Hunting & Fishing 6.5CM for Nilgai out to 400-600 yards?

[stello1001]

As the title says, do you think it's got enough energy at those distances? I've been hunting south Texas and North Mexico all my life for whitetail. This season I had the opportunity to hunt in a high fence 15,000 acre ranch. Seems like life is presenting better opportunities. I'm thinking maybe next year or perhaps the year after, I might try to land a hunt for nilgai. I know many people use 6.5CM for elk and maybe other big game. How much energy should I anticipate to have for a nilgai hunt? Are they too big and tough?
Ideas???

 

[Mblackmon4]

I can’t attest to energy requirements for them. But my Roomate is a guide and hints nilgai in south Texas ALOT. They have a 30 cal magnum as the minimum. Those animals can take a hit and keep going, I was with him last year and saw a guy shoot one in the shoulder broad side with a 338lm at 300yds and it ran off. It took an additional shot from 338wm and a 416 mag to bring it down. I think a 6.5 is going to wayyyyy to small. They encourage people to shoot solid copper bullets if available. You can argue it placement and all that but they are hard to hunt, hence the name the grey ghost.

 

[XLR308]

I wouldn't recommend shooting one with a 6.5 Creedmoor unless you have a sure shot in the neck just below the head.
It's not that the Creedmoor won't kill them the problem is the hide around the shoulder areas is very thick about 1" actually and seals back up after being shot and drops very little blood. They also can take a lot of lead and abuse before going down so you add that to not bleeding much after the shot and very thick cover for South Texas and you may end up paying for an animal you shot and never recover it.
I shot a record class Scimitar Oryx with a 300wm and 200 grain accubond, first shot at 98 yards broke both shoulders and put hole through the heart damn near big enough to slide your hand through by the time I had another round in the chamber and was back on it it was at 200 yards and to the edge of cover and stoped to look back when I shot it the second time in the neck and dropped it.
Found the first bullet buried in the hide on the off side that is about a 1/2-3/4" thick and it bled very little externally.
The nilgia is a bigger and tougher animal just to put it in perspective.

 

[stello1001]

I figured 300 win mag would probably be a better place to start.

 

[XLR308]

I figured 300 win mag would probably be a better place to start.

It definitely would but I would also suggest practicing shooting from shooting sticks or a tripod and see how fast you can get three or more shots off accurately. The more punishment you can dish out and break one down the better your chances are of not having to go into thick cover to recover one.
Your familiar with South Texas hunting so I'm sure you've had the pleasure of recoving animals through heavy cover of cat claw, prickly pear and mesquite trees.

 

[stello1001]

Yesterday was a B trying to recover my cull 8. Perfect lungs & liver shot but left no blood where he stood. He went in about 30 yards in the brush until he finally dropped some blood. After that, it became real tough looking for the smallest drops ever and tracking. We still found him.

 

[BigTex]

I'd probably start with something bigger if you have it. If not, shoot a heavy hard bullet.

You can argue it placement and all that but they are hard to hunt, hence the name the grey ghost.

The grey ghost generally refers to the greater kudu.

 

[stello1001]

270 is the other rifle I have but never practiced shooting out past 100. I guess I have a new rifle to play with or a new rifle to build lol!

 

[BigTex]

270 is the other rifle I have but never practiced shooting out past 100. I guess I have a new rifle to play with or a new rifle to build lol!

.270 and 6.5cm will be a wash, shoot the one you are confident in.

 

[Black Ice]

They are some tough animals and I would recommend a .300 win or up as well. Little to no blood on any of the mature bulls so it was pure luck that we found a couple of them. The cows are not as thick(hide) so smaller calibers seem to work fine but they are still a 300 to 400 pound animal so I would use 6.5 and up.