70 POUND BUFFALO - 2023 US Open Bowfishing Tournament

Talk about a good time! Ryan, Hunter, Kelsh and myself entered this year's tournament as team Bilge Water Bowfishing, and we got into some good ones! I shot the biggest buffalo I've ever seen, and we put a few 20-30 pound buffs in the boat as well along with some respectable grass carp and silver carp. It was a great time with great people - we couldn't have done this without the teamwork, and thanks to JP Morris, Bass Pro shops and everyone involved for hosting the tournament.
ALSO a shoutout to onX hunt - we used the app throughout the week for scouting, as well as navigating the maze of backwaters while we fished the tournament.
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[@ForgetU]

Taking home the bacon at a BowFishing Tourney, Great job.

[@cabana85]

What happens with the fish? You just throw it away?

[@whisker_outdoors]

"Fertilizer" meaning they toss it in a field to decompose and pat themselves on the back saying they are helping the environment.

[@RJKnell]

Any of you boys want to comment on the ethics of killing a very large female from a very slow growing species while she is full of eggs? If that was "the biggest fish I ever saw" and you killed it, what does that mean for the future of this fish population?

[@CatmanOutdoors]

Smallmouth Buffalo are extremely abundant and prolific fish. The future of their population looks great even with competition from invasives like silver and grass carp. I’d say this old 70 pounder lived a good life and laid millions of eggs over the years, and I was very lucky to get a shot at it.

[@chrisengle2195]

​I do agree invasive species like silver & bighead carp pose a far bigger threat to native species like buffalo; however, seeing a very old fish killed solely for sport is not good for the fish and not a great look for sportsmen. Bowfishing, and bowfishing tournaments, should be reserved for invasive species or those destined to be table fare.

[@RJKnell]

Bowfishing seems to be the least ethical form of hunting in almost every way-this stuff is absolutely antithetical to almost anyone's idea of good practice. Why this particular mode is so problematic I don't know but this example, with a huge and ancient pregnant female being killed slowly, the carcass abused by having the cloaca plugged with a piece of wood and then the body casually chucked in a bin is pretty eye-watering.

[@toyotaprius79]

​@@CatmanOutdoorsyou completely misunderstood what was done, such as the puddle of eggs on stage

[@spartacusantipas4580]

Congratulations Jonathan! Big Fish couldn't happened to a nicer, humble guy. You deserve it. 👏👏👏👏🤙

[@rodneywroten2994]

Damn nice buffalo Catman

[@whisker_outdoors]

Imagine killing a 50+ year old fish for sport - plugging her up to avoid her eggs from spilling out - and then tossing her in a bin to essentially go to the landfill... Buffalo are not nearly as prolific as we originally thought - and are a nuanced & complex species that has very specific breeding requirements. A lot of research still needs to be done on these species, but congratulations for removing a key breeder from the population. It's fishing like this that inevitably leads to the fall of populations - all for the sake of killing & tossing in a landfill or "fertilizer". Go for the invasive - but protect our native fish for future generations - these buffalo could out-live our kids. Such a needless waste. At least when shooting carp and invasive if the population crashes that's the ideal, for buffalo, if the population crashes beyond a recovery point, there is no hatchery or ability to restock in a reasonable manner.

[@wafflecart]

Sad indeed, these people are not nice people.

[@Samwashburn98]

Killing so many native fish

[@Astrofish226]

Exactly. Wanton waste is illegal according the the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

[@PiaP.]

Disgusting how people applaud this kind of shit here. Catching a fish is not a heroic act. And then they apparently end up in the trash. Killing living beings for entertainment is, in my opinion, a sign of absolute stupidity. But if you don't do anything else in life, you just have to look for hobbies that don't require you to be able to do anything...

[@kennygibson1164]

Heck yeah

[@tonyshort1623]

We all need to have giant tournaments for asian carp??? Just a thought???

[@hunterosburn4341]

Thats awesome Catman that's like shootin a booner lol

[@kmcdonald3766]

Have you ever seen anybody fall in doing this? It looks like I could do it pretty easily with clumsy as I am.

[@crawwwfishh3284]

They may have won but ole Cat man is still the killer.

[@dalerash6285]

You da man, congratulations !

[@brandondrane9710]

So awesome guy congratulations

[@hunterslifestyle625]

Good shoot

[@FishingwithFro]

That's awesome bro!!! Great video

[@danielholland1928]

Good job buddy And to boot got to meet Tim Wells

[@roypeavy3542]

Congratulations 👍👍👍

[@williamgaines9784]

Nice haul!

[@Biblethumper85]

Always wanted to go bow fishing. Not many options where I come from.

[@johnjude240]

And you got to meet the slock master himself that’s awesome!

[@JimmyFieldStaffSlimChance]

Yes sir.

[@RangerTim]

Nice !!

[@mikem201]

whole lotta fun, thanks for posting

[@daleley7645]

Huge fish and nice payout!

[@tomcumby9045]

no turkeys catman? that was cool country boys

[@ReubenOaks84]

Awesome job. How was it meeting Tim Wells the Slock Master?

[@frankpierce6649]

Always good to see Catman do well.

[@Gumshara]

Cool stuff thanks for sharing ✌out later

[@ryanharkins9383]

Good job fellers. Safe that turkey season is over but I'm sure you have some on reserve for us

[@TylerHutzell]

Is that Tim wells lol announcing

[@tomgensel4134]

Congrats 👍🇺🇲

[@jacrray3580]

What brand of arrow are y’all using

[@bje2920]

Cool video What do y'all do with all of these fish ? Looks like a lots of catfish bate

[@anthonysmith3741]

What happens to all the fish after you weigh in??

[@CatmanOutdoors]

I was told they sent them to a local landscaping company that makes fertilizer.

[@Astrofish226]

@@CatmanOutdoors Great. 100 year old fish go to support landscaping. Brilliant. Do you all care at all that you are decimating native fish populations?

[@justintempus7406]

​@@Astrofish226 In my experience, bow fishermen either don't know, or double down and say they don't care. Minnesota is protecting buffalo from wanton waste and overharvest finally, but many states never will until the Endangered Species Act kicks in.

[@jamesrock8783]

YOU made us Proud, I am so Happy!!! Way 2 Go Cat'.

[@brettsmith4962]

That’s a great accomplishment! Way to go! Belt buckle is legit. I would wear that thing everyday

[@jamesvatter5729]

I think you shot "Buffalozilla!" "It's a baby freaking whale!" LMAO! Not sure, but did I hear, "We need a bigger boat?"

[@Astrofish226]

Yeah! Over 100 years old, too! Cool to kill ancient fish in a barrel!!

[@Mylris]

Not sure how i should feel bowfishing for native fish like Buffalo considering invasive species like carp are outcompeting them, which probably affect the buffalo population a lot.

[@kennyparnell1974]

Soup time! Congrats again Cat!

[@kmcdonald3766]

Looks fun as heck

[@ImEnemy608]

Nice work fellas!! What a stud fish. I got into bowfishing two years ago, and am addicted. Hopefully ill be on yalls level in the next few years!

[@tannerking9030]

“It’s a baby whale!!” I died laughing when your friend said that😂

[@d.faulkner8210]

Great Video, That's got to be close to a state record!

[@lucasjohnson5]

barn door down

[@Honks34]

Truly pathetic. I can’t wait until bowfishing Buffalo is outlawed. Makes me sick.

[@andrewmorris9280]

What kinda lights y'all running on that boat ?

[@CatmanOutdoors]

Solla 3000k warm white LEDs from Amazon. Ryan put some orange tint on them for the muddy water

[@darrelllogan1274]

Congrats Catman!

[@notlacF]

wanted to see what all those twitter keyboard warriors were crying about lmao. looks fun.

[@DuckingDelz]

Epic fish guys!!!

[@fredsalay720]

Congratulations to you all!!! Good shooting!!

[@matthewarnold3196]

Congrats Catman. This looks like a blast.

[@raymondfox8550]

👍,,50pds,,Biggest for Me,,😮

[@kmcdonald3766]

Another stupid question do you have a site on those bows where you’re shooting pretty close just one pin or no pins

[@CatmanOutdoors]

No sight, just instinctive shooting

[@kmcdonald3766]

Thanks for answering my question. You’re the only person who answers questions in the comments and I know everyone appreciates it. Most others don’t even put a like sign those are the ones I don’t waste my time on. All the people with a million subscribers don’t seem to even read the comments let alone like or reply. I have unsubscribed from a lot of people because of that. If they can’t take a few minutes to put a like on some of the comments, then why should we bother watching their videos? We’re doing them a favor by watching the video do us a favor by answering some questions this doesn’t include you cat man, but it does say a lot about manyKZbinrs.

[@kmcdonald3766]

You were the first KZbinr I ever watched you got me into turkey hunting and deer hunting even more than I was. Your channel is unique. Everybody else has got to do a catch and cook or some stupid thing like that to make a video and that’s all it is is just a video trying to get views

[@jasonhinson1680]

You are living the dream my brother love the videos

[@jarifnayem690]

Hunting for sport has always been baffling to me. I like fishing and eating my catch later but most if not all of these fishes end up in landfill as wastes which seems terrible to me. These kinda shit is super unethical and should be prohibited.

[@christophermiller9125]

Was this in Tennessee? I missed location.

[@CatmanOutdoors]

The tournament was out of Nashville, but there were waters open in Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky.

[@billstev100]

Sweet! Huge fish my man, congratulations!🎊🍾🎈 🎉

[@brianlingis2392]

Congrats ! 💘 it !

[@kmcdonald3766]

More bowl fishing would be cool

[@silverakantor]

So you shot and killed and did not eat a decades old fish? ...I go fishing, dude, I catch and release, even the invasive. You don't just kill things and let them waste.

[@kmcdonald3766]

I hit the like button before I even started

[@Splitshot1]

If that's not a record fish, what is?

[@gregoryhale2889]

Are these fish any good to eat?

[@williamgaines9784]

A lot of people eat buffalo fish. They have free bones in their flesh that look like forks on both ends, so you have to be careful eating it, but taste is not bad, nor texture. You just can't wolf them down like catfish or perch filets.

[@cowman540]

Nice fish 🐟🐟🐟 Catman .heck of a pay out congratulations to you and team.

[@tayloralexis1504]

Any fish left in the water!? Hahahahahahahaa 🤣🤣🤭🤭🤣

[@Hoss4128]

Disgusting to kill something just to throw it away. You all should be ashamed of yourselves.

[@wafflecart]

Tell me you voted for trump without telling me you voted for trump..

[@Swamplemur]

such a waste of life for 'fun'

[@wesshannah-hs3cm]

Was that Ole Tim wells hosting it lol??