Post by staysharp on Aug 22, 2019 11:42:06 GMT -6
This destination hunt took place in the hill country of Utopia Texas in Uvalde county and since the plan was to bring all the meat home, I made the 21 hour drive from my home in South East Wisconsin in my old Dodge ram. I met up with other hunters in Dubuque Iowa on March 28. In all, there was be 6 of us in a few trucks pulling trailers loaded with coolers.
This was a cull/depopulation hunt. The ranch had an excess water Buffalo population that needed to be culled. We were targeting Water Buffalo cows and other species (played it by ear) This particular ranch encompasses 20,000 acres (freaking huge)and is home to many and African species.
Here is the object of this bowhunting adventure.
Fresh on the heels of my successful archery hunt for Vancouver bull and Polynesian pig in Hawaii, I'm gearing up for this hunt with some new broadheads. The heads I bought earlier for this hunt that I planed to use on water buffalo suddenly seemed inadequate for the task of 2000 lb water buffalo so I ordered some 250 grain Cutthroat broadheads. Reading and viewing the pictures at the web site below scared me straight.
adventurousbowhunter.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/from-the-field-water-buffalo-anatomy-shot-placement-part-1/?vm=r
I placed an order for 250 grain, single bevel, Cutthroat heads.
I made more arrows to replace the once that were damaged or left in the remains of the bull carcass up on Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Since we used the gutless method for that bull, I was unable to retrieve some of my arrows from that hunt and the hogs and rocky terrain wrecked the rest. I used the same dual walled aluminum arrows that have a finished weight of 700 Grains.
I want to make it clear that this is a cull hunt. The ranch owner has an excess of Water Buffalo and he wanted some removed. Normally his 3 day Water Buffalo Bull hunts (includes lodging and meals and use of the butcher shed and walk in cooler) costs $6000. Water Buffalo cow hunts with the same accommodations are $3000.
Because this ranch wanted to reduce the population over the Easter weekend, we specifically targeted cows. The Ranch reduced the cost to $1650. That's not bad for some grass feed organic beef. It should also be noted that these are not tame or penned water buffalo. They are free roaming the 20,000 acres but this is indeed a fenced hunt (although I dont think Water buffalo require a high fence) meaning some folks will be opposed right off the bat. (I wont care) I look at it as a way to hopefully fill the freezer with beef, test a new broadhead, further test a new prototype drop away arrow rest I designed, test a new bow mounted camera mount and get out with my bow in late march and get out of cold Wisconsin and head to the deep south for a few days.
After some first hand exposure to Havalon Knives while on my bowhunt in Hawaii, That was the second purchase I made when I got back (right after the Cutthroat broadheads.) I picked up 3 dozen blades to begin with.
The Cutthroat broadheads come "Jagged" sharp but not shaving sharp. I knew this when I bought them. In fact, they website clearly stated that fact.
Thankfully I founded and own the Stay Sharp Broadhead sharpening guide company so I could take these heads to the next level and get them hair popping sharp with ease.
Right out of the package.
My Stay sharp and a few grits to sharpen and then polish the edge.
A mirror finish.
A brief video showing just how sharp I got them.
This was a cull/depopulation hunt. The ranch had an excess water Buffalo population that needed to be culled. We were targeting Water Buffalo cows and other species (played it by ear) This particular ranch encompasses 20,000 acres (freaking huge)and is home to many and African species.
Here is the object of this bowhunting adventure.
Fresh on the heels of my successful archery hunt for Vancouver bull and Polynesian pig in Hawaii, I'm gearing up for this hunt with some new broadheads. The heads I bought earlier for this hunt that I planed to use on water buffalo suddenly seemed inadequate for the task of 2000 lb water buffalo so I ordered some 250 grain Cutthroat broadheads. Reading and viewing the pictures at the web site below scared me straight.
adventurousbowhunter.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/from-the-field-water-buffalo-anatomy-shot-placement-part-1/?vm=r
I placed an order for 250 grain, single bevel, Cutthroat heads.
I made more arrows to replace the once that were damaged or left in the remains of the bull carcass up on Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Since we used the gutless method for that bull, I was unable to retrieve some of my arrows from that hunt and the hogs and rocky terrain wrecked the rest. I used the same dual walled aluminum arrows that have a finished weight of 700 Grains.
I want to make it clear that this is a cull hunt. The ranch owner has an excess of Water Buffalo and he wanted some removed. Normally his 3 day Water Buffalo Bull hunts (includes lodging and meals and use of the butcher shed and walk in cooler) costs $6000. Water Buffalo cow hunts with the same accommodations are $3000.
Because this ranch wanted to reduce the population over the Easter weekend, we specifically targeted cows. The Ranch reduced the cost to $1650. That's not bad for some grass feed organic beef. It should also be noted that these are not tame or penned water buffalo. They are free roaming the 20,000 acres but this is indeed a fenced hunt (although I dont think Water buffalo require a high fence) meaning some folks will be opposed right off the bat. (I wont care) I look at it as a way to hopefully fill the freezer with beef, test a new broadhead, further test a new prototype drop away arrow rest I designed, test a new bow mounted camera mount and get out with my bow in late march and get out of cold Wisconsin and head to the deep south for a few days.
After some first hand exposure to Havalon Knives while on my bowhunt in Hawaii, That was the second purchase I made when I got back (right after the Cutthroat broadheads.) I picked up 3 dozen blades to begin with.
The Cutthroat broadheads come "Jagged" sharp but not shaving sharp. I knew this when I bought them. In fact, they website clearly stated that fact.
Thankfully I founded and own the Stay Sharp Broadhead sharpening guide company so I could take these heads to the next level and get them hair popping sharp with ease.
Right out of the package.
My Stay sharp and a few grits to sharpen and then polish the edge.
A mirror finish.
A brief video showing just how sharp I got them.