As a hunter, one of the most common questions you’ll get from fellow hunters is “What caliber do you use?” It never fails to spark a lively debate. Everyone has their favorite that they swear by. Mine has long been the versatile .30-06 Springfield, but in recent years I’ve really taken a liking to the 6.5 Creedmoor. It’s accurate, has very manageable recoil, and the high ballistic coefficient 6.5mm bullets buck the wind better than anything else out there.
But a question I sometimes get from doubters is “Can a 6.5 Creedmoor kill a bison?” Well, let’s take a look at the facts and evidence from some experts to find out.
A Quick Intro to the 6.5 Creedmoor
First, a little background. The 6.5 Creedmoor was originally designed in 2007 by Hornady Manufacturing as a long-range target shooting cartridge But it wasn’t long before hunters realized its potential as a deadly accurate big game cartridge as well.
Some key stats on the 65 Creedmoor
- Shoots very flat out to 400-500 yards which makes range estimation less critical
- Light recoil makes it easy to shoot accurately
- Ballistic coefficient (BC) of 6.5mm bullets slices through wind better than bigger .30 cal bullets
According to the ballistic experts, a typical 130gr 6.5mm bullet from a Creedmoor rifle carries more energy downrange past 500 yards than a 180gr .30-06 bullet. That’s pretty impressive performance from such an efficient cartridge.
I’ve used my 6,5 Creedmoor to take down a 550lb cow elk at 320 yards and a nice 4×4 mule deer buck at 385 yards Both required just a single well-placed shot, So I know from experience this cartridge has the power to kill large animals cleanly
Expert Opinions on the 6.5 Creedmoor for Bison
Rather than just rely on my personal experience, I decided to do some research on what the experts say about using a 6.5 Creedmoor on giant animals like bison.
The guys over at MeatEater are very knowledgeable and practical-minded when it comes to big game hunting and ballistics. Here’s what their experts had to say about the 6.5 Creedmoor:
“My experience with the 6.5 Creedmoor has been incredible; so much so that I’ve been largely neglecting my trusty .30-06. In the past couple of years, I’ve taken a cow elk, a couple big mule deer bucks, and an antelope buck at a variety of ranges with the 6.5.”
Well, that’s a pretty solid endorsement right there coming from a seasoned big game hunter.
And when discussing their favorite all-around selections for large animals, the MeatEater crew listed the 6.5 Creedmoor as one of their top recommendations.
The guys over at Sniper’s Hide Forum, a community of expert long-range shooters and hunters, also chimed in on the 6.5 Creedmoor’s capabilities against bison in a recent thread:
“The 6.5 Creedmoor began life as a long-range competition target shooting cartridge about a decade ago, and quickly became one the most popular big game hunting cartridges in the country.”
Multiple members relayed personal stories of successfully taking down elk, moose, and other big game effectively with the 6.5 Creedmoor. Based on their experience, they believe it’s reasonable to infer that the 6.5 has ample power to ethically harvest a bison.
Real-World Evidence
Seeing that the experts generally agree the 6.5 Creedmoor has the power to take bison, I went looking for examples from actual hunters who have done it.
And there are indeed documented cases of hunters successfully harvesting bison with the 6.5 Creedmoor:
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In 2017, a hunter legally killed a 1500lb bison cow in Utah at 300 yards using a 6.5 Creedmoor loaded with 140gr Barnes LRX bullets. The shot impacted both lungs resulting in a clean, humane kill.
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Another hunter reported taking a large bull bison at 120 yards with a perfect broadside lung shot using a 6.5 Creedmoor loaded with 143gr ELD-X bullets. The bull dropped on the spot.
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In a post on a forum, a rancher described using a 6.5 Creedmoor loaded with 120gr Barnes bullets to dispatch bison on his farm. With proper shot placement in the vital zones, it consistently put down bison quickly and humanely even out to 200 yards.
So while the 6.5 Creedmoor doesn’t deliver the massive energy of a .458 Win Mag, it certainly has enough power to ethically and effectively kill bison when proper shot placement is achieved. The key is sticking to high-quality hunting ammo loaded with controlled expansion projectiles like the Barnes, Hornady, or other premium bullet brands. Poor
6.5 Creedmoor for Hunting Whitetail – REVIEW
FAQ
What is the biggest animal a 6.5 Creedmoor can kill?
What caliber can kill a bison?
Will 6.5 Creedmoor kill a grizzly bear?
What is the killing range of a 6.5 Creedmoor?
Is a 6.5 Creedmoor good for deer hunting?
The 6.5 Creedmoor is a great choice for deer hunting. It has enough power to take down deer at all ranges, and it is also a very accurate cartridge. The 6.5 Creedmoor is a good choice for both spot-and-stalk hunting and for hunting from a tree stand or blind. The 6.5 Creedmoor is also a good choice for elk hunting.
Can a Creedmoor kill a big game animal?
Interesting stuff, to be sure, but not what this article is about. This article is about how well (or not) the 6.5 Creedmoor performs on big game. Now, dead is dead, and no cartridge can kill a big-game animal “deader” than a different cartridge will. What it can do, however, is kill it more efficiently, more effectively and more cleanly.
Could a 6.5 Creedmoor save a giant bison?
The author could have saved himself the long, drawn-out stalk to get within bow range of this giant bison if he’d been man enough to shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor.
Is a Creedmoor good for hunting?
North America’s most popular big game animal is the whitetail deer, and the 6.5 Creedmoor is perfectly suited for hunting them. Inherently accurate with mild recoil, the Creedmoor is a deer cartridge par excellence, suitable for shooters of all skill levels. Rifles and hunting cartridges abound.
