30-06 for Buffalo...Enough Gun or Not, and Other Questions.

effinggoof

effinggoof

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Have a draw in for buffalo this year.

Don't know squat about buffalo hunting.

If I get a tag, do I have to upgrade from the venerable 30-06, or with careful ammunition selection am I good to go?

If you have specific ammo recommendations, please share.

What ranges are guys usually popping BC Buffalo at?


Any Buffalo hunting tips?
 
The .30-06 will kill any game in North America. I'd use a 165 grain hunting bullet that is made for penetration.
Buffalo are like moose. Shoot 'em close to the road. snicker. Best to contact whoever you plan on using a guide to find out what you need to know. It ain't something you want to do alone.
 
sunray said:
The .30-06 will kill any game in North America. I'd use a 165 grain hunting bullet that is made for penetration.
Buffalo are like moose. Shoot 'em close to the road. snicker. Best to contact whoever you plan on using a guide to find out what you need to know. It ain't something you want to do alone.
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Sunray doesn't disappoint- bad advice again. 165gr is not legal for bison in BC. And no guide required.
 
blasted_saber said:
Didnt the ol' 3030 Winchester (or lesser cartridges) pretty much wipe the buffalo off the face of the planet?
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Hardly,

the great Bison slaughter was during the 1870's, the 30-30 wasn't introduced until 1895.

The buffalo were mostly killed with large slow moving 40-50 cal, 330 - 500 grain bullets.

Rifles used were single shot Sharps model 1869's and 1874's, and Remington rolling blocks.

(just a little history lesson)
 
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effinggoof said:
Have a draw in for buffalo this year.

Don't know squat about buffalo hunting.

If I get a tag, do I have to upgrade from the venerable 30-06, or with careful ammunition selection am I good to go?

If you have specific ammo recommendations, please share.

What ranges are guys usually popping BC Buffalo at?


Any Buffalo hunting tips?
Click to expand...


I would go bigger...... And welcome back.... How was detention??
 
Minimum standards here in the Yukon are below. Bison are tough animals, 30.06 is minimum with proper grain bullets. I too would go bigger........take my .375 Holland & Holland for bison ;)

Minimum firearm requirements for hunting wood bison are:
u
A centre fire rifle, .30 calibre or larger, with minimum 180 grain bullets (premium
bullets strongly recommended) and minimum 2800 ft/lbs energy at the muzzle.
(A .30-06 calibre is the baseline rifle.)
OR
u
A black powder rifle, .50 calibre or larger, firing an elongated bullet with a
minimum 90 grain charge and minimum 2800 ft/lbs energy at the muzzle.
OR
u
A black powder rifle, .54 calibre or larger, firing a round ball with a minimum 120
grain charge and minimum 2800 ft/lbs energy at the muzzle. (This option, while
legal, is not recommended.)
Note: Hunters using a black powder rifle must have a centre fire rifle accessible
as back up.
Bows may not be used to hunt bison.
Click to expand...
 
From the 2014 BC Hunting Synopsis:
7. ammunition to hunt bison must be constructed with a 175 grain or larger bullet, which retains 2,712 joules (2,000 ft lbs) or more energy at 100 m.

As was said, check Huntingbc forum. Shoot it close to the road or have several skidoos with sleds for assistance. The hanging cape makes it difficult to determine correct shot placement so do some research on where to aim on the large fury beast. Good luck.
 
doublelung said:
I would go bigger...... And welcome back.... How was detention??
Click to expand...

Detention was fine...it probably did me a world of good to miss what I imagine was a complete forum meltdown over the Swiss Arms/CZ thing.

Up until now, I always hunted with 308 and 30-06 and have regarded bigger as unnecessary, but now that my hunting buddys and I have decided to put in for bison draws every year it's making me reconsider.

A bison hunt will be the hunt of a lifetime...I don't want to screw it up by being undergunned...but then again I don't want to invest in a bigger rifle strictly for bison unless it's truely necessary, so I figure this board will have some experienced Bison hunters to advise.
 
blasted_saber said:
Didnt the ol' 3030 Winchester (or lesser cartridges) pretty much wipe the buffalo off the face of the planet?
Click to expand...

Well that was then and this is now.
you will have to read the regs on the minimum requirements for caliber for the legal hunting of buffalo in BC.
Also, you will need cash to hunt on the Reserve and bring lots of sharp knives and a goo stone and a better steel as well.
You might get lucky and get a shot at under 100yrds or maybe as far as 250 yrds.
Just some info i have gleaned from a couple of local hunting sites.
Rob

*The Outsider, thank you for the history lesson.
 
Yukon1911 said:
Minimum standards here in the Yukon are below. Bison are tough animals, 30.06 is minimum with proper grain bullets. I too would go bigger........take my .375 Holland & Holland for bison ;)
Click to expand...

a 308 win will work with the proper load.

interesting to see that some guys up here use a short barrel 45-70 version that don't meet the minimum on energy.

but as you i'll go with bigger like a 9.3s.
 
Are you going to pink mountain? And are you hunting behind the ranch? If so the ranges are pretty close and you shouldn't have a problem with a hot and heavy 30-06 load, but you might want alittle more just to be on the safe side. I've shot them with a 175 Berger over some 4320 in my -06, but that was at 10yard in the back of the head.
 
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