Anyone have some South Texas Nilgai hunting experience they would like to share? Good and Bad, if you please.

I am looking for a spot and stalk place... no
"shoot em from the truck" outfits needs apply... as I'll rather go home empty

jeffe

Jeffe,

I hunted them on the King Ranch back in 1990, and they were wary as hell!

We drove around trying to spot them from the high-tower mounted in the back of the pickup truck. When we spotted a good bull, we'd dismount and stalk them up; the shortest stalk we had was 1/4 mile.

Use a larger rather than a smaller gun, with good bullets.

The only places that practice the 'shoot-them-from-the truck' method are ranches that send you out with ranch hands instead of hunting guides.

George

[ 12-02-2002, 00:12: Message edited by: GeorgeS ]

I here the King Ranch is a good place foe nilgai. Seems they experimented with them as a domestic meat animal back in the 1920s and 30s but I believe they required high fencing so were just let loose to go wild.

jeffeosso,

Ditto what George said. I hunted them on the King ranch in 1989. I used a .300 WTHBY Mag. with 180 grain Nosler partitions. I think a larger caliber would be better, as I shot mine three times (all chest shots) before he went down. They are very tough and wary as hell!! I might add, the cows and young bulls are very good eating. If you shoot an old trophy "Blue Bull" forget about eating it, a bite size piece becomes as big as a dinner plate by the time you get done chewing it!

Good Luck,
BOWHUNR

[ 12-02-2002, 04:14: Message edited by: BOWHUNR ]

I hunted with "Action Outdoors" a couple of years ago and took a Nilgai, can't remember the ranch name, but it was near Benivides, Tx. I shot an old bull, and the meat is as tough as Bowhuntr said. We had to cook it in the crock pot for several hours, even the hamburger. I used .35 Whelen, and he went quite aways after a liver, lung shot as he was quartering away.

300 weatherby, 180 gr "X" bullet.... one shot thru the boiler room @ 120 yds..
great hunt, great mount even greater eating

The hunts offered are strictly fair chase and you will do plently of chasing. Most Nilgai you see will be over 200 yards and running flat out. Use enough gun!! (I used a .375)...I had a friend that lost a Nilgai cow using a 7 mag (single lung shot, cow drops , friend assumes nilgai is dead , leaves gun in blind , goes up to nilgai , nilgai gets up and hauls ass to trees - loses nilgai ...). January-February is the Nilgai rut, bulls may be a bit stupid, you might also try setting up near a midden - a community poop site. Otherwise hunting them is spot and stalk into the wind. Nilgai can be good eating with cows or young ones, bulls are pretty tough and stringy but still taste OK.

Worst piece of meat I ever tried to chew.

VERY wary and great sport.

I used a .375H&H w/300gr. Swift A-Frames; one shot through both lungs piled my bull up within 50yds.

The backstraps on mine were wonderful, especially on a charcoal barbeque.

George

took one this year 475lb? fa475 linebaugh w/425 cpwfngc handloads through heart/lung ran about 75 yards piled up.shot at 60 yards? in trees.not an old bull meat is good.

[ 12-02-2002, 21:35: Message edited by: 475/480 ]

I hunted the Norias division of the King Ranch in 1996 with Amos Dewitt.A fair chase,walk and stalk.They are about as spooky a critter as I have ever seen.Very unusual to get a standing shot,at least the ones I saw.265 gr.Speer Grand Slam from a Ruger #1,375 H&H.One shot,one kill.
Fun hunt.Meat not my favorite but I shot an old Bull.
Amos can be reached at 210-781 4132
Well worth the time and money.

Bravo five one

funny, on the difference in flavor, mine was a little under 700 lbs, had the consistency and taste of veal ? absolutely fabulous stuff... i even saved the backstrap for special occasions..

yaw'll didnt drive it home on the hood of the truck did ya ?

Thanks Gents...
I am either wanting a blue old bull, or a nice cow.. will depend on the hunt. I'll be taking either a 416 rem or 376 steyr... either one will hunt with me, the other will hunt with a buddy....

R Waller,
Where do you live? The san jac has a bunch of banks, and mostly on the east side of town.. I am in porter

jeffe

jeff,
I used to live near porter on the west side, currently i live below lake houston on the san jac..

I have shot a lot of the old bulls on the La Norias Division of the King ranch...All were tender and delicious, but I didn't have to shoot mine all that many times and that can make a difference..I got them gutted in the field and hung up quickly. I also hunt them before the rut...perhaps this is why my were always good and I consider them the best of all antelope and rate them with eland and Kudu...

I have used only a 338 and 375 as I have seen these old boys take a lot of hits from the 06's 300's etc and keep going..they are the toughest of the antelope to kill....They have a very thick skin (1/2") in the shoulder area to protect them from the straight sharp horns of the other bulls...

The cows are even better to eat of course and they used to let you shoot all the cows you wanted for $150. each but only after you shot that $600. bull....I don't know what they charge now....would like to know if anyone has an updated cost on the King.