A proposal to allow bow hunters to hunt bison was met with some skepticism at Tuesday night’s public meeting to discuss proposed changes to hunting and fishing regulations.

Even with high-powered rifles, there’s plenty of evidence the large animals escape capture after being shot, perhaps to live another day – or die another day somewhere out there.

The 80-plus people who were in attendance heard how it’s not at all uncommon to find numerous bullets in a bison from different shooters.

One man relayed firsthand knowledge of three bullets being found in one bison: the kill shot and two others, both from different dates and different rifles.

The bow hunting proposal was one of 15 discussed at the public meeting hosted by the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board in its annual review of proposed changes to hunting and fishing regulations.

Bison are the only big game animals in the territory that cannot be hunted with bows.

The request for a regulation change to allow bow hunting of bison was put forward by the Whitehorse Archery Club.

Environment Yukon is also putting forward a proposal to update regulations regarding the minimum standards for bows and arrows used for hunting big game.

“This change is required as the Yukon bow hunting equipment regulations have not been amended in over 20 years,” reads the government proposal.

“During this time, there have been significant advancements in archery technologies related to bow and arrow design, construction and materials.”

“Our regulations today do not meet the current reality,” conservation officer Ryan Hennings told those attending the public meeting.

Archery club representative Philippe Praprotnik said the minimum draw weight of 50 pounds to hunt bison reflects the requirements for hunting bison in Alaska, but that doesn’t stop a hunter from using stronger bows.

If there are concerns about the capability of hunters, Alaska requires hunters to pass a proficiency test that they’re not going to pass if they’re not practising regularly.

Praprotnik told the meeting the likelihood of finding a bow hunter out stalking bison who is not capable, knowledgeable and skilled is slim to nil.

Philip Merchant presented another perspective, as did others. The wildlife technician who spent decades with Environment Yukon told the audience he purposely did some research into bow hunting in preparation for the meeting.

Only in Alaska did he find the minimum draw weight of 50 pounds, he said.

Most of the online archery forums speak to minimum draw weights of 60 and 70 pounds for heavy boned animals, he added, with arrows heavier than what’s being proposed here.

Merchant said the proposal to allow bison hunting in the Yukon with 50-pound bows and 300-grain arrows actually lowers the bar to most regulations.

The ribs on a bison are about an inch to two inches wide, with about an inch to two inches in between, he said.

Merchant said an experiment on young bulls – dead of course – showed that a 300-grain arrow, the minimum size that would be allowed, only penetrates 50 per cent of the time.

A renowned research scientist who spent 30 years studying bow hunting has found that 100-per-cent penetration only comes with arrows that are at least 700 grains, he told the audience.

“Virtually no arrow will break a leg or penetrate vertebrae.”

Arrows, he said, only travel at one-third the speed of sound, creating the possibility the animal could move after the arrow is released.

Merchant suggested he just doesn’t see how it’s ethical to allow hunting gear that might only produce a kill shot half of the time.

It’s no secret, he said, that successful bison hunters in the Yukon often find more than their own bullets when they’re skinning out and butchering the animal.

Dean Turner of the Yukon Fish and Game Association recalled for the meeting how he once fired three bullets into a bull bison with a .350 Magnum, in no more than a four-inch grouping.

The animal didn’t flinch, and took off as though nothing had happened, he said.

When Turner finally tracked him down, the bull charged and he had to shoot it again at just four metres away.

“These are tough animals,” he said.