Mininature Bison bonze skull

Mininature Delta Bison bonze skull    

“Old Joe”
Limited Edition of 150

I sculpted “Old Joe”,  this bison skull in the image of a very old huge Delta, Alaska bull  taken by my good friend, Bob Weiss of Cordova.   In 1928, 23 plains bison were transplanted from the National Bison Range in Montana to the Delta River south of Delta Junction, Alaska.  The area supported abundant native forage affording the small herd to steadily increase.  By 1950, the first hunting season was established to limit the herd growth.
The herd is presently managed at 350 animals pre-calving to protect the range plus the agricultural business north of the bison range.  Approximately 100 animals are taken each year.  For the opportunity to hunt one of these unique big game animals, interested hunters must first apply to Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s drawing permit applications issued each spring.  Successful applicants are notified early July.  Each successful applicant is given a block of hunt time October through March.  My good friend, Bob Wiese from Cordova, Alaska, became a lucky hunter when he drew a permit for an October hunt.  I accompanied him on the hunt, which resulted in taking an extremely large bull which qualified for the Boone and Crockett Club.  The massive beast was huge, the largest animal I’ve ever personally witnessed in assisting to skin and butcher.  Bull moose are big but there is no comparison to mature bison bull.  Bob’s bison weighed right at 2000 pounds, a genuine “Old Joe”.  A limited edition of 150, this piece is the fourth miniature of Alaska horns and antlers I have completed.  The skull represents these unique animals.

Issue Date 1990
Size: 4.5″ W 4″ L 2″D

$450.00

2021, over half sold

Old Joe