My readers know that, this spring, I harvested a really big meat Bull on the plains of South Dakota with Jim River Guide Service and guided by world class guide Willie Dvorak. I used my Ruger Safari Rifle in .375 Ruger and 300g Nosler AccuBonds I handloaded.
I had this bull butchered in South Dakota, frozen and shipped 250 one pound vacuum sealed packs to my home in NH. I have plenty of freezer space.
My South Dakota Bison cuts:
Tenderloin and Ribeye –
By Far the tenderest cuts. Simply delicious. I eat it rare to medium rare. Best method is to grill or pan sear. I use Sous Vide technique in a water bath (see Wikipedia video below)
at internal temperature of 126F with herbs and spice, then grill at 400F for “grill marks only” or pan “sear” in a hot cast iron pan with beef tallow. Many families are now using less seed oils for frying and searing and more tallow/animal fat in their cooking. It’s better for you.
NY Sirloin- In my buffalo, these were the tougher cuts. I recommend stewing this meat or smoking slow for 12 hours. Great flavor just have to cook till tender. Because I have a lot of other tender bison meat, I stew this NY cut with a pressure cooker, browning with beef tallow, thyme and then add 1/3 cup flour and 4 cups beef bouillon broth.
Pressure cook for 40 to 50 minutes. Add veggies to the pressure cooked meat and pressure cook for 11 minutes. OMG Buffalo stew, so delish on a cold night. My favorite food after snow blowing and shoveling the driveway.
Sirloin Tip – Marinade with red wine, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and minced garlic for two or three days. Pan sear and enjoy.
Bison Burger – I have lots of burger in 1 pound packs. I asked my butcher to add beef tallow. Excellent as burgers, chili, in pasta sauce, meat balls and sausage. One pound makes 4 burgers. We make patties and freeze them.
As an older hunter, my deer hunting strategies include knowledge of how deer use terrain and wind for movement, particularly big bucks during the rut. Instead of trying to track down a buck for miles, with my leg strength now on the older side, I look at topo maps for saddles and ridges where bucks bed for morning where updrafts carry estrous scent. And use saddles to slip from one side of a ridge to the other in early and late light.
Still hunting a long narrow ridge in the wind can get you a visual on a bedded buck that stands up to check out sounds and smells.
As it happened to me years back. I climbed to the top of a deep woods ridge in Northern New Hampshire and found a trail used by deer, moose and bear along its crest.
I hoped to find a buck bedded somewhere along the ridge. It was raining lightly thus muffling my footsteps. My nephew was already on the ridge and under a large fir tree as rain began to fall. I spotted him to my left and we walked toward each other to reconnoiter.
As we approached each other a buck stood out of his bed to my right at around 20 yards or so, as if to say “what’s goin’ on?” .
My nephew didn’t see the deer but watched me raise my rifle away from him toward my right, flip the scope caps making a pop pop sound as the scope caps lifted.
I could hear the click of my “safety” as I settled the crosshairs on the bucks chest. The buck stood broadside as I squeezes the trigger of my pet Ruger M77 in.338 Win Mag with 250g round nose bullets I hand loaded. Yes, it was a lot of Gun, I used it while on an African Safari! Why not on a big whitetail?
As the rifle boomed, the buck fell instantly. Astonished, my nephew walked to me. He said, “uncle, holy mackerel, I didn’t see that buck.” It was dead-right-there at my feet. The tree bottom behind the buck was splashed blood red with deer hair as if stuck in it as my nephew excitedly recalls. Below my brother and his buck on left and me with a grin with my buck. My nephew Jim kneeling to the right. Son, Jason beside the deer in the background. Bruce on far left, Bob in blue jacket on right.
I am looking forward to my hunt in just a few weeks. I hope to take you along when I write my hunt article.
Deer density in northern Maine is low …but the bucks are huge!
I was bow hunting in southern NH yesterday and had these tiny specks on my shirt. They were “deer ticks” aka ixodes scapularis also known as black- legged tick, as small as the tip of a pen.
I noticed them while driving. I pulled into a gas station and found a private spot where I could remove my shirt and removed a dozen of them. I showered when home but one of the little buggers bit me overnight. My wife pulled the little tick which was not in me but for several hours. I put antibiotic cream on it. Then I sprayed permethrin on my hunting clothes, jacket and backpack. Little buggers!!
I Imagine a sunny day hunting in November with my Marlin SBL 1895. Yes, great rifle but, I believe the suns glare from my mirror like surfaces on this rifle can spook a wary buck. What to do?
Well, It depends. You can spray paint your rifle. Nope. You can buy camo duct tape, Cheaper, it works. Or buy some camo sniper veil to put on your rifle with elastic bands. Mossy Oak makes a gunwrap see
Gun Skins. They do not make a kit for my marlin but they should.
I chose to use camo duct tape ($9.00) and cut it to fit parts that would reflect the sun. Took me an hour.
In this case, it is most of the metal on the rifle. Big difference below! This reduced reflection greatly and the tape can be easily removed.
One thing you want to avoid is getting your barrel hot from shooting practice.Your tape will get hot and gummy. So shoot a shot or 2 and cool your barrel making sure the tape stays in place. Mossy Oak Gun Skins is another great option see the blue colored print site above.
Update
In review, I had some “gun skin” tape, so I remove the duct tape from the barrel only and added the higher quality gun skin tape. It will handle barrel heat better if I practice at the range.
Fun in my own back yard with bow and crossbow. No need to go to the range. No noise and does not bother my neighbors.
I love my rifles but I also love my bows and crossbows.
It is late August and I’ve always said, “August is for Archery”. Love my XX75 Easton Arrows with shield feathers.
Shooting poolside. That works for me!
Later in my life, my right eye became dyslexic and could look thru a tiny peep, or even string, so I found a peep that had a giant hole to look thru. To solve my anchor point with such a large hole, I mounted a kisser button on the string. I anchor at my lips. That’s why they call it a kisser button. Daah! It works! No it’s not perfect but I can hit my target.
Anchor practice in my basement with one of my recurves.
With recurve above, no peep. Use the arrow!
My Ten Point Crossbow, on the other hand, is rifle like once sighted.
I spoiled myself with a laser rangefinding scope, An Oracle X.
Below my foam black bear practice with my Ten Point.
Below, the real thing! This beautiful Maine boar fell to my Ten Point Turbo. Practice works!
There are hunting crossbows today for every budget. Most come as a package with arrows, scopes and quiver. High dollar value (say over $2000-$3000) hunting crossbows often have the best of the attributes below but do you really need this quality in a hunting crossbow? You decide.
Attributes that I believe are essential are:
Hunting Speed/Accuracy
Weight/Balance/Handling
Cocking/De-cocking Features
Scope
Quality
Cost
Human nature being what it is, we all want the best.
But “the best” comes at a price. Being cost conscious and practical, my first crossbow was a recurve style Grizzly from Excalibur. Cost years back was around $400 or so.
It worked well but you had to cock/de-cock it with a rope cock device. Speed 300 fps with a 400g arrow. It was a great hunting crossbow for the cost.
But being older, and had a slight back issue, caused me to look for a crossbow with a silent cocking crank device. Yes, my TenPoint Turbo Crossbow costs more but was well worth it.
I replaced the scope with a Oracle X Laser range finding scope. I love it but it is not really needed for shots out to 40 yards if you already own a rangefinder.
It is fun to shoot out past 50 yards with the Oracle. Bench rested, it shoots 2 inch groups at 60 yards. It would be great for moose or elk hunting as neither are prone to “jump the string” and arrow energy is around 100 ft-lbs. at 60 yards. I like Swhacker broadheads on my crossbow arrows. They fly like field points and open to over 2 inches inside the game animal and exit.
Love my crossbow as an older hunter. I have built and shot longbows, recurves and owned many compounds but my older body has a tougher time with them these days. The crossbow is a blessing to keep me deer hunting in archery season.
I bought this TenPoint crossbow in April of 2022 and I paid $1200 for it, new. Is it still accurate? You bet! Shooting 2 to 3 inch groups past 75 yards. Sure some crossbows can shoot tighter groups, but for hunting game my crossbow is terrific. Minimum energy for penetration on deer is said to be 25 ft-lbs. My crossbows terminal energy at 40 yards is 105 ft-lbs.
Last spring, before an Alberta black bear hunt, I had it inspected, cables and a few parts replaced and got a better quiver and a hard case. All screws were retorqued. Nice.
I also replaced the OEM scope with a new Oracle X Laser Range finding scope, cost $699.
This crossbow is shooting 350 fps with 425 grain arrows. I have harvested 2 black bears, both one shot kills and a 300 lb. Russian Boar with a second arrow using Swhackers, all with full penetration and 2 1/2 inch exit wounds.
In my opinion, this 350 to 400 fps arrow speed and energy is all I need for black bear, deer, elk and moose and allows me more retrieval options in pulling arrows from a target or 3D animal. Faster speeds, in my opinion well above 400 fps make capturing practice arrows a tough target pull and can damage vanes and knocks if the arrow is embedded.
If you want a target to handle up to 500 fps target butt, buy a BIGshot Target with a weather cover. Why a weather cover? A wet soaked target will not release your arrow easily. I use a mega size trash bag to protect mine. Works great!
And for really big boned game, like moose and buffalo, hunters can use heavier arrows in the 500 to 600 grain area can increase penetration, though I have no penetration issues with my 425g setup with Swhackers for deer and black bear, I would increase arrow weight for moose and buffalo.
If your crossbow has not been serviced or inspected after 2 years of use, perhaps now is the time in summer to get your bow inspected and serviced.
Much of my adult deer hunting life has been solo. I liked it that way. I rarely felt alone. I felt like the predator that I am. Seeing, hearing, smelling and understanding sign.
But having my youngest son with me in the woods is a delight to share the wild. Son Jason with my grand kids here on a NH hunt. No deer taken but great fun.
This November we will deer hunt in northern Maine in mid November. I am getting older and having him with me helps if either of us connect with a buck. Dragging out a big buck is hard work.
My method in snow is to first find fresh deer tracks in good deer areas not far off logging roads.
Deer that are not heavily pushed are likely to show themselves in early and late daylight e.g. crepuscular.
I think my son thinks similarly but staying warm and having some food and warm drink like coffee or soup makes it very enjoyable.
Buckle up, I’m taking you with me on this buffalo hunt with Jim River Guide Service. I wanted a respectable bull and great meat. It was travel on day 1, hunt on day 2, and fly home on day three. Honestly It seemed like a full week of hunting.
Just crazy to think we can accomplish this on short notice …but we did.
Jim River Guide Service is owned and operated by world renowned hunting guide Willie Dvorak.
Willie Dvorak
When Willie is not hunting buffalo, he is guiding for brown bear in Alaska. Willie has guided nearly 1000 buffalo hunts. Wow! World Class? Believe it!
Get your camo on and lets go stalk a nice bull buffalo for my freezer.
I had my Ruger M77 Hawkeye African in .375 Ruger with a Leupold VX-6 with a Boone and Crockett Reticle on it. A fabulous combination!
I custom hand load all my ammo. Below left, is a Nosler 300g AccuBond that I used on this hunt, loaded with a heavy dose of RL 15 powder.
The Nosler chrono’d just over 2500 fps and 4200 ft-lbs of smackdown energy at the muzzle.
I planned for a 200 yards shot and still holding over 3000 ft-lbs. of energy at that distance.
Buffalo are not easy to kill, often absorbing 3 to 6 bullets in the lungs to bring them down. And the challenge to me was to bring down the animal with three shots or less and well placed in the heart and lungs.
You know Robert Ruark of Africa fame says, “Use Enough Gun”.
And honestly, I have Enough gun!
Travel to South Dakota
Leaving Boston on a Delta Airbus A320 from gate A16 I arrived in Aberdeen, South Dakota after a quick stop in Minneapolis.
Flying Delta from Boston’s Logan Airport
Wing Tip at 35,000 feet. Cloudy below.
I rented a Chevy Silverado Pick up below and met Willie at his home/office.
Temp’s were in the 30’s …no snow.
I started the truck and noticed my drivers seat and steering wheel had heat. Nice!
Below, I pass by corn and giant silo’s, like protective centurions in the distance. Look at that hill of corn!
We were in Prairie country now, very flat, no hills, just undulating prairie as far as you could see.
We were hunting on a huge, yes huge tract of private open prairie land, not measured in acres, but in square miles.
All the roads and even dirt roads are straight as arrows.
The Hunt
Now on dirt, the tires sounded of earthen pebbles and dust tickling the undercarriage of the truck as we drove slowly along, looking for buffalo in the far distance. The wind was amazingly absent, maybe 5 mph, as typical winds blow 15 to 20 miles per hour here.
It’s almost as if our hunt was planned by providence just for us. If you believe in that sort of thing.
We found a heard of buff numbering perhaps in groups of over 50, but we wanted to find smaller groups of 5 or 6 or even a single bull.
We spotted a lone bull, but we needed to get closer to make sure its what we wanted to hunt.
I saw deer tracks and ringneck pheasants everywhere including thousands of sand hill cranes. A cornucopia of wildlife.
You’ve got to see it.
While driving, Willie says of bulls, “You see Ed, bulls fight each other every single day, always trying to beat each other and the dominant bull. And they don’t play fight for fun. It is to the death or getting the crap beat out of you. If the contesting bull can kill the rival, they would!”
I think loner bulls are loners because they try to heal their battle wounds and grow larger.
We parked the truck and began a stalk on the lone bull.
No bullet in the chamber but loaded and ready. Willie says, “buffalo have uncanny eyesight, always looking for danger.”
Willie was in the lead, me in the middle and Annie his daughter and hunt assistant was behind me. Watch out for buffalo chips, no tripping or stepping on them (which I did) they are everywhere.
If the bull spots us as danger, he will be running for miles so we had to walk as a group in a line with that bull so it would see us as one person, not three.
Using the undulating terrain we stayed in low spots and drainage ditches to get close.
The property, at some time in the past, had beef cattle, thus there were simple fences of barbed wire. Observing the lone bull, amazingly he was walking and feeding in our direction. “Thank you Lord!” I thought.
If he was walking away, we could have stalked him for a mile or more and never had a good shot..
So with some luck, we huddled for the final plan and I set up near the barbed wire and sat low to the ground. I asked, “Put a round in the chamber?” “Yup” Willie said!
The bull could not see us.
Annie came forward with a short shooting stick for me to use.
We waited ten minutes, it was like waiting for honey to drip off a cold spoon. Willie expected the bull will cross in front of us at about 80 yards.
Willie whispered, “Here he comes Ed.” I’m thinking, in retrospect, the bull may have detected us. He crested a rise at 80 yards and broadside, Willie whispered, “take him now.”
Crosshairs on him and steady, my rifle barked with authority. I didn’t feel the recoil. The wide expanse consumed the crack of the big .375 rifle.
The Nosler 300g AccuBond was on its way. Hearing the bullet thud on the buff was confirming the hit yet surreal. “Shoot again as soon as you can whispered Willie. The bull stumbled to the left. I had already jacked another round in the chamber, tracking him in my Leupold VX-6. The Boone and Crockett reticle crosshairs were beefy, making it easy to get on target. I fired a second round.
At the hit, the bull fell as if pole axed.
Loading another round again, I had the scope on him. “If he moves, shoot again”, said Willie
We watched. After 5 minutes he lay still.
We approached. Willie touched the eye with the muzzle of his rifle. Willie gave a “Thumbs Up!” He’s down for the count! “Good shooting Ed! Only 2 shots!”
I unloaded cleared the rifle, bolt open and announced “rifle is clear and empty.” “Great”, Willie said.
Time for pictures and smiles.
I was thrilled. Willie and I were all smiles.
We got the bull loaded on a flat bed trailer and off to the butcher.
Meat will be vacuum packed, and shipped to New Hampshire. Should get around 300 pounds or so of great meat and burger.
Is an adult bison considered dangerous game? Wounded at close range? Believe it! Certainly, not as vengeful as a cape buffalo but it is wise to give it great respect.
Courtesy Wikipedia
Amazingly, It is rare, based on ample evidence, to harvest an adult bison with just 1 or 2 shots to the lungs… even with a powerful big bore rifle.
It is not uncommon to take “at least” 3 lung hits to put down a full grown bull, even from my .375 Ruger or larger rifle. Amazingly, I was able to harvest my buffalo with just 2 shots from my .375 Ruger with 300g Nosler AccuBonds. My guide was thrilled as was the butcher. But being ready to reload is key.
My internal rifle clip only holds three rounds. Not 3 plus one.
Accordingly, I needed extra rounds at the ready to reload, just in case.
I purchased a Tourbon Buttstock ammo holder below. Just $28 dollars.
It looks great, however, I had to work/stretch the leather loops to hold my .375 rounds with 300 grain Nosler AccuBonds. I lubricated the leather with rendered oil from my last years bear. That helped greatly. It now holds 4 rounds.
In addition, I purchased a cartridge belt from Amazon ($11.00), just in case. Why? Easy access to reload can be difficult, cold weather grips the cartridge too firmly in the leather loops, then the cartridge belt with ammo around my waist will be there as a back up.
And I found out too late for this hunt that Alaskan Arms LLC offers a floor plate for two extra rounds in my Ruger Hawkeye African.
I replaced the scope with a Oracle X Laser range finding scope. I love it but it is not really needed for shots out to 40 yards if you already own a rangefinder. 
