Buffalo Hunters casting bullets? Fact or fiction.

[45nut]

): Good tale there! I would like to complement all parties in this thread for the information parlayed as well as the historical,,and yes hysterical tales .

[felix]

Great one, Ray! ... felix

[Bass Ackward]

Seems as though an animal had crossed in front of me and now,I don't know if it was a rabbit,a hare or a bunny---was pretty sure it wasn't a buffalo or would that be a bison? I also wondered if it lived in a burrow or above ground.

Ray,

You lost me right here. Regardless if it was a buffalo or a bison, never in my life have I seen one burrow into the ground.

[felix]

Nah, John, you not lost, yet! NYC folks live underground by definition. They call their individual towns as such. ... felix

[Scrounger]

I was driving along this morning and suddenly found myself in a big state of confusion. A few days ago I wouldn't have been confused but in view of recent education,I realized I was confused. Seems as though an animal had crossed in front of me and now,I don't know if it was a rabbit,a hare or a bunny---was pretty sure it wasn't a buffalo or would that be a bison? I did wonder if it was born helpless or able to take care of itself. I also wondered if it lived in a burrow or above ground.(I really didn't think a burrow as it didn't seem to be from New York). I didnt have a clue about any of these things as I have no hare raising experience. But unbeknownst to me at the time,that was all about to change. I decided being as how I had my shotgun,I'd go make dinner out of whatever it might be. So I got out of my pickup,got my shotgun and began my stalk. Got right out in the middle of a big field and I heard a noise. Looked around and here was a great big ol gentleman cow a taking a bead at me. What to do? I looked around and this being plains country,no trees,exceptin one. There stood a lone tihsllub tree. I didn't have time to climb it,that gentleman cow was getting closer and had a full head of steam. This tihsllub tree had one branch about 12 foot high. So I ran and jumped for it and ofcourse missed it. But I lucked out and caught it on the way back down. Here I was in the tree and the gentleman cow was a pawing and bellering and stomping the ground. Just as I thought I was comfortable,I looked around and there was a huge wildcat---in the same tree. What to do? I had already quit worrying about whether my quarry was a hare,rabbit or whatever. Didn't matter,he was long gone. To compound my complicated situation,I only had one hull for my shotgun. So I pondered things over a might in my head. Here I was up a tree with a wildcat,mad raging gentleman cow on the ground and I only had one hull. So I raised up and shot the wildcat right between the eyes. I figured I'd shoot the bull when I posted this.

Where was your sheep during all this?

[montana_charlie]

Regardless if it was a buffalo or a bison, never in my life have I seen one burrow into the ground.

I have seen depressions in the ground (out here) which are said to be the remains of old buffalo wallows. Some are deep enough that a bull standing in the bottom might not be visible from a hundreds yards away.
Some years ago, while helping a rancher move his bulls to their winter pasture, I rode a horse into one of those holes when it was drifted full of snow.
Both of us had trouble extracting ourselves from 'the pit'.
CM

[carpetman]

Bass Ackwards---You dont know if it was buffalo or bison. That confirms that their burrowing works. People dont know anything about them. Burrowing is for concealment---you are not suppossed to see them. This burrowing evolved slowly. It started out that they just dug holes to bury their dung. They did this so that bullet casters wouldnt have any fuel to cast bullets. This worked well. But the plains which had been void of grass and trees was now being fertilized and vegetation started growing. This made folks in Montana happy as they could now have sheep. The buffalo hunters were now getting a supply of sawdust that they could use for fuel. The sawdust was used to insulate the ice that was brought in. They could no longer just bury their dung and be safe. They had to bury(burrows)themselves. The wallow that Montana Charlie was an upstairs balcony for their burrow. Now you may not accept this as you haven't seen it. Next time you describe whatever happens inside a gun barrel remember I haven't been in a gun barrel to see it.

[felix]

Some of us are just flat out clowns, and have ridges and a rump to prove it. ... felix

[wills]

Hey Carpetman,

All I asked was if it was possible to melt lead using just Buffalo Chips. Not having them available in England, I couldn't experiment to find out myself.

I didn't realise it would turn into a discourse of how folks would preserve winter ice for their summer evening Martini drinks back in the 1800's, cattle breeding or the weather in various States of the Union. Lol.

However, it has been fun reading all the 'posts'

Harry

Perhaps you could simulate the chips using the products of Bos taurus which may be available at your locale.

[montana_charlie]

Carpetman,
Are you sure you don't have the buffalo confused with the prairie dog?
I'm guessing you haven't seen either one, so maybe...Naw! that can't be it.
CM

[flinchnjerk]

I don't think that you guys should be taking ice fishing so lightly...it can be very dangerous. I had a couple of buddies who went ice fishing. They caught about 900 pounds. When they brought it home and fried it up, they both drowned.

[Harry Eales]

Perhaps you could simulate the chips using the products of Bos taurus which may be available at your locale.

Hello Wills,

Chips of British domestic cattle are legion, however you forget the traditional British weather. It is seldom indeed when their 'Pats' or 'Chips' ever dry out. Most of them get washed away by the rain.

Admittedly 2006 was exceptionally hot, and it may have been possible to find a few, but there are a mass of insects from flies to beetles that use this dung to breed in, and then birds come along and break up the 'chips' to get at the larvae.

If I tried to collect it, it wouldn't be long before the gentlemen in white coats would come along to insist I try on one of their special jackets, those with the long ties on the sleeves and the fastenings on the back. lol.

Harry

[jb12k]

Wills---I think ice tongs are those little jobber doo's you use to pluck an ice cube--one hand operation. I always heard the things you showed called ice hooks. Now a hook for fishing for ice,what would you use for bait?

BOURBON !!

[montana_charlie]

I don't think that you guys should be taking ice fishing so lightly...it can be very dangerous.

Doubly dangerous if you consider the possibility of becoming a victim of the dreaded ice snake.

I adopted a method of ice fishing which prevents that kind of attack, but frankly...I'm too tired to fish after chopping a hole in the ice big enough for my boat...
CM

[rugerman1]

Doubly dangerous if you consider the possibility of becoming a victim of the dreaded ice snake.

I adopted a method of ice fishing which prevents that kind of attack, but frankly...I'm too tired to fish after chopping a hole in the ice big enough for my boat...
CM

[ARKANSAS PACKRAT]

I do believe the "chip throwers" hev took over the chip thread!!!!!!!!! Keep it coming guys , makes me feel normal?!!!!!!!!!!
nick

[OLPDon]

To all you contemplating Buffalo Chips I have a safty precaution please click on Link:
www.workingnet.com/thunderbear/243.html
Have a nice Day!!!!!!!!!
Don.....................

[wills]

Hello Wills,

Chips of British domestic cattle are legion, however you forget the traditional British weather. It is seldom indeed when their 'Pats' or 'Chips' ever dry out. Most of them get washed away by the rain.

Admittedly 2006 was exceptionally hot, and it may have been possible to find a few, but there are a mass of insects from flies to beetles that use this dung to breed in, and then birds come along and break up the 'chips' to get at the larvae.

If I tried to collect it, it wouldn't be long before the gentlemen in white coats would come along to insist I try on one of their special jackets, those with the long ties on the sleeves and the fastenings on the back. lol.

Harry

Ah, yes, rain, I have read about rain. I aspire to actually witness rain someday!

[montana_charlie]

To all you contemplating Buffalo Chips I have a safty precaution...

A timely tidbit, that.
Obviously, instead of Westinghouse, one should turn to Ron Popiel for the necessary equipment. I am sure he makes a slicer which would work well to produce those evenly matched wafers that do best in his multi-level dehydrator.

The only remaining question is what to do with the 'wiggly things'. I recommend they be carefully collected and kept (in a small tub of sawdust) in the refrigerator, for use as bait during your next ice fishing trip. Experienced ice fishermen know where to store them, while actively fishing, to keep them from freezing...even though that means foregoing the pleasures of tobacco products such as Copenhagen and Skoal.

One should keep in mind, however, that method of storage makes one more susceptible to a visit from the ice snake.
CM

[Ross]

Do not pine for the lack of buffalo chips. They are readily available sterilized, compressed and dehydrated as Presto Logs. One simply chops off hockey-puck chips from the end of the log sausage.
Available in supermarkets everywhere.