MOL
01-29-2011, 01:11 PM
Well we survived another winter Bison Hunt! Sacha, Jim and I headed out few Saturday's ago and got to out offloading spot at 4:00 pm, it was about -34 C. After unloading our sleds and loading our skimmers we left just after dark, as usual! We headed down the trail, lots of snow and only a few snowmobile tracks! After getting the rookie unstuck several times, and finally breaking trail into the hunting spot we arrived at about 10:30 pm. We were all a little played out but no time to sit around, we set up the tent and stove, cut some fire wood and get a fire going. A few beers and some dinner and it was bedtime (beer in cooler stay liquid even at those temps). We woke up at about 2:30, guess what, the fire was out and it was bloody cold, we quickly got it going and it stayed going with not 1 but 3 fire tenders after that.
We slept in a bit but were on our way on the opener, it was at least -35 and snowing, we thought the Bison would be in the trees for sure. We found only a few old tracks and a couple of cow moose in our valley, we broke a few trails and backed out in case the bison moved in later. We hunted a few other areas but really saw very little. The next day we checked again, same result and had to move off to another area. We finally caught up to 2 small groups of Bison in the late afternoon. Got real close to both groups but was holding out for a bull. The next day was a shorter hunting day Sacha had to head out and I had to get some of our stuff back to the truck so we could pull out in a few days with only 2 sleds. I called the wife to check in when we got to the trucks and she informed me that there was 20 inches of fresh snow in the drive way and the quad would not push it, oh oh! I headed back in on a nicely broke trail after picking up more gas and we did a short afternoon hunt.
The next morning we got up early to beat the rush onto the main trail, it worked and we ran into a group of 12 cows and calves, put on a stock, had a shot but a little too far. We saw about 9 moose in the same meadow. And no bull Bison. As we were low on gas we started heading out. We ran into a group (Jesse, Arny, J., Brent and Cody) that had killed a couple of Bulls and were heading in to get them. As it was getting late in the day, I asked them about their broke down polaris from the night before and volunteered to pull it out for them, we also lent them a skimmer! Me and Jim hooked onto the busted sled with the new Skandic and started pulling, the first 500m uphill with the park brake on. It got a lot easier one the brake was taken off and on the way we ran into about 20 Bison once again I passed on the shot(s). We got out to their cabin at about 9:00 pm and dropped off the sled, I think it was about a 30 km pull with a few steep hills and sharp corners. We earned a few drinks and a 24 out of the deal and shared it with the boys. We got back to camp at 1:00 am and after cutting some firewood went to bed.
We awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of strong winds on the ridge tops. It was getting close and all of a sudden the wind caught our tent and raised it off the frame and pulled the stove pipe out of the stove, by now the temperature was about -10 so luckily it had warmed up. We quickly got the tent back in order and got another few hours of sleep. I told Jim to sleep in and headed out for a short ride. Went down on trail and cut some tracks, owing to the high winds I knew that the tracks were fresh (cows and calves) and they would be in the area still. I back tracked and went into the meadow and could see a few Bison. I jumped off the sled, loaded up and the stalk was on. I was about 150 m out and got behind a few small trees. I got the scope on the mostly bedded animals but did not have a shot and they were getting my wind. Within about 3 minutes the lead cow started walking out of the meadow with most of herd behind her. The last 2, a mature cow and yearling lingered a bit, I had a clear shot on the cow, she went down and the season was over. I spined her, after telling myself to shoot low, aiming what I thought was low and next time will aim low then lower down a foot! I will blame it one the high winds and 3 ft of snow! No bulls but we saw about 50 head of cows and calves. Thanks to my helpers! I love the winter hunting, next time I will hold out for a Bull, but the cow is very tasty and seems tender. By the way i too have seen the marbling in Bison meat!
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUQ9kjigBlI/AAAAAAAAABE/75FeUnCmSiY/s400/IMG_0023.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUR58-nWDGI/AAAAAAAAABc/qs07xR35URk/s640/IMG_0005.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUYLabm1FII/AAAAAAAAADU/uVr7G-JrMAA/s400/IMG_0004.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUR59Q0tVdI/AAAAAAAAABk/wRGYRQKYupE/s400/IMG_0008.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUYLa1rXksI/AAAAAAAAADY/FwEM1QlfLBA/s640/IMG_0041.JPG
Thanks Brent!
We slept in a bit but were on our way on the opener, it was at least -35 and snowing, we thought the Bison would be in the trees for sure. We found only a few old tracks and a couple of cow moose in our valley, we broke a few trails and backed out in case the bison moved in later. We hunted a few other areas but really saw very little. The next day we checked again, same result and had to move off to another area. We finally caught up to 2 small groups of Bison in the late afternoon. Got real close to both groups but was holding out for a bull. The next day was a shorter hunting day Sacha had to head out and I had to get some of our stuff back to the truck so we could pull out in a few days with only 2 sleds. I called the wife to check in when we got to the trucks and she informed me that there was 20 inches of fresh snow in the drive way and the quad would not push it, oh oh! I headed back in on a nicely broke trail after picking up more gas and we did a short afternoon hunt.
The next morning we got up early to beat the rush onto the main trail, it worked and we ran into a group of 12 cows and calves, put on a stock, had a shot but a little too far. We saw about 9 moose in the same meadow. And no bull Bison. As we were low on gas we started heading out. We ran into a group (Jesse, Arny, J., Brent and Cody) that had killed a couple of Bulls and were heading in to get them. As it was getting late in the day, I asked them about their broke down polaris from the night before and volunteered to pull it out for them, we also lent them a skimmer! Me and Jim hooked onto the busted sled with the new Skandic and started pulling, the first 500m uphill with the park brake on. It got a lot easier one the brake was taken off and on the way we ran into about 20 Bison once again I passed on the shot(s). We got out to their cabin at about 9:00 pm and dropped off the sled, I think it was about a 30 km pull with a few steep hills and sharp corners. We earned a few drinks and a 24 out of the deal and shared it with the boys. We got back to camp at 1:00 am and after cutting some firewood went to bed.
We awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of strong winds on the ridge tops. It was getting close and all of a sudden the wind caught our tent and raised it off the frame and pulled the stove pipe out of the stove, by now the temperature was about -10 so luckily it had warmed up. We quickly got the tent back in order and got another few hours of sleep. I told Jim to sleep in and headed out for a short ride. Went down on trail and cut some tracks, owing to the high winds I knew that the tracks were fresh (cows and calves) and they would be in the area still. I back tracked and went into the meadow and could see a few Bison. I jumped off the sled, loaded up and the stalk was on. I was about 150 m out and got behind a few small trees. I got the scope on the mostly bedded animals but did not have a shot and they were getting my wind. Within about 3 minutes the lead cow started walking out of the meadow with most of herd behind her. The last 2, a mature cow and yearling lingered a bit, I had a clear shot on the cow, she went down and the season was over. I spined her, after telling myself to shoot low, aiming what I thought was low and next time will aim low then lower down a foot! I will blame it one the high winds and 3 ft of snow! No bulls but we saw about 50 head of cows and calves. Thanks to my helpers! I love the winter hunting, next time I will hold out for a Bull, but the cow is very tasty and seems tender. By the way i too have seen the marbling in Bison meat!
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUQ9kjigBlI/AAAAAAAAABE/75FeUnCmSiY/s400/IMG_0023.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUR58-nWDGI/AAAAAAAAABc/qs07xR35URk/s640/IMG_0005.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUYLabm1FII/AAAAAAAAADU/uVr7G-JrMAA/s400/IMG_0004.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUR59Q0tVdI/AAAAAAAAABk/wRGYRQKYupE/s400/IMG_0008.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_pGZWAmzNTbg/TUYLa1rXksI/AAAAAAAAADY/FwEM1QlfLBA/s640/IMG_0041.JPG
Thanks Brent!