Bison Shot Placement/Broadhead Opinions
General Topic
Contributors to this thread:
I'm going on a Bison hunt next month and can't find anything regarding the best shot placement. Also I have read alot of opinions on slick tricks, I presently shoot magness stingers 4 blade. Should I try the st or maybe a 2 blade magness? I'm shooting 68# 30 in. 7595 gold tips.
Thanks Tom
Guys send me pics and I put an assortment of animals up at slicktrick.net under the Tricked Animals and have some Buff on there.
Put a Standard Trick on your arrow and you will be set with the super penetration, shot placement double lung as usual and quartering if you like, and you will need to have some freezer space.
You have to double lung this animal. If you dont you will have a long chase on your hands. They will bleed dry before they go down. I used my Matthew Q2 at 65 lbs with a 100 grain Mussy titamium broadhead at 50 yards, passed right through and Bull ran 90 yards.
Prez
I am hunting them this fall also and plan to use the same equipment and broadhead that I use on everything. That is a Magnus I, 4 blade 150 grains, if I were to change then I would shoot the 4 blade Magnus Stinger 150 grain. There is no better heads on the market than the Magnus IMHO.
I just shot one a month ago. The heart is very low and far forward, you need a quartering away shot and sink it in the soft spot right behind the elbow as he steps with the leg forward. Maybe easier to take the lungs since much bigger target but mine ran a total of 150 yds with 2 shots in the lungs. I was using shuttle t-locks they are tough. I would personally now use a 2 blade rage for the most damage.
I shot one at 56 yards through both lungs with a Stinger 125grn -two blade broadhead. The broadhead poked out of the hide on the offside shoulder. The bull stood there for a few second and then just fell to its knees. It was dead in 15 seconds. NO tracking job needed. Double lung them and they go down fast.
...as has been discussed many times before, please note that the Am. Bison is unique in it's anatomy in that the heart and BOTH lungs are contained within a single pleural sac. Any puncture of that pleural space will lead to collapse of BOTH lungs. The important thing is to penetrate the lung space and not hit behind it. It is also actually better to NOT have a pass through as the arrow 'sticking out' will actually speed the developing pneumothorax (that's why the indians were so successful with primitive bows and spears).These animals will actually go down quicker with an arrow shot to the lungs rather than a rifle shot where fat can close the puncture wound and bleeding becomes the agent of death. I like a two blade for penetration and actually used the two blade Rocket Naildriver for mine. A quartering shot is preferred. Check the archives for some pictures of vital locations on these big animals. Good Luck
any photos of a buffalo with vital exposed like they have for deer and bear?
any other input on this topic
I've shot two ... magnus two-blade stingers, double-lung, and down in 75 yards or less.
I'm not sure of the anatomy lesson above ... I know I've seen bison double-lunged, in mid-lung, no less, with a .50 cal muzzleloader and still live 20 minutes.
Although the heart is low and anterior, both of my shots were higher and behind the shoulder, and down they went. The guts do slide up under the lungs, so my advice (contrary to what I'd say about most critters) is to aim mid-way up the body, just behind the front leg.
The heart is in the same place as it is on most game animals, low in the chest, right btween the shoulders. On a broadside bison, if you go directly up the center of the front leg, 1/4 to 1/3 of the way up from the bottom of the chest, you will take out the heart and both lungs.
thanks all for the comments, we have actually had quite a few bowhunters take bison with our 4 blade magnus stingers and magnus stinger buzzcuts. 100 grain clear to 150 grain. great bloodtrails short recovery. thanks
I am interested in a bison hunt with bow. anybody have any suggestions on where to go?
140 gr Montecs, only problem with them is they do not make 140 gr practice heads, and they are only available from pro shops. They fly just like the 100 125 gr. Montecs or field points. Duane
I shot a mid-sized bull through both lungs with a 145 grain Bear Razorhead. It went another 100 yards, stood there for a few minutes, then tipped over.
On the SLICK TRICK THANKS thread theres a pic of a guy who shot a Buff with a Mag Trick that went 15 yards. Tricks love big animals.
Here's a pretty close illustration of how a buffalo's vitals would lay. The vitals are actually from a moose, and although there are some minor differences, this gives one a fairly accurate idea.
Have a great bowhunt BB
Amazing, all these animals look just like a buffalo.
not really ......not a true buffalo at least
Bison Bill just doesn't have the same ring.
WW's Link
http://www.arrowheads1.com/artifactinfo/bisonskel.htm
We just got back from a Bowhunt for my Daughter in Oklahoma (private herd though). She took this Cow @ 25 yds. 48# Bow & Easton Aluminum arow tipped with a 3 Blade (fixed) rocky Mountain Broadhead. Slightly quartered & her arrow hit just in the creaseto the right of the red dot in (Donner Post). Arrow went up to fletch (29" arrow) & got lungs & ended in the Heart. Buff went less than 60 yds. & crashed to the ground.
I was told to hit in the lower 1/3 of the body and that woked great. My bull was on the ground in about 25 seconds.
Good link WW. The 'hump' vertebrae sure are high on that critter.
Broadside- the shot should be right above the elbow on the leg.
Be conscious of possible chase after the shot. Also, be aware that the herd will congregate around the wounded animal to prevent it from falling on the ground.
Can be a wild and exciting hunt.
Shot mine with a 62# Mathews SB. GT5575 shafts tipped with a 100 gr. 2-blade Magnus II broadhead. 25 yd. shot. Very slight quartering away positon. Got total penetration- BH was lodged in opposite shoulder blade and fletching and nock barely showing on entrance side. Remember they will have a heavy winter coat on this time of year-lots of hair to slow and dull arrow.