Disclaimer - given that "hunting" is ill-defined and every individual gets to decide what hunting is to them... the following is barely hunting... more like "persistent following and shooting." It was a high fence event, I paid for the bull and to be guided, and the bull I shot has a tag in his ear... my bow was made of carbon and I wasn't on horseback. I got it. That said - it was amazing... and there's good information that came out of it if you're interested.

Set-up- 47# Bushmen Xyphose. 650g GT Kinetics with a Grizzly Stick Alaskan broadhead.

Penetration - Shooting a 47# bow, I followed the Ashby principles as I assumed I wouldn't have a large margin of error. Large FOC (315g up front), heavy arrow (650g), skinny arrow shaft (GT Kinetics), cut on contact 2 blade (Alaskans), and when the wind wasn't howling my arrows flew superb.

The bison started to turn upon release and my shot ended up being quartering away. When the shot happened I was not in a position to do anything other than shoot in a full value 20 mph cross wind. The shot was 21 yards and I could see the arrow start to swim up wind a bit. I shoot 5 1/2 bananas... and that didn't help "fight the wind." Further - after looking at my broadhead I'm guessing I high rib (lots of blade chatter) and that further diminished penetration. That said my arrow penetrated to about half way up my feathers... I didn't get two holes. I honestly think - in windless conditions I would have punched through him... or at least poked two holes.

Shot was liver and lungs. He expired "about as fast as you'll ever see them die" according to my guide. I don't know if that was true... or he was just making me feel good. He did elaborate by saying unless you brain them - shooting them with a rifle they live on their feet for a really long time. Mine was off his feet in 60 seconds and dead in 90 seconds.

I practiced that shot in my mind a million times in the months leading up to the hunt. The herd had about 10 bulls... but one was significantly taller/bigger than the others. I told my guide - "they'll all do... so when it's time to shoot - I'm taking the closest one that is broadside." They were too skittish to get picky... especially with a 20 yard max effective range. It just happened that the big fella was the one I shot. Est weight 1600 pounds.

The day before I watched a friend shoot a bison female with his compound and she walked 9 steps, stood about 45 seconds... and died. Mine, took off in a dead sprint and literally ran and collapsed while running. Left a blood trail a blind man could have flowed despite only one hole and their heavy coat. He was bleeding from wound and mouth.

Despite all the Ashby in the world shoved into my projectile, significant bow energy is required. I was amazed by my Bushmen Xyphose. For this hunt I chronographed a 600g arrow out of all my bows. My 47# Xyphose shot the fastest... faster than all my bows, to include bows in the mid-50's... and at only 47# I can comfortably linger at full draw to dress my shot up.

If any of you are in San Antonio - let me know... will have more than a few steaks to give away in a month.

Jar

shot... he's rotating left...

nice experience

they loook big

Alaskan broadhead... literally right out of the package and onto my arrow. Only time I've ever done that.

Yes that's a fence... yes they just got water... yes those are tags in their ears... yes it was still exciting...

Outstanding! Congratulations. Thank you for sharing the bow and arrow setup information.

Impressive performance. Have you shot that set up through a chrono ?

Congratulations !!!

Very impressive and congratulations on some fine meat for the family.

That s impressive with the the way the arrow flew < congrats

Man that’s impressive performance, and a lot of expensive MEAT but good eating, Nicely Done, even though ……. Congratulations

That's some good eating meat. Congratulations.

That’s great Jarhead , thanks for sharing and thanks for being honest about the hunt. That’s pretty crazy the broadhead taking that much damage.

Very very nice and good info. Now we know 47 lbs will kill a Bison but will 40 lbs kill one ? :) And enjoy the meat.

Nice going! Who wouldn’t be excited?

Congratulations!

Thanks for posting the data and description.

Good job. Lots of great eating there. Would also like to hear the speed your set up generated when you shot it through your chronograph. I’m playing around some with KE and Momentum numbers for my selfbows and would give me something to compare to.

I would submit that "not all 47's are the same."

Congratulations, nothing beats high FOC.

Congrats, that is one big deer…;)

Nicely done Jar !! Thanks for the story and info of the hunt. If I lived closer I'd go for some of those steaks. That sould be some mighty fine eating. Congrats !!

fence or no fence I'm jealous. congratulations

Congratulation Allen! That's gonna be some good meat.

Allan congrats! definitely a bucket list hunt!

Thumper - it never occurred to me that I'd have a crosswind that significant. By my Forrest Gump sized brain... I want as much stabilization as possible because I want that arrow flying true... even if my release isn't great. Well... all that "extra feather" math goes right out the window in cross-winds... it works against you. Lesson learned. I fletched up a "two feather" arrow today after watching Jim Neeves's (Centaur) YouTube video about 2 fletching vs. wind.

I'm learning... I did tell my guide "if possible I either need to be directly up wind... or directly down-wind. The look he gave me after I said that told me "you get what you get... the Bison vote in this too." And they did. I think the bigger win is "despite" the arrow not addressing the animal at 90 degrees... I got 28" or so inches of penetration. You control what you can... all that you can.

Nicley done. I shoot 4 x3" fletch and make 2 fletch for the kids. But im going to have to check out that video of 2 fletch in the wind. I might try that for myself. Congrats.

Congratulations Hap

Congratulations Allan! Thank you for sharing.

Glad things worked out, that is some good eating

Congratulations, Allan! Not all 47# ARE equal, especially when you're 6"7" or 6'9" or whatever you are. That's a heck of a power stroke compared to most of us.

Knobby - yup. My buddy pulls 27" and grouses constantly at my fps vs his at same weight. That said - we got what we got. You can pull further back... you can shoot a heavier bow... or you can shoot an efficient bow.

Congratulations. Thanks for sharing all the particulars of your set-up and results. Good info.

Nice !

That'll be some good eating, and you got to kill them before you can eat them.

Well, maybe you don't have to kill them first, but it's a lot easier that way. :-D

Rick

Thanks for sharing and being fully honest about it all. Good information and something so many of us can learn from.

Congrats and thanks for the good info.

Congratulations on the Bison harvest!……..Great test on the power of a heavy foc arrow,you were on the lower end of that but it did the job well for you at 21 yards! Enjoy that meat,it will be plenty and tasty!

Congratulations on the Bison harvest! What an amazing feat! Thanks for sharing your setup, that is great to hear how your particular bow performed and your set up. Enjoy the meat and the memories my friend!

Pretty impressive..! 47# is my bow weight of choice. Convinced it would kill elk well. But a big , ole bison..?? Just WOW..

Jarhead, that has to be very satisfying, being directly involved in the testing and development of that bow. And like others said, you shot your meat you didn’t buy it in a store. I used to raise Bison and have seen many killed. They sometimes stand for a long time. Dead on their feet bleeding out.

Big Feather’s do catch more air, it has been proven by many field archers, wind even affects small feathers, Jar said it best , you gotta put your best foot forward to do the best at the given moment.

Man you and yours are gonna eat good. Thanks for post.

Congratulations on the big success! Literally.

From what I have seen doing anything with those big creatures is difficult. Some folks in the area raise them and claim that they are domesticated but never really tame. The fencing is intense. We have bought meat which is very good.

Hopefully you were able to pack it out in one trip - on a trailer.

I’ll pay for shipping to get some of that meat! Congrats.

Congrats and thanks for sharing.

Back in the 90's Ted Turner came up here and told all the ranchers that Bison was the investment of the future. When the market dropped out they were just about giving them away. I shot a mature cow ( for the meat) thru both lungs w 55# Recurve and Woodsman BH. She only went about 60 yds and was down in seconds.

I've gone the FOC route the last 7 yrs and less poundage. I'm using 3" four fletch feathers. Perfect arrow flight. Bonus too that usually I get three feathers out of a full length instead of two.

On a side note. I had a friend that drew Bison tag one year. (Not available often, depending on population). He took a recurve and rifle. He got real lucky and found a big bull not far from the road down a cutline during a snowstorm. He grabbed his bow and got to about 15yds w the bull feeding and not a clue. My buddy was afraid to shoot as the bull was so big he didn't think he could penetrate the hide enough. Walked back and got his rifle. Dropped it. If I remember right he got around 800# of meat from it. I was also big enough to score well up in Boone and Crockett.

Woulf have been a better story without all the pics. Was interesting up until the shot picture. I could have the same "hunting" experience walking into my neighbors Hereford feedlot with a bow! :(

Jarhead, I’ve tested my 26% FOC micro diameter shafts with 2” Rayzer feathers in heavy crosswinds to see if it helped reduce the wind drift. 10, 20 & 30 yds It was reduced but the wind was 20 - 30mph and the tails of the arrow were still moved over. The wind drift was reduced but the arrow still impacted at an angle that would drastically reduce penetration. So you most likely lost a fair amount of penetration to the wind and arrow angle at impact. Looks like a prime eating 2 yr old bull

Sounds like SB doesn't want a Bison Burger!

Congratulations. What an adventure and learning experience!

Great story and thanks for being transparent about the kill. Great information, but I have a question . Why was broadhead so tore up?

SB the DA. Yeah, what's up with the broadhead damage. Your shot looks to be quartering away but the arrows not there yet in the picture.

^^^^^^^heavy bone and most broadheads wouldn’t stand a chance^^^^^^

What is the back up plan when you're that close to a herd of bulls of dubious nature? Wouldn't they have some tendency to charge if every now and then their caretakers start pushing them around and launching projectiles rather than filling the trough and bringing in some hay bales?

As a kid I often barely made it across the cattle field alive.

As a kid I often barely made it across the cattle field alive, hence your handle :-).

As a kid I often barely made it across the cattle field alive, hence your handle :-).

Certainly one reason. Climbing was also involved a few times and swimming another. At times I wished for wings.

That sounds like a redneck triathlon!

Will #35 kill a deer? LOL sorry i had too!

Data is always good! Congrats. I wouldn’t be afraid to hunt anything in North America with my 45 pound bows!

So what did that arrow chronograph out of this bow? Doesn't provide much info saying the 47# bow "shot the fastest" in comparison to your other bows. Assuming you shoot 47# at your draw which is how long? you shot 13.83 grains/pound. It makes a big difference in energy storage how long your draw length is. This bow seems to be a long "super recurve" at least looking at a youtube video and part of the picture.

Congrats, on your shoot. What was the cost for all that meat? Hope you have a couple freezers lol.

I don't think this was so much of a hunt as an experiment.

Bison meat is excellent. Enjoy that wonderful meat.

Good hunt.Lots of excellent meat to last for a long while. I did some testing on that same broadhead. Very expensive for what they are. Not durable at all and a tendency to chatter badly. Some break off at the threads . Very sharp out of the box, however, be very careful when taking them out of the box, or the first blood you will see from them is from your fingers.Pis poor design on the box.Hate the fact that they are sharpen at the back as well. I hope you do not overdraw at all by accident , or keep your fingers close to the arrow when you draw. Add to that the excitement of the hunt, and you may need stitches. Nearly impossible to resharpen to "like new" . Bottom line : stay the hell away from them. There are many better ones for that price , and many more for less, of the so called premium heads.

Just the thought of that much skinning, quartering, cutting ,sawing, wrapping and putting in the freezer wore me out!

Okay - just strung up the bow(s) and tested the arrow I shot him with... and the broadhead I shot him with.

Bushmen Xyphose 47# at 30" shot 671g arrow at 170 fps (14.3 gpp)

for comparison - I shot my Chinook - which is a strong performer. There's significant testing data on Tradlab. Chinook is 50# at 30"... shot same 671g arrow at 162.

Again - not all bows are the same... that Bushmen is a special bow.

As for the Grizzly Alaskan broadheads... I most likely will not be going back to them. As Juancho pointed out - they are razor sharp on the back end. Which... my arrow went into the feathers... but after he ran it backed out quite a bit. Im SURE the backside of the broadhead did, in fact, work as designed. It cut as it was naturally backed out by motion. That said - the risk of cutting my bow hand by pulling my broadhead into my own hand prob isnt' worth it.

I haven't tried to resharpen the blade I used but I've not had a ton of luck sharpening other Grizzlystik single bevel broadheads.

Last thing... the chatter on the blade was unexpected. I don't think I've ever seen that on my VPA 300's... but I've never shot them through a bison either. Regardless... good broadhead... but not for me.

All I got to say is: I loved the story and Congrats on a very cool experience.

I'm definitely no expert in these matters, but believe I've read that in the 19th century wild Bison would stand around while you shot the whole herd down with rifles. Maybe a high fence bison hunt is not all that different from what indigenous people did before horses introduced into the Americas.

Big Thank You for sharing ! I really enjoyed your story and content!

Ken

Great story and an honest, informative assessment. Thank you.

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