Since childhood, I've been fascinated by bison. Relatives of today's bison helped sustain our European ancestors and also lumbered across the Bering land bridge along with the people who populated the New World. Looking at a buffalo skull takes me back to the old west, the earliest frontiers, and back to the most ancient of times.
I have a buffalo skull. No, I did not kill the animal. I bought the skull from a meat-producing buffalo ranch, maybe 15-18 years ago. This old fellow may have lived out his days on a ranch instead of open range, but he was still a buffalo, and his skull still has that aura of mystery. I took a few snapshots and thought I would share them with you.
Most of the skulls and horns you see are from two to three year old bulls, and may be considered by-products of the buffalo beef producing industry. However, this old fellow was a fully mature, older bull. I think he must have been kept as a breeder, and he must have been magnificent. This is a massive skull. The mortar joints between the bricks in the picture are 12" apart horizontally and 3" vertically, to give some perspective. The maximum spread of the horns, outside of curve to outside of curve, is 25-3/4", with 23-1/2" horn tip to horn tip. These horns are mirror images of each other and remarkably symmetric, with nearly identical measurements. Both measure 16" around the outside curve, with a base circumference of 12-3/4". This was a big animal. Just in case there is any doubt, I balanced a yardstick on the skull and took one more snapshot:
I just call him "Old Bull." Not a very creative name, but it seems appropriate and respectful.
I hope you enjoyed taking a look!
Notchy Bob
I have a buffalo skull. No, I did not kill the animal. I bought the skull from a meat-producing buffalo ranch, maybe 15-18 years ago. This old fellow may have lived out his days on a ranch instead of open range, but he was still a buffalo, and his skull still has that aura of mystery. I took a few snapshots and thought I would share them with you.
Most of the skulls and horns you see are from two to three year old bulls, and may be considered by-products of the buffalo beef producing industry. However, this old fellow was a fully mature, older bull. I think he must have been kept as a breeder, and he must have been magnificent. This is a massive skull. The mortar joints between the bricks in the picture are 12" apart horizontally and 3" vertically, to give some perspective. The maximum spread of the horns, outside of curve to outside of curve, is 25-3/4", with 23-1/2" horn tip to horn tip. These horns are mirror images of each other and remarkably symmetric, with nearly identical measurements. Both measure 16" around the outside curve, with a base circumference of 12-3/4". This was a big animal. Just in case there is any doubt, I balanced a yardstick on the skull and took one more snapshot:
I just call him "Old Bull." Not a very creative name, but it seems appropriate and respectful.
I hope you enjoyed taking a look!
Notchy Bob