Sometimes folks hafta be shown to believe. Such was the case with my recent trip down to Gracemont, Okla as a guest of NO Mercy Hunting Services, LLC for a 'meat' bison.

First, let me state that the folks at No Mercy are good folks, but like a lot of non handgunners they had their doubts about the ability of a .45 Colt shooting a home cast 305gr, powder coated, WFN style bullet to cleanly kill a mature bison cow, but they were willing to let me try. A 2-day hunt was booked, releases were signed, monies paid and a gentleman's agreement reached whereby a cripple was the same as a kill and full price would be paid.

I arrived on the evening of the 16th, met everyone, signed the agreement, forked over the cash and made arraignments to met Denny Betty, my guide at the skinning shed/office the next morning at first light.

Morning came, crisp, with a southerly wind at 15mph. We met, loaded my stuff in the UTV and headed south into the wind. We snaked through the creek bottom, then climb out on top onto a cedar choked pasture. Driving on to the dam of a pond, Denny spotted a small group of 5 bison to the south, grazing their way towards the pond.

Hiding the UTV in an old sunken railroad bed we worked our way south toward the group, checking our progress against theirs. When we came almost abreast of the group, we crawled out of the roadbed, hidden by a small cedar thicket, slightly ahead of the bison. We worked our way north toward where the thicket thinned enough to allow a clean shot and Denny ranged the leader, an old bull, at 40yds. The others were meandering along behind him loosely grouped in pairs. I took a kneeling position, set up my cross-sticks and turned on the Burris Fast Fire III. Denny eyeballed the herd, spied a cow with a blond 'mane' and asked if I like liked her. I did and begin to track her with the red dot. As she drew broadside to us, Denny stated take her when you're ready, then as I begin to squeeze the trigger, Denny said wait, there's another on her off side a pass thru would hit, I slacked up on the trigger but keep the dot on my cow. As she fed, she begin to circle in our direction and the other cow moved on. When my cow reached the 180pt, I held tight up against her shoulder and squeezed one off. At the shot, she shuddered, her rear sagged and she begin to turn away from us toward a cedar thicket some 30yds east of her. Denny begin shouting hit her again don't let her make the thicket. By now she was almost going straight, but I held tight in front of her right hip, angling for the off shoulder, and gave her an insurance shot. At the shot, she collapsed, rear end first, threw her head once and died.

After waiting a few minutes for the bull and other cows to check on her, then leave. We went out and admired my cow. In prepping her for the glamor shots it was noted that the first shot had clipped the shoulder on the near side then exited slightly back of the off shoulder, taking out a rib as it left. No exit was found for the second shot.

The heart, lungs, and ribcage entrance/exit are shown in the photo gallery. The second bullet was not found in the gut pile.

https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t...8f3&oe=5A768DE7

Thats awesome, some good eating right there.

Congratulations on the Bison, and I know that you have a freezer full of meat for a long time. We'll done

Great shooting! What did the guides think about your choice of weapon afterward?

Nice.

I love the .45 Colt.

Congrats! I expect you made some believers.

Great shooting and ya did us handgunners proud. Thats a real nice sized cow. Great write up too. Thanks for sharing!

Russ, ever since you sent me that photo this morning I've had a huge grin on my mug, love it that you knocked off that Bison with you 45 & a good cast slug that you made. I never doubted that you would because I've watched you shoot. A large Bison is no match for an old Oklahoma law man, great job buddy!

Dick

Great trophy. Great photo.

Congratulations!

Congrats!! Very good sir. Do you mind giving the load info?

Russ, great shooting!

Congrats! That's a beautiful trophy with lots of great meat.

RUSSELL: VERY GOOD, BUT WHAT GUN DID YOU USE AND WHAT WAS YOUR LOAD AND/OR PROBABLE fps? CURIOUS MINDS WANT TO KNOW.

P.S. NEVER MIND, SAW THE GUN/LOAD INFO IN THE BRAGGING BOARD.

DAMM good shootin Russell

You put a smile on DT`s face as well as mine... Your gun, load and shooting made short work of your bison with a FAST kill....my sincere congratulations...Please say hi to that super wife of yours...

Drove down and picked up 706lbs of bison roasts, steaks, and burger today. After loading everything, the butcher said 'by the way' and handed me the 2nd (insurance)shot bullet and said he recovered it in the 'brisket' area during the butchering. Here it is between two unfired bullets. The powder coating was mostly gone, the nose slightly deformed, and the gas check was missing.

http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/data/500/bison_hunt_003.JPG

The two unfired ones are slightly different than the fired one as they are what I call a Rounded WFN and the fired one is a LFN. They shoot to the same point of aim and I interchange them depending on which I grab out of the box.

Cool. I love recovered bullets

bullet looks great especially after what it went through.....

X2

Neat that it was recovered.

Beautiful bullet Russ, you did great!

Dick

Congrats. Fine eating right there and great memories. Nothing like it to put a spring in your step.

Great job Sheriff Cottle!

Nicely done. I shoot a similar load in my 45 colt. Just haven't had game cooperate when I have that gun afield.

Sheriff, That is a GREAT photo.....

Congrats! Enjoyed the write up.

That's awesome, will be some fine eating!