Original Buffalo skull or no?

[David Curtis]

Im not one to buy taxidermy. I'll only hang something on the wall that's personal. But I found this old skull in an old timers 1800's log barn today. He claims its an original American Buffalo skull (not todays bison we see) from South Park Colorado. Otherwise known as Bison Bison. Seems to good and clean to be true. But who knows. Anyone out there that can help me out? It's cool either way, but I'm just curious.

 

[Antares]

That is a bull bison skull. I’m not sure what you mean about the difference between “American buffalo” and bison. It’s all the same.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

If the skull is truly from a wild bison that had lived in the South Park area then it is likely from the smaller sub-species of mountain bison that once roamed the area. Plains Buffalo were much larger, nearly twice the size. The last of those South Park Bison were poached and are in a museum in Canyon City I believe. I remember reading an interesting and sad story about the poaching of a small herd that occurred in the late 1800's, essentially exterminating the last of those mountain bison.

 

[def90]

There were plains bison, mountain bison and woods bison back in the day, pretty sure it has been determined through dna that they were all the same. Their differences in size and some coloration and stuff were a result of the habitat that they lived in as well as isolation from other herds.

Most modern bison have some cattle dna mixed in with them. I think the Yellowstone herd and a couple others carry cattle free dna. Most if not all farmed bison on private ranches has some cattle mixed in with them.

 

[David Curtis]

Thanks guys this is all great stuff. Super fascinating. I read the book "American Buffalo" by Steve Rinella not long ago. In there he breaks down what yal are talking about but I don't recall the details. I'm sure its hard to know for sure if its a real wild Colorado bison, but that's the story so Im sticking to it!

 

[Antares]

It's gonna look cool on the wall no matter what you call it! Here's a cow I cleaned up last summer.

 

[Lark Bunting]

Cool find. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

 

[FLAK]

Thats a keeper, either way.

 

[David Curtis]

It's gonna look cool on the wall no matter what you call it! Here's a cow I cleaned up last summer.

Looks amazing

 

[muddydogs]

I won't purchase skulls myself except for a Bison, guess I see a Bison skull more as art or history then a trophy. My 12 year old nephew got a skull and hide after helping out on a Bison ranch last fall for a day. I cleaned it up for him.

 

[ClearCreek]

I won't purchase skulls myself except for a Bison, guess I see a Bison skull more as art or history then a trophy. My 12 year old nephew got a skull and hide after helping out on a Bison ranch last fall for a day. I cleaned it up for him.

Shot with a large caliber and it looks like it took a couple shots.

ClearCreek

 

[MT257]

It’s a bison skull. The little “u” or change in the skull above the eye socket to the base of horn is a trait of bison. Cattle skulls are more or less a straight line.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

Definitely a bison skull, it’s also a modern bison. Appears to be a younger bull. No telling exactly how old it is, but looks to be in very good shape. Trophy either way.

 

[jmez]

Shot with a large caliber and it looks like it took a couple shots.

ClearCreek

Shot with a captive bolt at a slaughterhouse.

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[ClearCreek]

Shot with a captive bolt at a slaughterhouse.

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That makes sense as well.

ClearCreek

 

[muddydogs]

Shot with a captive bolt at a slaughterhouse.

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Nope shot with a rifle in the dirt. Guess this was the first shot of the day and they realized the sights got knocked off.

 

[MountainTr3kker]

Very cool!

 

[Michael k]

Looks great!

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[Warmsy]

I bet you could send in a very small sample for adna test. It would be pretty cool too know for sure you're g holding a relic.