The Buffs are Back!!!

[209x50]

Originally Posted by MAV

Neil good thread I'm with you I'd like to see an earlier season for those of you that don't think it is possible earlier I won't hold it against you if you find me neck deep in the "keg" and just keep on walking.

One more whiskey and it's off to bed.

Yeah, that is where I figured the ideas on muskeg and bison hunting were coming from! LOL

[Donny Bear]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

So just curious what you think a full/green bison hide from a big bull might weigh????

Good question, Da Jimmers Bull was about 7 3/4 years old I weight in at 250+ and am no slouch but it took all I had to get the hide and head on a trailer with Da Jimmer helping I feel 200 is conservative and 300 with the head not a big stretch.

[oldgutpile]

My Zama bull was figured as an eight year old as well. We ran both the head and the hide seperately over certified scales at my meat shop. The head weighed in at 162 lbs, and the hide was 168 lbs. Thicknes of the hide around the neck and shoulders is easily 2 inches.

[209x50]

Originally Posted by oldgutpile

My Zama bull was figured as an eight year old as well. We ran both the head and the hide seperately over certified scales at my meat shop. The head weighed in at 162 lbs, and the hide was 168 lbs. Thicknes of the hide around the neck and shoulders is easily 2 inches.

It is truly amazing how heavy that hide is, I've seen it in person and still shake my head.

[Donny Bear]

Originally Posted by oldgutpile

My Zama bull was figured as an eight year old as well. We ran both the head and the hide seperately over certified scales at my meat shop. The head weighed in at 162 lbs, and the hide was 168 lbs. Thicknes of the hide around the neck and shoulders is easily 2 inches.

Thanks for the weight all I knew was it was some hard to get loaded!

[Neil Waugh]

A big reason why the great herds of buffalo disappeared wasn't entirely due to sod busters or railroads or all the usual knee jerk reasons.
It was because of their hides.
The old mills of New England and Ontario were run with a central engine and power was transferred to the machines with an elaborate system of drive shafts and pulleys in the roof.
To get the power from the roof to the floor required belts. Buffalo hide made the best belts going as the lucky guys who filled their Zama tags are telling us. Green buffalo leather was also the duct tape of the Old West and you could fix almost anything with enough shaganappi.
The machine shop at the old Mercoal coal mine was set up that way. It was pretty neat to watch it run. (Geeze I'm dating myself.)
I could go on about the mine ponies at Foothills but I don't want to get too boring.

Originally Posted by oldgutpile

My Zama bull was figured as an eight year old as well. We ran both the head and the hide seperately over certified scales at my meat shop. The head weighed in at 162 lbs, and the hide was 168 lbs. Thicknes of the hide around the neck and shoulders is easily 2 inches.

Ya, it's pretty humbling when you get up beside one of these creatures dead on the ground and you realize that just the head and hide weigh more than all the meat and antlers from a boned out elk.

The size of the gut pile still blows me away as well. It's literally a mountain of guts!

[dbend]

you were lucky then. not even 600 yds of rope would have got my buffalo out. it had to be cut into quarters and packed out by back pack.

[Donny Bear]

Originally Posted by dbend

you were lucky then. not even 600 yds of rope would have got my buffalo out. it had to be cut into quarters and packed out by back pack.

You bet we were lucky as for quarters no man I know would have touched it the hips thats hips not hind 1/4 required two men to lift just to hang em. in four he would have been about 330 per 1/4 hinds of course lighter and fronts heavier ad 25 -30 inches of snow no way but then we also had a guy stop and load it whole with a picker after we had the hide and head gone. Asked him for a price he's like 20.00 bucks I offered more but he just wanted a few beers on the deal

[PoppaW]

I have lived in the north for 20+ years but have not been to Zama. But I have seen enough to know that if this was a fall hunt there is no way in he!! I would apply for a tag. My wife would be getting my insurance early if I shot something as it would surely kill me. And if ATV/Sled use was banned then it would be a ten man per tag event