IDK, Id think they'd be comparable to African game

And Id think a 300 wm would kill anything on our dirt humanly

My dad shot a buffalo with a 300wby. No problems dropped in its tracks. Nosler partition was the bullet he shot 180gr

I’ve inquired about hunting them and was told my pistol is plenty of gun. 460XVR with a 315 hard cast semi wad cutter. Said be ready for a follow up if placement wasn’t great. 45-70’s are used all the time, my pistol is faster, I have faith in it.

Anyone with any experience on shooting one with a bow?

I shot one a number of years ago just to help a landowner get rid of it. Just happened to be there. It was unplanned. Used a Marlin 30-30 and it was like shooting a cow in the head from about 50 yards. There wasn’t any sport to it in my personal experience. But I could see how the fur/hair could fool a person in shot placement.

I believe the old buffalo guns were for distance and economic insurance to take the animal down.

thats what they had back in the day....slow, heavy bullets pushed by black powder. the .30-30 came about long after the buffalo were gone from the plains

All those questions were answered in the 2 pages, you just didn’t read. All I’ll repeat is that if you bow shoot one, use 2 edge fixed blade.

Use a bonded bullet and your 300WM is more than enough, I would opt for a quartering away shot at the opposite shoulder, neck shot if it is close range with a good rest.
A bonded bullet out of a 300WM should almost pass through a bison unless hit every big bone in both shoulders.

Their winter hide will soak up blood and aid in clotting so that is why lung shots can be iffy, they will die but may go a long way before their huge chest cavity fills with blood. They have a huge chest area and relatively smaller back ends for a big animal.

This is the spouse's cow that he shot with a 300wsm and 180 gr Accubonds. He had a 150 yd shot or so and she went another 250 yds before piling up. You can see he made a good quartering away shot and knew it so he let her die without another shot or pushing her. He did follow her as he could on foot to watch and make sure she would not go forever, she staggered and went down so he just watched her die. She did not put out blood for several yds after the spot where he shot her, you can see she did where she went down for good.

These hunts in Wyoming are not just go and get some bison meat, they will test you but they are free range. For us they are affordable compared to a ranch hunt but for NR I think the free range part is what makes them desirable. The tags aren't cheap for NR.

What I gathered is that all will work, and all have their issues. Very inconsistent results save for the head/neck and even that can be botched.



And you never stated use a two blade fixed....all you said what you didn't recommend a mechanical.

My reading comprehension is just fine

There'll be this dude with a .416 Rigby close by.

your posts have been most helpful.

I guess the part i am struggling with is shooting a 1500-2000# animal with a .300 wm. It will crumple an elk but were are talking about a much larger animal.

Seems ya'll have shot alot of buffalo in WY.....are the tags fairly easy to draw there? I have a buddy who drew last year for the Henry Mountains, but that is a long, long shot draw odds wise

if that is the case i am gonna shank him with my recurve....i trust you in case things go south.


FYI I don't expect you to stop the buffalo. I want you to shoot me in the back before i get gored

I saw 2 guys with compounds take bulls , both went right down and did not travel away from the herd. It was pretty impressive.
I would echo what therancher says, fixed blade, stout broadheads.
They rode up on the herd on horseback, got off and shot within 30 yds.

Many get taken with recurves etc.. Native Americans didn't have compounds, lol.

Bull tags in Wyoming are harder to draw and Once in a Lifetime if you take a bull. Cows can be drawn now every 5 years or so with decent odds for residents. However the cows now move onto the National Elk Refuge much later and the hunt is no guarantee animals will be available. You can hunt them early on the NF but it is very hit or miss.
Bulls are usually 100% take as they move around more and can be found on the NF most of the season until snow gets deep. They move to the refuge earlier most years.

We've taken 3 cows and will apply for a bull one of these years, sooner than later. All of our hunts were on foot and we processed our own bison after they were gutted by the outfitter.
The largest cow was 6 1/2 years old and she was great eating too, spouse's cow. My cows were 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 yrs old.

Apparently between the eyes is best. Just fix with caulk.