Custer State Park Buffalo Hunt

[huntaholic123]

I was fortunate enough to win a trophy Buffalo hunt this year in Custer State Park through the Hunt for Habitat drawing. Super excited and to top it off, taking my dad with to partake in the harvest over his birthday. I intend on getting a shoulder mount done and was hoping to get some input from the group on some ideas for the rest of the hide. Any suggestions? Was thinking of having something second to the mount to gift to my dad. Using my bow and excited to see how it turns out! Appreciate any input. Thanks

 

[Rogue Bay]

Congrats on such a cool opportunity. Please keep us updated on the hunt.

Is he a black powder hunter? If so, what about a custom made possibles bag? Or maybe a knife sheath if he has a favorite blade.

 

[AlphaK9]

We have vacationed to that area a bunch- you will have an awesome hunt, congrats!

As far as the leather, id have it tanned out and use it over a table as like a runner, store shed antlers, hunting pics, or display a gun or bow on a stand on it. Making a leather sheath would be cool too.

 

[Chris in TN]

Enjoy the area. I have a few CSP non-trophy points accumulated but stopped because I figured out I don't like bison meat that much. But I'd go back to the general area in a heartbeat and have a blast just sightseeing.

 

[wytx]

Flesh it, salt it and send it to Moyle Mink and Tannery. They do great tanning work.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Buddy killed a big bull. I’d do a euro and keep the hide. The euro is badass.

 

[TopherDave]

October 22, 2025
I’ll put this here for some motivation! Mine isn’t of “trophy” size. This particular herd had a rough rough winter in 2021 and experienced a rather large die off.

A bull with a bow! That was my quest as well. It was any weapon and either sex but we want what we want!

I met a guy on here who hunted my tag in 2019. He enlighten me to doing a euro and a replica of the horns for the shoulder mount. He shot a really nice trophy before the die off. Which could be an option for you as well. Could give pops one and keep the other for yourself?

I too am here for the suggestions as well! Currently cape and backskin is at local tannery in Anchorage.

I will recommend this: have a kill plan. I lined up a retired butcher who works out of his garage (the best kind). I usually process all my own animals but for this I wanted to go the extra mile. I was fortunate enough to drop him where I could back my truck up to him. I was able to do a beef/butcher cut between the 2nd and 3rd rib. Left backstraps and tenderloins in! Felt very very weird to do this, because that’s usually the first thing I cut out and eat. Aged it for a week and we made AWESOME cuts! The porterhouse, T-Bone and bone in rib-eye are phenomenal! My butcher also turned me onto Osobucco. I cannot believe I haven’t been doing this my whole life. You can find some recipes online. It’s super easy and it’s will knock your boots off!

Congrats on an amazing opportunity! Wasn’t too long ago I was trying to learn everything I could about these things too. You should really embrace it all. Every moment of it. It’s a special hunt! Truly a once in a lifetime.

Oh! 1 more thing. I’m not the biggest Steve Rinella fan. But check out his book, American Bison. Listen to it on audible if you have too, he narrates it himself. He has A LOT of history about the species. He talks about his own hunt and experiences, which I found to be “meh.” The history, as we all know, is very sad. It gave me so much more appreciation for the opportunity to be hunting these things in 2025.

Congrats again and good luck!
PS. What are you using for broadhead? Love to hear all about your bow setup!

 

[huntaholic123]

View attachment 968829
October 22, 2025
I’ll put this here for some motivation! Mine isn’t of “trophy” size. This particular herd had a rough rough winter in 2021 and experienced a rather large die off.

A bull with a bow! That was my quest as well. It was any weapon and either sex but we want what we want!

I met a guy on here who hunted my tag in 2019. He enlighten me to doing a euro and a replica of the horns for the shoulder mount. He shot a really nice trophy before the die off. Which could be an option for you as well. Could give pops one and keep the other for yourself?

I too am here for the suggestions as well! Currently cape and backskin is at local tannery in Anchorage.

I will recommend this: have a kill plan. I lined up a retired butcher who works out of his garage (the best kind). I usually process all my own animals but for this I wanted to go the extra mile. I was fortunate enough to drop him where I could back my truck up to him. I was able to do a beef/butcher cut between the 2nd and 3rd rib. Left back stand and tenderloins in! Felt very very weird to do this, because that’s usually the first thing I cut out and eat. Aged it for a week and we made AWESOME cuts! The porterhouse, T-Bone and bone in rib-eye are phenomenal! My butcher also turned me onto Osobucco. I cannot believe I haven’t been doing this my whole life. You can find some recipes online. It’s super easy and it’s will knock your boots off!

Congrats on an amazing opportunity! Wasn’t too long ago I was trying to learn everything I could about these things too. You should really embrace it all. Every moment of it. It’s a special hunt! Truly a once in a lifetime.

Oh! 1 more thing. I’m not the biggest Steve Rinella fan. But check out his book, American Bison. Listen to it on audible if you have too, he narrates it himself. He has A LOT of history about the species. He talks about his own hunt and experiences, which I found to be “meh.” The history, as we all know, is very sad. It gave me so much more appreciation for the opportunity to be hunting these things in 2025.

Congrats again and good luck!
PS. What are you using for broadhead? Love to hear all about your bow setup!

TopherDave, thanks for sharing your story. Reading it has gotten me even more excited. I was originally debating on using my old lever action 30-30 but I felt archery was more appropriate for what I want out of this experience. I have some iron wills left over from my Wyoming archery elk hunt. Running 480grs total. Hopefully I have a story for you all by the end of the week.

 

[TopherDave]

I didn’t even think of my grandpa’s 30-30! Dang it. I shoulda packed that as back up. If I ever draw again, I told myself I’m ordering a Shiloh Sharp rifle just for the hunt. Basically the rifle that dang near extinct the species.

I shot about 100 arrows a day all August and first 1/2 of September. I had narrowed it down to a Magnus Stinger, but I found a guy, on here, selling Ironwill SB Buffs, and I wanted to see how they flew. So I bought them. And days before departing, I tested them at 75 yards, and they were flying even better then the Magnus. So I changed my game plan, buff on buff is what I went with. Ironically, I shot him at 75yards. Well, probably 72/73. I ranged him at 75 and he took 2 more steps as was setting my sights. Full pass through. Perfect double lung shot.

Mathews Phase 4, 33. 75 lbs. 485 grain.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

I don't have any input other than to say congratulations and good luck!!!

 

[TXCO]

Good luck!


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[Couester]

Do a shoulder mount with replica horns, a euro with the original horns and a back hide rug.

 

[yfarm]

I have used Uber Leather(now Century Leather Products) in Owatonna Mn to do hair on tanning of Elk and Nilgai hides, their work has been fine just takes a year versus hair off which is 6 months.