Buffalo Recipes

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Thanks for the tip, and the recipe. I took it off of a hunting preserve in Tennessee. I always wanted to take one with a muzzleloader (studying that period of U.S. history during the western expansion really fascinates me, esp. the stories of the mountain men), and I finally realized a dream come true. I am glad, though, that I shot one of the smaller ones (thinking it would be younger and therefore tenderer); I now have NO room in my chest freezer, and I am guessing that I have about 500 to 600lbs of buffalo meat to eat for the next decade or so ;)

[Liver and Onions]

Mr. 16 Guage,
I am curious, how much did the buffalo cost ?
I am looking at the flyer from Pardise Lake Ranch in North Branch....the smaller buffalo(1000-1499 lbs.) cost $2000-2500. This hunting ranch ranch has about 600 fenced in acres. I visited there, did not hunt, but was very impressed with the size of the elk.
They have some good whitetails, but we saw very deer. This is the place that Rob Trott hunted last year for one of his programs.
L & O

[Mr. 16 gauge]

L&O;
I hunted at Wilderness Hunting lodge in Monterey, TN (about half way between Knoxville and Nashville on I-40). It is a family run operation, and the prices for a buffalo hunt run $1450-$2250, plus sales tax. Add an extra $350 for processing. The preserve has 1200 acres (all verticle!) of mountains and hollows. Prices for buffalo in MI were kind of high; I think I got a better deal down in TN. Prices for an elk hunt run from $1850-$3750 (I see one preserve in MI is up to $5000+ for elk). buffalo are based on wieght--one in the 1000-1500 lb catagory would probably run in the neighborhood of $1500. If you want, you can check out thier website at www.wildernesshuntinglodge.com (http://www.wildernesshuntinglodge.com) Of course, they have all the exotics as well. Any questions, don't hesitate to shoot me an email.

[Liver and Onions]

Mr 16 gauge,
Thanks for the info. I visited their website, it does look less expensive there.
I've never hunted at a hunting ranch, is it difficult enough to make it seem legit ? Someday I would like to get a boar with my bow, maybe I'll give a hunting ranch a try when that day comes.
Thanks again,
L & O

[Mr. 16 gauge]

L&O;
I have hunted perserves 5 times now, and one thing that I have found is that the "hunts" are what YOU make of them. One thing that needs to be remembered, however, is that this is NOT whitetail deer hunting. Wild boar have an excellent sense of smell, but thier eyesight is very poor and their hearing is just so/so, so it is somewhat easy to sneak up on one if you pay attention to the wind. Add to that fact that the wild boar doesn't have much in the way of enemies when it is full grown, and what might seem like "tameness" may actually be casual indifference. Most of the boar (I saw an average of 100-125/day) would take off like scaulded cats once they winded me, esp if they were in a group, but there were a few singles out there that let me get within 10-20 yards of them, and a couple times I had to chuck rocks at them to get them off the trail. I must admit that I did'nt like the way they were looking at me, either. As for the buffalo, it was more of a "shoot" than a hunt. But if you look at history, this is precisely why they were almost wiped out....they just stood around while white hunters shot them from a distance.
The deer (sika, fallow) can be hard to get close to....I was planning on taking a fallow doe, but couldn't get close enough with my revolver to do so. Most times the deer could be easily taken with a high power rifle with scope, which is why I say that the hunts are what you make of them: if you choose to use a bow, pistol, muzzleloader, ect, you will probably have a more enjoyable hunt. It is a fact that fences are involved, but I never saw an animal near the fence, trying to "get out"--1200 acres was a pretty fair chunk of land.
I must also state that when I went mule deer hunting out in Wyoming, I was surprised that when we jumped mule deer, they would bound off for 50 to 100 yards, and then stop and stand still and look back, giving a rifleman an easy shot--some were relative pushovers, and no fences were involved. this type of hunting could be defined by some as "easy" or "pushover".
One last thought--I think that the animals in the preserves get "use" to a high number of humans coming through there enviroment, and if they aren't shot at or disturbed in some way, they become accustomed to people, and hence, less "wary". Very similar to what I experience in my first visit to Yellowstone. You could literally walk up and pet the elk; I don't think you would be able to do that with an elk in an area where hunting is prevalent.
I am thinking about going back to wilderness lodge next Jan. I had thought about trying to get a few more people to go with me if there was any interst on this website. I will post more sometime this summer...until then, take care.

[Liver and Onions]

Mr. 16 gauge,
Interesting post. Did you hunt with friends on your other trips or did you go with your wife ? I bet my wife would like to go once, maybe more if the facilities were nice enough. Enjoy the buffalo.
L & O

[broncbuster2]

anyone know what the cost would be to tan the hide of one of these critters?
it would make a awsome warmer for my wifes cold feet. LOL

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http://www.geocities.com/geodanny/gifs/animals/horse/pegasus.gif

[This message has been edited by broncbuster2 (edited 02-10-2001).]

[Hunter333]

i6 guage, I would be more than willing to take some off of your hands seeing as you have so much! :) Just drop me a line and I will send you my address....

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ONE shot, ONE kill..No excuses, no exceptions EVER!!

[Mr. 16 gauge]

L&O,
Thanks for the laugh!!!! my wife go down on a hunting trip with me?!.....Her idea of "roughing it" on a camping trip is black and white television and no HBO. I ended up going by myself, as I have most of my other trips. As for the facilities, there are "private" rooms that hold from 4 to 6 hunters, and two bathrooms with showers. Meals are family style, and there seemed to be plenty to go around.

Broncbuster;
Headmounts ranged from $750-$1000 for the taxidermist that works out of the preserve. Hide tanning costs about $500; I called Shalvis Taxidermy and they quosted me $16.50 per square foot(this is what I am having done as a "memento" of the hunt). Skull mounts run $275--I am trying to do this myself.

Hunter333;
When I get my home computer fixed, we'll talk. My home PC crashed and I am having trouble getting someone to fix it. I am currently typing this from work (and looking over my shoulder as I do it).
Hope this helps!