SmallCaliberCentral

I am thinking of doing a buffalo hunt, I have decided to go for a heifer for better meat and I hear their robes are softer. I want this to be a true hunt and not interested in shooting a buff in a pen. any one know of a good outfitter for a fair chase hunt. also I would be using the great looking 330 dakota I got from RIO and I am wondering if the 225 grain nosler is up to the task of putting a buffalo down.
Sportingly
Cracker

not interested in shooting a buff in a pen

I'm not aware of any true buff "hunts" in the US. I believe it's all penned game animals. What differs is the size of the pen -- might be 250 ft, or might be 2500 acres. To me, the biggest elements in hunting is that of finding the game -- it's what creates excitement and is where the challenge lies. I don't think that option exists anymore for buffalo -- all buffalo available for hunts are privately owned and located on ranches. Some are in a historic, natural setting, and some are not. Drive (or walk) out to the herd, choose the animal you want (from a distance), and pop him. Think of it as a 1-kill only bigger version of a prairie dog shoot. Very little "hunting" is likely to be involved. If your main goal is meat and a hide, you'll probably be happy. If your goal is a "hunt" and all the challenges that go with it, I suspect you'd be disappointed.

Actually Wyoming has a draw for wild buff on public land. Most of them are buff that wander off Yellowstone - but it's a real buff that wasn't pen raised. I believe there are at least a couple of other wild buff hunts avail in the U.S. too, and I've heard of something up in Canada.

I have also heard that some of the Native Americans have hunts on their reservations for "wild" buff. Don't know much about that though.

From what I've seen, even a truly wild buff isn't going to be terribly difficult to approach to within rifle range. They're simply not afraid of much... Here's a photo of a couple of bulls I came across while hunting mule deer in Wyoming last November. They were pushing each other around on public land, several miles from Yellowstone National Park.


I'd like to hunt them someday, but I realize it won't be like going after elk, deer or bear - which is why I'll likely do it with a muzzle loader, or some kind of traditional single-shot rifle or a big herkin' revolver or something - to put a little challenge in it by having to close the range quite a bit. Archery would be interesting too.

Regards, Guy

The Henry Mountains buffalo hunt in Utah is a true wild buffalo hunt! Good luck drawing a tag!

There are a couple of places you can have a fare chase Buff hunt! I myself would opt for the heavier bullet in the 250 grain or the Swift A Frame in the 275 grain bullet. It has great sectional density and will penetrate that buff from stem to stern using your 330 Dakota.