Need Advice: CO High Fence Meat Hunt - Cow Elk vs Buffalo?

[roadrunner]

Northern Utah. I did price that back the end of 2020, first part of 2021 so maybe it has shot up since then.

Be surprised if it hasn't.

 

[CorbLand]

Do you remember who you got it from. Here in Colorado I can’t find a full beef for less than $3k. I still plan on doing the bison hunt but this seems like a great way to get a lot of meat instead of Costco.

I didnt end up ordering one, just priced it out. It was Selmans out of Tremonton, Utah. I got a new phone and cant find all the information I had.

 

[CorbLand]

Be surprised is it hasn't.

Probably has. I remember looking at it at that time thinking it would be a good time to get one because all the restaurants were getting shutdown. We priced it out but didn't have room in our freezer and no room for a second freezer.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Make sure to get help with skinning, even if it costs you more. My father-in-law and I had to skin two big bison bulls at a former employer. If you're looking for a full hide from the hoof up, you are going to need one guy just to sharpen knives. We skinned ours at a locker and the butcher let us use his knives. He just stood back and worked them on the steel as they dulled, which doesn't take very long. Their hide on the legs is like steel wool, and when you get above the shoulders it is way over an inch thick. Those complete hides, including the cape, each weighed over 150 pounds if I recall. That was after fleshing and salt cure.

I'd never skin one of those bad boys again unless I had to or was getting paid a heck of a lot more than I was back in the day.

 

[def90]

There are high fence hunts in Colorado? The Bison farm near me has a regular 3 strand barbed wire fence for the most part.

 

[JjamesIII]

Greetings everyone. I am new to the forum. I live in Denver and ate tag soup last elk season here in Colorado. I work in healthcare and had a lot less time in the woods than usual because of the high volumes from COVID (yay). As a result, I have a bad case of empty freezer syndrome.

I'd like to go on a meat hunt and because my schedule is so limited was considering doing something that I'd never been interested in the past: high fence hunting cow elk or bison. I acknowledge this topic is likely polarizing between high fence, private herds and the fact that shooting tamed bison isn't really hunting. I'd would appreciate the forum's insight into my situation however and would be grateful if those who don't like the topic simply refrain from commenting.

I have found 3 private ranches in CO with the potential to work with my dates.
High Fence Cow Elk (non-guaranteed) $3k for 3 days/4 nights with a guide.
High Fence Bison Heifer $3k for 2 days/1 night (essentially guaranteed)
High Fence Bison Heifer $3.5k for 3 days/2 nights including skinning, quartering and cooling (they mention it so I included it, not particularly worried about field dressing).
- There is another outfit that potentially has "mature" cow elk "guaranteed" for $3k, I am just not sure about date availability.

With the following priorities in mind, what would you suggest I do?
1. Meat - quality meat/price = value
2. Freezer Filling Odds (would do less fun hunt to ensure I have meat for the next year)
3. Hunting experience (if cow elk would likely do rifle, if bison likely bow given ease and lower risk of meat damage)

Thank you for your thoughts and insight.

I wouldn’t throw money into the hands of anyone running a high fence operation. Just pay a local farmer to shoot an angus and be done with it- same thing, less drive.

 

[5MilesBack]

Just pay a local farmer to shoot an angus and be done with it- same thing, less drive.

A few years ago I told my uncle I wanted to come over and shoot my own with my bow. He looked at me like I had three heads or something and just said "no". Not sure how accommodating most ranchers would be to that request, especially those that you don't even know. Of course I do love that meat more after several months of being fed grain.

 

[TreeWalking]

Bison , AND trust me , if they will help field dress and butcher and cool . THATS A PLUS . That animal is a fing chore , lol . Bison is fantastic meat. Shit, look at Aron Snyder , he can kill anything, anywhere , anytime , unlimited hunts from back country to home lands . Greatest Hunter out there in my opinion . And he even pays for buffalo hunts for the meat . Great option . Good luck .

A buddy shot a bison and he lined his truck bed with Styrofoam and put the frozen, packaged meat in his truck. Was about even with the top of the rails. Was a bull bison and not sure of weight on the hoof. A cow bison may yield less meat but the OP may still need a bigger freezer.

 

[tuffcity]

This should give you an idea on what to expect from a bison (the chart is bison specific). Your CWF weight will be less too.

AGE IN YEARS	AVERAGE DRESSED WEIGHT (LBS.) (WT.-RANGE)	AVERAGE LIVE WEIGHT (LBS.) (WT.-RANGE)
1	370
2	459(393–518)	865(795–995)
3	504(425–580)	968(945–1150)
4	616(383–775)	1163(925–1300)

 

[2rocky]

Expected Meat Yield from a Bison Bull Carcass By Gerald Hauer, Bison Production Specialist We often get asked at the Bison Centre for information on how much meat one can expect from a bison carcass. How much of each cut? How much is bone? I have compiled a table of the expected meat yield from a bison bull. This information is taken from research projects conducted at the Ag Canada Lacombe Research Centre. The numbers will vary with the amount of finish on the bison, the age of bull, and with the way that the carcass is cut up. Every butcher or processor has his own way of cutting and wrapping so these numbers are only a guideline.

 

[Blackstorm]

Weights are close to our figures, ours are a bit higher but our bulls are a year or two older, our 7 year olds are getting close to 1800-2000 lbs, we just harvested two bulls last week and they are at the processor being aged for 28 days, I think the tag on the larger one was 756 lbs. we are in calving season right now with 22 on the ground, we are expecting another 10-15 calf's due this season.

 

[SoloWilderness]

Bison. Bought a 1/4 cow from a local rancher last year for variety. Not a bad way to go, certainly a better choice than shooting a cow elk for 3k.

 

[doc holiday13]

I just bought a cow off my friend. The cow wasn't finished out yet as we're still early in the year so it was light. I think he said it was 765 on the hoof.. Take home butchered meat is 370.lbs which is almost 50% live weight

On deer, meat yield is ~35-40% of live weight

 

[Agross]

So how did this go? Did u end up doing it?

 

[Yoder]

I might just be doing a bison meat hunt myself, would the meat be better after they graze all summer vs hay fed all winter?

I think rifle for bison vs bow. Figure out where a neck shot would be an anchor shot.

You could probably walk up to it and shoot it in the forehead with a 22, just like at the butcher shop.

I think it sounds like a good deal. I love bison. Usually it costs a lot more than beef.

 

[Weldor]

Bison for sure , did New Mexico hunt a fews years back no high fence spot and stalk. What a hoot. We used the ranchers loader to hang and cut up huge help. It's chore but worth every Bite.

 

[KGP1603]

So how did this go? Did u end up doing it?

I did. last year I went to Severson Outfitters in western CO (near Grand Junction). I accomplished my goal but can't recommend the outfitter. He didn't really listed to what I wanted and was not focused on delivering the experience I was after. He had personal plans during the time of my booked hunt and rushed me for the first bit of the hunt, his team even encouraging me to use rifle instead of bow as I planned and desired. I wanted to skin, gut and quarter the animal with his team but he disregarded this and essentially had his team do it (poorly), which led to lost meat and a damaged hide.

This summer I wanted to fill the freezer and went with Prarie Ridge Buffalo Ranch and had a GREAT experience. The animals are larger for the price and in better condition. The owner Shawn was great to deal with and provided the experience I wanted. Can't recommend them highly enough. I took the meat to Meat Cleaver in Denver who did a great job with butchering and packaging and Lucas turned my order around in 1 day (in August, so otherwise a slow season for game processors) and took the hide to my taxidermist of Adventure Wildlife Studios which is right across the street from Meat Cleaver. Gill always does a great job and was amazing in salvaging the damaged hide I got from Severson the year before. This year it was a great experience and I had 3 great interactions with Shawn, Lucas and Gill.

 

[Agross]

Thanks for the response, I sent u a pm.