Hunting & Fishing Nilgai in Texas

[Hundo]

Is anyone as passionate about Nilgai hunting as I am? The trophy bulls are incredibly hard to kill because they are so wary and have tremendous eyesight and sense of smell. The cows not so much...kinda dummies like whitetail does.

I have hunted on the King Ranch and elsewhere on the lower Texas coastal plains. Bad rattlesnake country. Long stalks and safari style as well.

I am having a special rifle made in the form of an Africa gun, but I am calling it a Texas Nilgai gun. It will see some Alaska use as well.

It is a pre-64 Win Mod 70 chambered for 33 Nosler. It will have a McMillan Winchester Express stock made for the Sunnyhill drop metal bottom metal which allows 4 +1. Being crafted by Chad Dixon at LRI. Go on his website and look at his "all weather dangerous game" rifle and you will see the style. I will shoot it at the Long Range club as well, naturally.

You can be under gunned with a 300 mag, I have seen it with my own eyes. Many outfitters suggested at least a 338 and offer to loan you one if you don't own one.

 

[BCX]

Im a strong believer in Taylor KO factor.

 

[Hundo]

Im a strong believer in Taylor KO factor.

 

[Hundo]

Weight x Velocity x Diameter / 7000. I agree. Better measure of lethality than just muzzle energy. Diameter matters even in deer sized game.

 

[BCX]

I have a custom built Sako AIII in 375hh Hi Tech stock w Mercury recoil reducer 3 leaf express sights I use for hardy game. My go to load is a Barnes 250 TTSX @ 2800 fps. It’s a killing machine hammers game..

 

[powdahound76]

Nice! Sounds like a great hunt.

I have a want for a pre-64 built either in .338 win mag or 338-‘06 for game such as this.
And a marlin guide gun for bear......

 

[EricG]

I’ve hunted Nilgai in South Texas a number of times and have seen them taken with 308’s, 06’s, 7 mags, and 300WM’s. No large magnums yet. I use a 300WM with 230 Berger’s and haven’t lost one yet. I’ve only had one run a few hundred yards into the brush, and it was pretty fun tracking and dragging him out. The others dropped right where they stood. I got a bunch of loaded 210 Berger's from a friend and I’m gonna try them out this year

 

[Hundo]

Nice! Sounds like a great hunt.

I have a want for a pre-64 built either in .338 win mag or 338-‘06 for game such as this.
And a marlin guide gun for bear......

I considered both of those rounds but I guess I am a glutton for punishment and chose 33 Nosler. I also considered 35 Whelen in that 3.34 inch cartridge class.

 

[Hundo]

I’ve hunted Nilgai in South Texas a number of times and have seen them taken with 308’s, 06’s, 7 mags, and 300WM’s. No large magnums yet. I use a 300WM with 230 Berger’s and haven’t lost one yet. I’ve only had one run a few hundred yards into the brush, and it was pretty fun tracking and dragging him out. The others dropped right where they stood. I got a bunch of loaded 210 Berger's from a friend and I’m gonna try them out this year

On the King Ranch, they require a .30 Mag minimum. I shot one a couple of years ago at a lasered 375 yards with my 300 Weatherby mag. Saw dust puff, animal rear up on hind legs (it was a brisket shot) guide heard bullet hit and not a hair or drop of blood. Guide looked long and hard because one drop of blood would have meant the trophy fee. That is why I am taking the advice and going with a 338 bullet. Another interesting story, I saw a large bull killed with a 300 RUM and had to look for 10 minutes to find the .30 entry wound. No exit, no blood, just a tiny hole hidden under the dense coat. Luckily it found the heart.

 

[Hundo]

I’ve hunted Nilgai in South Texas a number of times and have seen them taken with 308’s, 06’s, 7 mags, and 300WM’s. No large magnums yet. I use a 300WM with 230 Berger’s and haven’t lost one yet. I’ve only had one run a few hundred yards into the brush, and it was pretty fun tracking and dragging him out. The others dropped right where they stood. I got a bunch of loaded 210 Berger's from a friend and I’m gonna try them out this year

Bullet weight is the key I believe 230 grain is good medicine.

 

[EricG]

Yeah a lot of big guided hunt places have a minimum caliber for a few reasons, like 1; they don’t want to have to search around in the brush for their animals; 2 they don’t want an un-ethical kill; and 3 probably something that’s linked to all 3 is they’re average customer might not be the greatest shot and don’t want to injure their animals with an ill placed shot and lose it somewhere on the property to suffer. Probably a safer bet for them to require a large caliber to help negate those possibilities. There’s probably more reasons out there, but those are the big ones that come to mind. Guided hunts are expensive hunts with expensive animals. They want the customer to go home happy, not a $4k charge and nothing to show for it.

 

[BigTex]

Yeah a lot of big guided hunt places have a minimum caliber for a few reasons, like 1; they don’t want to have to search around in the brush for their animals; 2 they don’t want an ethical kill; and 3 probably something that’s linked to all 3 is they’re average customer might not be the greatest shot and don’t want to injure their animals with an ill placed shot and lose it somewhere on the property to suffer. Probably a safer bet for them to require a large caliber to help negate those possibilities. There’s probably more reasons out there, but those are the big ones that come to mind. Guided hunts all expensive hunts with expensive animals. They want the customer to go home happy, not a $4k charge and nothing to show for it.

Bingo

 

[niteshooter]

That Ruger Hawkeye African in 9.3x62 seems like a good classic one for safari style hunting on foot for tough game.
I’ve wondered how a 444 marlin would fare, maybe with heavy cast.
I’ve never hunted nilgai but an old friend had stories from when he did as a kid when his dad was a crop duster for King Ranch.
Tough animals for sure.