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Bison anyone?

Big Fin

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Dec 27, 2000
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Location
Bozeman, MT
Just walked in the door after a grueling drive from Colorado, through some nasty snow and wind. Absolutely exhausted and drained, both from an exhausting hunt and another one of those really long truck/trailer drives through terrible roads and weather.

Good news is, when I come in the door, Mrs. Fin says, "You got a big package from FWP, some birthday cards and gifts, and some bills to pay."

Big package from FWP? WTH. What did I do this time?

With confusion and curiosity, I opened it up, thinking it had something to do with my wolf trapping certification. Nope.
Dear Bison Hunter,

Congratulations on drawing and either sex bison permit.........

Included was a piece of paper saying, "You have drawn Bison - Either Sex, Hunt # 395-02, 10 licenses for January 23 - February 15."

I instantly logged on to the FWP site to confirm my delusional thoughts. Successful - First Choice Bison.

All evening, while doing the white knuckle drive, I was cussing this early winter we are having in Montana. Now, I am hoping it snows like crazy from now until mid-January, so it will force many bison out of Yellowstone National Park and make some of them available for me to chase.

I have applied for bison in Montana, Utah, and Alaska for years. It is one of those things I really want to do. I know these park-habituated bison are not the cagey equivalent of an old bull elk or whitetail buck. But, it is a rare opportunity with a ton of history and no shortage of controversy.

We will be filming this one, for sure.

Any of you Bozeman Hunt Talkers who want to be in on a bison hunt, let me know. A bull bison will be more meat than our family can eat in three years. And, will be more work than one guy could possibly handle by himself.

Those with strong backs, high enthusiasm, and snowmobiles, please apply.

I had planned to sleep as soon as I got home, but this news will have me up dancing for a few hours. Still in disbelief. Maybe I am hallucinating from drinking four Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes today. Hope not.
 
Congratulations BigFin, sounds like a great way to start 2013. I'm expecting your best Kevin Costner impression, liver eating and all!
 
You sure have a knack for getting some damn good tags you lucky dog!

I'd like to go if you are looking for help, wife had the tag couple years ago when no bison came out of the dang park, feel like I got ripped off. So, I can be talked into being a pack bitch.........as long as its like 200 yards from a road, plus or minus 100 yards:):)

Congrats man, that is awesome!
 
Congrats! A friend of mine had the Gardiner tag a few years ago. No luck. Locals said there hadn't been a bison out of the park during hunting season for a couple of years. I think only one bison was killed near West Yellowstone that year also. So, we kept the local establishments occupied every night for a week. We did our part for the local economy! Good luck and keep your fingers crossed for snow!
 
I'll help

I'm interested in lending a hand as well. I assisted on one of these hunts a few years back. It was a mild winter, with the big herds never making the move during the FWP season. However, between snowshoeing the park boundary and daily checks of a bull group that never left the private ranch on Horse Butte that they called home, we made it into a fun hunt!
 
I am not from Montana, but I have a strong back!! I would drive all the way there for a cut. Let me know!!
 
Two snowmachines coming right up. I even have my hippy outfit so I can run half necked along the park boundry to haze them into the hunting zone.
 
Fin,
i think that this tag presents an awesome opportunity to talk about another hot button issue Brucellosis transmission and what hunting migrating bison means in terms of the ranching families and brucellosis free certification of their counties.

Testing and herding of elk and bison, coupled with "Fair Chase" hunting will give you plenty to talk about.

If I am ever successful in drawing a Jackson bison tag in Wyoming I will be elated since Pope and Young declared that herd free-ranging. I'm curious why the Montana herd did not get that designation? Might be worth a discussion.

Anyhow, good luck on your hunt. i hope you get a big bull and a ton of footage, and shoot a wolf offof your gut pile.
 
Hey don't knock the BFC...their weekly updates can be great scouting tools! :)

We talked to a few of them while on the hunt. I one dread-headed feller told us all about his bull he killed in Idaho that previous archery season. And he told us about carving off leftover meat from a bison carcass after the hunters left. Apparently, he had joined the campaign for the free room and board for the winter since he was an unemployed river rat.
 
Fin, you know I'd rather be lucky than good anytime ... and reflecting as a Veteran recently I realize how lucky I am. But you ... you are lucky and good at what you do. Congratulations.

If you need some older, but fairly fit skinners, packers, and general bsers, please let me traipse along on your bison hunt. Way to go on getting another opportunity to do what you're born to do.

May the tatanka spirit shine its light on you.
 
THAT is going to be great to experience, film and watch! Everyone will get a piece of the action thatnks to OYOA. Congratulations Randy!
 
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