest and helped me break down the animal. I couldn’t tell them enough how much I appreciated that and if they were not there I would be having one heck of a time getting it done. I gutted her and flew back to camp to get my saw and my dad to help out. The whole time the other hunters stayed to watch over my bison tell I got back. We finished the bison and his son help me load everything into truck and I was back to camp. Long drive back to gilbert to get meat taken care off and hide and head to taxidermy. all in all I had an amazing time from start to finish and I met some great people along the way that were very helping in every way I could imagine. I am very grateful for being able to harvest a bison and share the memories with others. Catfishkev without your help I am pretty sure it would of never happened and I thank you. hope you all enjoy the long read! And catfishkev and idgaf thank you both again. trail cam pics are location I harvested my bison plus I threw in a nice deer! All cam pics are from catfishkevs cams that I was lucky enough to be able to share with him 20 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NOTAGS Report post Posted October 13, 2019 Congrats and an enjoy! Bison will spoil you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted October 13, 2019 Congrats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bwana Report post Posted October 13, 2019 Congratulations! Well done. Great write up! My hunt starts Nov 1. More excited now ! Thanks for the report. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
218buck Report post Posted October 14, 2019 Congrats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted October 14, 2019 Nice job Dave. Just so you guys know Dave felt so guilty he got one and the wounded warrior did not. But he was there first and they didnt show up until after sunrise. He also offered to leave And they told him to stay, and when He decided to stay still gave them dibs on first shot opportunity (which could have cost him his shot). They missed, he gave chase and filled his tag. I pretty much told him empathy is a good thing and more people should have it. But he has zero reason to feel guilty. Dave, you are a man of character and you deserve that bison. Congrats dude! I'm super happy for you! 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idgaf Report post Posted October 14, 2019 Congrats! the pain from hauling one goes away after a bit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesdeerhntr Report post Posted October 14, 2019 Thanks guys and thank you for the kind works Kevin. Congrats again on your buffalo and I hope your kids are getting it done too! Can’t wait to read the story and seem more pics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RNGRDOG Report post Posted October 14, 2019 Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
105Coues Report post Posted October 17, 2019 Well done! Thank you for being considerate of our brothers in arms! My hat is off to you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesdeerhntr Report post Posted October 18, 2019 Any ideas on what I should do with the copper bullet and coin that I got up on the rim? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesdeerhntr Report post Posted October 18, 2019 Pretty cool bull pic. I love the shine on the eye 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted October 19, 2019 Awesome dude! Took the whole family in there and got the crushed pennies. Even got two to make my wife earrings. The skull looks awesome. Are you gonna do a mount or a blanket? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesdeerhntr Report post Posted October 19, 2019 I am actually going to do a shoulder mount and a rug or blanket with the back half. Might as well it’s a once in a lifetime tag so I got to make memories! My taxidermist was nice enough to give me the euro skull mount tell he is ready to mount my bison sense it is a once in lifetime tag. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesdeerhntr Report post Posted October 19, 2019 When you told me they had the pennies with bison on it I had to get one made. now I just need to figure out how to have it all together. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
