Is Fed bison purge/hunt on park still happening this month?

[MT_Sourdough]

17 hours ago, bonecollector said:

Sourdough, were you able to get into contact with russ?

Yea, I had a chance to talk with him for a few minutes.  That's where my info came from.  

The bottom line from what I gathered, the feds activities in the park are not likely to effect the late bison hunt much.  The biggest factor now is the weather.  Cooling temps and continued precipitation isn't helping, but that's the biggest factor.  

I'll be heading up there next Tuesday or Wednesday.  

[Heat]

Best of Luck to you!  My Kaibab bison hunt is an experience I will never forget!

[Non-Typical Solutions]

On 10/18/2018 at 8:41 PM, MT_Sourdough said:

Well, I contacted Russ and he said it is true that they built a catchment/corral, but they haven't finished it yet.  They are not likely to get it done this season., at least as far as I understood.  That's where things are as far as live capture is concerned.  The corral is in an area void of bison at the moment.   I would guess, from the conversation. that live capture might be a ways off.  Plus, he said, whether they shoot or capture the bison, the numbers removed will not have an impact on the hunt any time soon.

 He said the weather will be the biggest factor regarding the hunt.   Russ said that the park/plateau has already had a few 6 inch snowfalls and animals are moving back and forth towards winter range.

Another thing that I will pass along is that Russ would like to hear from people who are going to be cooperating with him on the hunt.  He asked for me to text him which hunt/tag I have.  He also asked for my phone number and email, because his wife has some information that she'll email.  They would like to start coordinating soon, so I suspect that they would want to hear from all those who will cooperate with him for the bison hunt,  If somebody wants a number to text him,  message me and I'll get you the number.

Can you explain what you are talking about in the last paragraph?  The term hanging me up is "cooperating"? Does that refer to him guiding or herding buffalo to the catch pen.......just curious what his role is in the whole thing?

Interesting read and something I'm not really very familiar with obviously....

[MT_Sourdough]

On 10/23/2018 at 10:20 PM, bonecollector said:

Sourdough, were you able to get into contact with russ?

Yea, I had a chance to talk with him for a few minutes.  That's where my info came from.  

The bottom line from what I gathered, the feds activities in the park are not likely to effect the late bison hunt much.  The biggest factor now is the weather.  Cooling temps and continued precipitation isn't helping, but that's the biggest factor.  

I'll be heading up there next Tuesday or Wednesday.  

 

On 10/31/2018 at 1:59 PM, Non-Typical Solutions said:

Can you explain what you are talking about in the last paragraph?  The term hanging me up is "cooperating"? Does that refer to him guiding or herding buffalo to the catch pen.......just curious what his role is in the whole thing?

Interesting read and something I'm not really very familiar with obviously....

Russ is a guide that usually plays a central role in each of the Kaibab Bison hunts.  Basically he has blinds, salt licks and cameras set up that he shares with hunters even if they are not paying clients.  Generally, he designates hunters to particular blind sites based on his knowledge of where the buffalo are.  It works to his favor, because by having an organizing role, he can keep individuals from screwing things up for everybody else.  Everybody has a greater chance for success when they work together with these particular hunts.  People are amazed that he offers as much of his time and energy to help people, sometimes purely out of the kindness of his heart.  On my hunt Russ was not present, but he still allows bison hunters to use his blinds.    

  To help understanding, you gotta know that what happens in Grand Canyon Park borders is the National Park/Feds business and is totally disconnected with the State.  Management outside the park on national forest is a states authority, but on the Park it's the Feds.   You can almost go as far as to say that the State and Feds are often at odds with each other.  The issue here, is the bison we hunt on the Kaibab are living in the boundary of Grand Canyon National Park.  The hunt for the bison happens on the National Forest when the bison leave the park's boundary.  The fact is, bison have overpopulated the caring capacity of the the North Rim area of the Park, plus lack of water and salt force the bison to leave the park.  

The Feds objective is to bring the population down to somewhere under 200 total bison.  Right now, estimates on total number of bison on the park vary from 500 to 1000.  Obviously the Feds want to eliminate hundreds of bison.  The problem with federal management, is at a national level, there are many more "stakeholders" and is open to many more levels of litigation.  

At this point it appears efforts to allow volunteer hunters to play a role is population reduction by allowing hunting in the Park have come to a screeching halt.   A corral capture effort will now be used to capture and relocate those bison, but I have not heard much about the destination of relocated bison.

Now, if you got all of that, there is a whole 'nuther thing happening with the state in regards to bison.   The state is actively forming a new and totally independent herd.  Up in the HouseRock Wilderness, the state is introducing pure genetics bison from South Dakota (I think that's where they are coming from).  The notion I get,  the state wants to offer a bison population that is not under Federal management.  

There were 6 bison tag holders up there on the start of the current hunt on Friday.  By Monday evening, 4 of the 6 tags were filled.  I kinda wish it lasted longer as I filled my tag Monday evening.

[StickFlicker]

Congratulations on filling your tag! Can you tell us more about how many buffalo you saw, how the others did, etc.? I think in the fall they are all cow tags? Did you see bulls, nice bulls, etc.?

[AZLance]

On 10/17/2018 at 11:10 AM, Heat said:

You should contact Russ Jacoby.  He has a pulse on everything bison on the Kaibab.  Even if you are not hiring him Russ is a great source of information.

Oh boy...

[MT_Sourdough]

First off, you are right.  There was 10 tags issued for the late hunt and all are cow tags.  

Russ wasn't up there at the beginning of the hunt because he was helping a client fill a sheep tag and other lousy excuses.  (just joking)  On the opening day, there were 6 of us hunters and we tried to coordinate as if Russ was there.  One of the hunters had a friend who has filled a tag on this hunt in the past and he was helpful in getting us organized for opening day.

On opening day, I was designated an area in a pinch point.  If buffalo were moving through the area, this area could be hot, but as it turned out, buffalo were not in that area.  Nor were there any sightings in any of the areas that the other hunters sat that day, day 1.

 Others did some scouting on the first day and locations of fresh bison activity was discovered.  One hunter tagged out on Saturday morning, day 2, based on information she found scouting the previous day.

On the second day, I was recommended to go and sit an area that had a nice dirt tank and a pretty meadow.   That is what I asked for.  I wanted to make the time sitting the blind very enjoyable with just that type of setting.  The problem is, I have never been in the Bab before this hunt and I did not have my GPS with me.  I drove past my suggested area.  By the time I realized my mistake for sure, I was quite a ways past that location.  I decided to educate myself a bit and drive along an area with known recent bison activity.  

With a little scouting, I found a trick tank that had plenty of fresh bison sign.  Russ already had a blind on the tank/ salt lick.  I sat that blind for a 3 or 4 hours without anything coming in, but I knew this was the place for me.  I decided to set my own blind up next to Russ's.  With my own blind set, I can leave some stuff in my blind without having to carry all my stuff to and from the blind each day.   One rule of Russ's blinds is that you do not leave anything behind when you leave that set each day.  

On day 3, I misjudged and parked about 3 miles from my blind sight as opposed to only 3/4 to 1 mile away.  Took my old fat butt too long to get to the blind.  I sat that blind all day and didn't see anything all day, BUT............BUT I heard bison moving around me.  Their hooves sound like horses hooves as the buffalo moved along the gravel road.  My blind location gave me a very limited view around me.  All I can do is sit and wait.  I remember Russ saying the worse thing you can do, is come bounding out of a blind and booger up the buffalo.  He says to sit it out and wait for them to come to you.

  At the end of that day, I walked out while it was still light, because I had a long walk ahead of me.  At a puddle, just about 200 yards from the blind, there were signs of mass chaos.  The buffalo made big wallows in ash laden silty areas along both sides of the road.  Right at the edge of the puddle were signs of some fighting, including some splatters of blood on the ground.  Then I saw a horn that apparently was broken off in the fight.  All this happened right outside my blind just 200 yards away while I sat in the blind.  

On day 4, I knew where to park my truck and I was totally set.  I sat that blind all day, but it was much quieter than the day before.  About an hour before dark, I could hear some noise coming from my left, the park side.  Then a couple of bison came running in, fallowed by more and more bison.  Soon, there were some 40 or 50 bison jammed together around the salt and trick tank.  I was watching the bison trying to pick out a cow that was clear from the rest.  I watched and waited for about 10 minutes.  One big cow started moving away from the herd.  I got a glimpse of utters, so there was no doubt it was a cow.  She was big with a horn on one side broomed off about 2/3 gone, so I knew she was old.  She didn't have a cow tagging along and her hide on her hump had some gray.  She might have even been the lead cow.

 As she moved to my left, she was in line with the low sun such that I really couldn't make out her front legs.  I aimed slightly back, as to avoid her elbow and squeezed off a shot from my 444 Marlin.  She ran about 25 yards back towards the park and fell over in a cloud of dust.  The herd lingered for a while as I waited in the blind.    I did not want to booger them up any more so I waited about 10 minutes before I went to the cow.

There was a huge bull that came in about 5 minutes after the first bison came in.  This bull literally towered over all the other bison like Shaquile O'Neil. As impressive as he was I was looking for a clear shot at a cow so I didn't watch the bull for long. 

Two other hunters filled their tags on the same day.  As it turned out, I ended up having to break her down by myself.  That job beat me up, but I got her done.  I was able to drive up to her so that made it easier.

THE END

 

 

 

[bonecollector]

Congrats on your buffalo. 

[Flatlander]

Awesome story, we need pics!!!!

[MT_Sourdough]

The only pic I got.  Time was of the essence.  I'll have a cool Euro mount done by Authentic and a buffalo rug.  That is the entrance wound on this side.  See the horn that's broomed off.  Not so easy to see, but she is laying in a nest of cats claw.  I have a few new scratches.

[Heat]

Congrats on your Kaibab Bison!  

[MT_Sourdough]

Thanks.  I think, of the 6 hunters who showed up for first week, all 6 tagged out in the first week.  It is a good time to have a bison tag for sure.  When the park gets the herd down under 200 animals, this hunt won't have such a high success rate.  If the state's plans for the future are recognized, there will be another, totally separate herd, that will be available for hunters to pursue in Arizona.

[Duggaboy]

Awesome job. I've wanted to harvest one of these awesome critters for a long time............Duggaboy!

[muledeerarea33?]

Awesome Tatonka!

[wildwoody]

Ouch, tough job for one man