South Dakota Bison

[mhkowalski]

How'd it end up for you guys? I grew up not far outside the park and have been putting in for years now. Hoping to draw eventually lol I really wish they would open up more tags. They sell them for less during the round up than the tag costs, may as well release more tags, make more money, and allow more opportunity for hunters.

This ended up being more eventful and more of a hunt vs shoot than expected.

Our drive from the Creekside Lodge property started with a surprise. While loading the truck about 50 Turkey flew out of their roosts and landed in the field about 100 yds from the truck. They were so loud! Then just a few minutes from the Visitors Center we ran into Antelope, Elk, Deer, Grouse, the Buffalo all within five minutes.

After arrival at hunt headquarters and meeting the herd manager, Chad, we (Father and friend) set out to an approximately 2500 acre fenced section of Custer. Staff let several bulls from the roundup into that pasture. The current count was nine. It took us almost two hours to find five out of that group. They were still about 500 yards away. We were sky lined which probably spooked them.

We caught up after a while; had a shot opportunity at 100 yds but the grass was too high. Bison were on the move and headed straight up the hill behind the Visitor’s Center. Got my shot at about 120 yds. Definitely hit the bull; he started up the hill, clearly trailing the other four. On foot we chased the wounded bull up to the top of the hill, then finished him at 40 yds, right next to a two track. With a crane on his truck Chad quickly gutted the bull. We finished the skinning and quartering at their barn out of the elements. After butchering ended up with almost 340 pounds of meat.

Extremely positive and fun experience. The meat is EXCELLENT!

 

[B&CTom]

Congratulations on the hunt. Thanks for sharing the story and some nice photos. Enjoy that meat!

 

[grizzly63]

Good to know they let you skin and quarter it up there. Congratulations !

 

[The_Yuki_Yama]

Great story. It's pretty high on my list. My extended family owns a bison ranch in the NW part of SD that I've considered shooting one of them, but the park sounds quite a bit cooler but draw odds are pretty trash. When I was a resident I did draw a dogs allowed lion tag in the park though so hoping I could get lucky again...

One time I was fly fishing French creek and got charged by a bison that apparently strolled up behind me while I was fishing. He ended up chasing me through the creek and around a tree a few times before walking off.

 

[Clarq]

How'd it end up for you guys? I grew up not far outside the park and have been putting in for years now. Hoping to draw eventually lol I really wish they would open up more tags. They sell them for less during the round up than the tag costs, may as well release more tags, make more money, and allow more opportunity for hunters.

I wrote about my bison hunt in my season recap thread:

https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/2024-season-of-good-fortune-and-financial-ruin.326040/page-2

It was an interesting and good experience overall. The meat is great.

 

[arwhntr]

The hunt was a lot more fun than I expected. I hadn’t been to Custer State Park or that part of South Dakota since I was a child, so it was wonderful to show up a few days early and stay a few days after the hunt to enjoy the area with my father, who drove out from the Midwest. Custer is absolutely teeming with wildlife. One morning, I was up early on a hill glassing, and there were bison to my north and south, grouse flying around, a nice 4-point muley buck on the adjacent hillside, a herd of pronghorn in the prairie dog-infested valley below, and a bull elk that kept bugling. It really felt like stepping back in time. Speaking of which, post-hunt I found myself a bison antique humerus, so that was pretty cool. Anyways…

The day before the hunt, I went to the pasture where I knew the hunt was going to take place the following morning. I found 16 bison there, and three in particular stood out to me as bigger than the others. I took notes on any meaningful characteristics so I could identify them the next day. One, in particular, caught my eye, and I decided I wanted to make that one my target bull.

The next morning, my dad and I met with the Custer bison herd manager (the guide, Chad). Chad was awesome—a wealth of bison knowledge, and he really enhanced the experience. I told him about the bull I had found and wanted to hunt. We set out in his truck to find him. It didn’t take long, as he was still very close to where I had last seen him the day before. Chad looked over the bull carefully through his binoculars, then turned and told me he was off-limits. Turns out he was a 12-year-old trophy bull. I was bummed!

In that herd, the #2 and #3 bulls I had on my list weren’t there, so we kept looking. We drove a while, and then Chad made a fantastic spot from way up on this mesa, and we gave chase. Sure enough, #2 and #3 bulls were there. Chad looked them over and identified them as not 2.5-year-old non-trophy bulls, but rather a pair of 4.5-year-olds. They were almost 1,500 lbs, compared to some of the 2.5-year-olds that were around 1,000 lbs or less. But I got the green light! The herd got spooky and took off. From there, we made play after play. I ended up shooting five arrows into the #2 bull before he finally expired—simply used the wrong broadheads and wasn't getting enough penetration. It got a bit western, and frankly, I was extremely relieved to finally see him expire and for the hunt to come to an end. I still can’t get over how tough these animals are.

I feel very fortunate to have taken the bull I was able to on the non-trophy tag. It was really a neat experience, despite the lack of skillful hunting it took. Walking up to a downed bison and putting my hands into its shaggy coat was one of the most nostalgic moments I’ve ever experienced. It was borderline magical.

The hanging weight was 867 lbs, and I took home around 500 lbs. I have to say, it’s not quite as tender as I had hoped, but it still beats most other game meats. The only sour note of the trip was the butcher I used. He way overcharged on everything quoted when I set up the drop off appointment. Then to top it off most of the meat he didn't have frozen when I went to pick up because of a freezer getting turned off or something. For anyone that draws in the future I would try someone else other than Cutting Edge Meat Market in Piedmont.

Can’t wait to draw that trophy bison tag someday!

 

[Clarq]

Super cool! We were told there was a 12 year-old trophy bison in the hunt area, but we didn't run into him.

While we're on the subject of butchers, I'll put a good word in for Integrity Meats in Belle Fourche. They had clear and transparent pricing upfront (contingent on the hanging weight), their employees were great, they met their deadline, and they did excellent work. I'll go back there when I draw the tag again in 300 years.

 

[arwhntr]

Super cool! We were told there was a 12 year-old trophy bison in the hunt area, but we didn't run into him.

While we're on the subject of butchers, I'll put a good word in for Integrity Meats in Belle Fourche. They had clear and transparent pricing upfront (contingent on the hanging weight), their employees were great, they met their deadline, and they did excellent work. I'll go back there when I draw the tag again in 300 years.

That 12 year old bull was pretty cool-- I wish you had ran into him. I saw him a couple days after my hunt and he seemed to have separated himself from the rest of the bulls and was running solo. Chad actually said for a bull of that age he was on the small size somewhere between 1700-1800 lbs. I attached a couple pictures of him. In the solo photo you can see how broomed his horns are. The other photo (he's the bull with his head in the tire) gives you a size reference.

Good to know on the butcher. For the rare chance I'll be back it will at least be in my hunt notes.

 

[Wild Bill]

Had a CSP turkey tag a few years back and ran stumbled upon a group of old bulls way back in the woods and far away from any roads or buildings. Was able to sit and watch them mill around and feed and dust and grunt and snort without a care in the world. Those old bulls are cool to just watch.