Dad got his buffalo

I gave dad a buffalo hunt for Christmas/Birthday for this year and last.  I had offered to get him some kind of hunt last year but he never picked one out and this year neither of us got a deer tag.  So when dad was saying he didn't think he needed to go elk hunting I said "well I was going to get you a hunt last year and it didn't happen, do you want to do a buffalo *hunt."  *Many large ranches in the mountain/plains region that run their buffalo on large pastures will sell a hunting package rather than just selling the meat after butchering.    We went to a nice lodge in Nebraska that is set up as a hunting experience.   They import elk and some exotic game animals as well as having their buffalo herd and will also sell deer, turkey, pheasant hunts for wild game on their property or neighboring ranches that give them a lease for hunting.

Dad didn't care about getting a trophy, so we got the meat hunt which was a 3 year old bull.    The buffalo were hiding from stiff wind in 1F weather on Saturday, we were all over their 3000 acre leased pasture in p/u and ATV but only saw a small group of cows and calves and 3 of the big bulls.  But Sunday was warmer and no wind and the main herd was in one of the expected spots so Dad was able to shoot his young bull.     I had no feeling for how much room it would take up in a freezer so I had went through both freezers tossing some old freezer dried veggies and feeding our dog plenty of freezer burned meat.  

There is plenty of room in the freezer now so I could buy lots of bread or any freezable veggies.  I made a meatloaf last night with a package of the buffalo burger from one cooler where the lid had gotten knocked open a few inches and stuff was thawed.   We won't have to force ourselves to eat the meat :)     I must have dad invite the neighbors and wife's parents visiting from AK over for a meal either Monday after Christmas or on NYD or Jan 2 which I have as a holiday at work and ask if they want steaks or pot roast. 

Horses survived the cold weather.   CJ looks like he lost more weight than he needed to, but the rest look pretty good.    I must add pictures later or I will be late for my chiro appointment this morning.