Alaska Buffalo hunting {American Bison} Hunting Guides and Outfitters

Bison, either of the two living species of the genus Bison in the cattle family Bovidae. It is the largest terrestrial animal in North America, where it is usually called buffalo, and is a big game for Alaska hunting guides and outfitters that offer trips and guided hunts of different assortments.

The bison / buffalo is characterized by a hump over the front shoulders; short, sharply pointed horns {in both sexes} curving outward and down from the sides of the massive head; and lighter hindquarters. This helps a hunter find that big game a little easier, although they are normally in the open feeding. A good buffalo outfitter or guide will know best how to find and hunt this game animal on a trip. A mature bull of the North American bison / buffalo is about 6.5 feet high at the hump and 9 to 12 feet long and weighs 1800 to 2400 pounds; the female is smaller. The head, neck, forelegs, and front parts of the body have a thick coat of long, dark hair. The rear part of the body is covered with much shorter hair. The adult bull usually has a black beard about 12 inches long. You will find many different size buffalo / American bison in Alaska.

Bison / Buffalo are usually found in groups, except for old, solitary bulls. Most of the year females with young form small bands, and immature bulls may stay with them. Mature males have their own groups. The bands may congregate in large herds on the Alaska land in the spring or fall to search for food or water. Bison / Buffalo grunt to maintain contact with each other and snort to warn intruders. An aggressive, guttural roar is hear most often in rutting season, mainly July and August, when bulls go looking for cows and try to ward off rivals. Breeding bulls have little time to eat and lose more than 200 pounds. Gestation is eight to nine months, and a single yellow-red calf is born. After a few days the calf can keep up with the herd and follows its mother until the following spring.

Until the 19th century, as many as 60 million bison / buffalo lived on the Great Plains from Mexico into Canada including up inside Alaska, and some were found east of the Mississippi River. They were central to the existence of the Plains Indians, who used them for food, hides, and bone implements; even the dried dung, called buffalo chips, was used as fuel. From 1830 to 1889, methodical destruction by encroaching white settlers on a trip to find a better life crossing the United States, hunting for sport and for hides, reduced this number to less than 1000.

Alaska Hunting Season Schedule

Alaska Hunting License

United States Weather

Today well over 30,000 bison / buffalo live in protected areas and on ranches and the links above should be able to give you additional information on this big game.