Buffalo Bob

[bobw]

Well got home about 6 PM and spent some time a unloading the Toyota. 1st let me say I really had a good time, Rick and his wife Doris are among the very finest of hosts they made it a great experience for me.The hunt commenced on monday AM with Rick and I spotting the herd over by the edge of the sandhills. After driving several miles around to avoid spooking them we worked on foot cross wind of them to within 165 yds or so. It was about 6-8 degress out with a sw 15 mph wind. A little more, than just brisk I'll say especially after you have layed there for quite awhile sorting out the herd for the one you want and waiting for the other buff to clear from yours for a shot. They move back and forth constantly and the one you've picked isn't allways standing in the position for a shot. Weather like this you plain get cold. The herd moved some more and so did we. Finally with their butts in the wind and heads down in the grass we gained about 50 yds on them sat down sticks up and ready. Rick is especially talented in keep track of the right one and kept me from shooting a big cow or Brutus his herd bull. As you've seen in the pics spikes have distinctive horns and that is a major help. Finally he was full broadside and no other buff behind him , Rick called it 112 yds and plugged his ears. I eased the top of the "In God we Trust" sight level with the top of the notch , eared back the hammer and set the frt. Sight pic behind the frt leg and bang. The spike reacted at the shot but did not go down or even act like he had taken a mortal wound, worse Rick couldn't see blood. Mine moved in with the herd and the herd was moving at us. We made a strategic retreat. After giving him time, we eased up to the tail of the herd in time to see a spike laydown. Rick believed that was our boy as none of the others was laying down. Eventually the buff started moving a gain and he got up stiff and obviously feeling from my shot I hit him agin a little higher angling forward this time and got the far lung on its way out. Again the buff mixed up in the herd. Rick knows his buffalo and what they will do. We worked in from the other side and located the spike, my finisher came quick with the spike stepping along until their were no others behind him. This shot at 65 yds cut the backside of the left foreleg and exited in the same location on the far side. the spike covered 20 yds and piled up. Then the herd really got excited, we had to back off and eventually Rick had to prod ole Brutus away from my spike.All in all not as simple as some guys experience with their buffalo but the truth is what it is. My first shot had hit about 6" to the rear of where I was holding for. My elev was on the money, we had a 45 degree x wind then and a clump of bluestem to go thru and yep it might just a been ME.
Rick called his wife that we had a buff down and she brought out his Exlporer and buff hauling trailer.We loaded the buff and had a bite to eat and onto Valentine to the processing plant. The guy that runs that outfit is a whiz and had my buff skinned ,dressed and split dang short order. My first shot had ventilated the spleen just behind the diaphram, the 2 nd hit above it angle forward and exited behind the left frt leg getting the lung. As I said the 3 rd cut thru the back of both frt legs going thru the top of the heart. Yeah I was naturally hoping for a clean one shot instaneous kill as anybody would but sometimes it don't happen that way. Guts outta a spike will fill a trash can got to autopsy and figure it all out in person and up close. had the butcher cut out the heart,liver and tongue to save. just have to experience eating this stuff the way the old dead guys did but do plan on cooking it first. I used my Shiloh Bryan built 45 2 7/8" Loomer chambered Business rifle. 550 gr ppb and 110 gr Fg KIK ,target loads if you will. bobw