Yo So. Texas! I got Nilgai questions

[PDob]

Hunted them using the rifle a few times taking a bull by spot and stalk using a 30-06 (165 gr) with a 200 yd shot. I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t be successful with a bow using a set up similar to what you’d use for elk.

 

[MTElkChaser]

Assign on every TPWD hunt I've been on.

Thank you!

 

[Reburn]

Man yall guys. The reason for guides and ranches wanting big 30 cals is the placement of the vitals. Like a hog they are damn near behind the shoulder. Any bullet with heavy construction will do however the shoulders are thick. Bigger is better is wrong in my opinion however a guy showing up with a 243 with solid copper would be fine. A guy showing up with a frangiable bullet of any caliber would be a problem. They will go forever and forever wounded with a shot that would put down an elk, mule deer or whitetail. 600 to 1000 yards isnt uncommon. And they wil run through the absoulute thickest shit you cant crawl through. Not to mention you dont want to meet a wounded pissed off bull in the thick. He can have your ass for dinner and be eating dessert before you can even turn around. SO i cant say I disagree with the guides even though the facts are wrong.

Bruce if you get a quartering away shot you will be fine. quartering to you is a bad shot. Broadside is almost a bad shot if you hit low. Higher then you think is better. If your a decent hunter you will be fine with a recurve or compound. IE know how to stalk, work the wind, be patient, understand animals. Picture is of an Eland but they are both large antelope and the vitals is in the same spot.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

And in a classic case of over-achieving, I ordered wood arrows today. LOL
Figure a heavy arrow at close range with a 185gr Grizzly single bevel head oughta get the job done with bragging rights. I'll be shooting these: https://allwoodarrows.com/shop/ols/products/spt-20-set-of-12-spt-20-set-of2

 

[kevlar88]

One thing I have learned is that in Texas, they prefer to drive around looking for game they can drive up to, shoot, load into a vehicle and haul away. The notion of quartering and packing an animal out of a heavily wooded area with no vehicle access is downright nutty to them. They don't understand the mind and ways of a true western spot & stalk hunter. So that is my plan, get away from the roads and still hunt the deep timber where the herds feel safer, where there is cover and there is no "normal" hunting pressure. Seems like a logical approach anyway. Not beating up on Texans, just noticed some cultural differences that I believe will serve me down south.

You are right, it is a cultural difference, but it's driven by necessity and the difference between public and private land. I'm convinced the only reason anyone packs an 800 pound elk out 5 miles is because they shot it in the middle of a no motor zone chunk of public land and you have no other choice but to carry it out. Shoot a Nilgai in south Texas on private land that you can drive around on and probably make your own roads. Why would you carry it back to camp, or in the case of Texas, the lodge?

 

[Where's Bruce?]

You are right, it is a cultural difference, but it's driven by necessity and the difference between public and private land. I'm convinced the only reason anyone packs an 800 pound elk out 5 miles is because they shot it in the middle of a no motor zone chunk of public land and you have no other choice but to carry it out. Shoot a Nilgai in south Texas on private land that you can drive around on and probably make your own roads. Why would you carry it back to camp, or in the case of Texas, the lodge?

 

[OXN939]

One thing I have learned is that in Texas, they prefer to drive around looking for game they can drive up to, shoot, load into a vehicle and haul away. The notion of quartering and packing an animal out of a heavily wooded area with no vehicle access is downright nutty to them. They don't understand the mind and ways of a true western spot & stalk hunter. So that is my plan, get away from the roads and still hunt the deep timber where the herds feel safer, where there is cover and there is no "normal" hunting pressure. Seems like a logical approach anyway. Not beating up on Texans, just noticed some cultural differences that I believe will serve me down south.

This is exactly what happened on my Nilgai hunt last year. The guide wanted to just drive around, and I kept seeing animals through the brush spooking away from the vehicle... I asked him to stop and let me out, and, sure enough, got up to a glassing knob a few hundred yards from the road, and spotted a nice bull.

Doing it with trad bow would honestly be a tough proposition. The bull I shot took a 165 grain Barnes TSX doing 3000 into the vitals, dropped, got up, took two more, and then ran a few hundred yards. Even with high powered centerfire rifles, a lot of animals get lost. As mentioned previously, the elasticity of their skin tends to close entry and exit wounds quickly, so blood trails frequently do not exist at all.

 

[Short Track]

Aren't those TSX all copper? Would an Accubond be a better choice ? or a Partition...

 

[Where's Bruce?]

The guide sent me a message cancelling my January hunt because the property owner (a corporation) of the Kenedy Trust Wildlife Sanctuary (best location for trophy bulls) said he had to take eight rifle hunters out in an elevated vehicle instead. They are all about the money. Things are done very differently in Texas. The only replacement hunts I found are small properties with few nilgai after the rut. Still looking but am not feeling it any more. I don't think I care for the "Texas way" today. Bow hunters are not appreciated there.

 

[Jaker_cc]

The guide sent me a message cancelling my January hunt because the property owner (a corporation) of the Kenedy Trust Wildlife Sanctuary (best location for trophy bulls) said he had to take eight rifle hunters out in an elevated vehicle instead. They are all about the money. Things are done very differently in Texas. The only replacement hunts I found are small properties with few nilgai after the rut. Still looking but am not feeling it any more. I don't think I care for the "Texas way" today. Bow hunters are not appreciated there.

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Still bitching about it just on a different forum huh?? Sheesh man. In all honesty if we took a vote of all the hunters in Texas we more than likely wouldn’t even want you in the state. Feel free to book you a Nilgai hunt in California and do it your way. But if you want to come hunt private land in Texas, with an outfitter that has exclusive access to the resource, then you don’t get to tell them how the hunt is going to go. It’s not Burger King, you don’t always get it your way.

As high and mighty as you are I’m shocked they haven’t named a state after you yet. It would be called “I’m better than you, just ask me”

 

[Short Track]

Did you consider an Oryx ?

 

[cuerro viejo]

You are right, it is a cultural difference, but it's driven by necessity and the difference between public and private land. I'm convinced the only reason anyone packs an 800 pound elk out 5 miles is because they shot it in the middle of a no motor zone chunk of public land and you have no other choice but to carry it out. Shoot a Nilgai in south Texas on private land that you can drive around on and probably make your own roads. Why would you carry it back to camp, or in the case of Texas, the lodge?

Yelp, You are also liable to step on a rattle bug in Jan. 80-90 in Jan isn't out if the question.

I always laugh about the Texas comments but no body every says any thing about all the truck in WY,CO and NM with a winch in the head rack

 

[Short Track]

Newfoundland Canada is also a road hunt. It's considered normal.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Still bitching about it just on a different forum huh?? Sheesh man. In all honesty if we took a vote of all the hunters in Texas we more than likely wouldn’t even want you in the state. Feel free to book you a Nilgai hunt in California and do it your way. But if you want to come hunt private land in Texas, with an outfitter that has exclusive access to the resource, then you don’t get to tell them how the hunt is going to go. It’s not Burger King, you don’t always get it your way.

As high and mighty as you are I’m shocked they haven’t named a state after you yet. It would be called “I’m better than you, just ask me”

This is not my idea of hunting. You can have it Tex.

 

[Jaker_cc]

This is not my idea of hunting. You can have it Tex.

Thanks, I’ll take it. And when I’m in Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, Montana, Idaho or wherever else I’m at I’ll hunt however works best there too. For someone that wanted to come down and book a hunt with an outfitter in a place you have never been, for an animal you know nothing about, on property that isn’t public, you sure have a lot of opinions on how it should be done.

That outfitter sure dodged a bullet. I’m sure having you in camp would have been miserable for anyone within hearing distance. And it’s probably better for your health to not come down here and spout your gibberish. Like I said, feel free to book your Nilgai hunt in California where people don’t mind being talked down to by others. Most places I’ve been here in Texas and in other states as well, you might just have to back up that high and mighty attitude.

 

[EastMT]

Well I recently moved here, and I can’t say I disagree with him. I’ll be packing up and headed north as soon as possible, not impressed with anything down here except Mexican breakfast for $3, that’s impressive for homemade.

It’s not high and mighty, I have chances to shoot(not hunt) animals down here, I’ve passed them all up. Working in Ag, I meet a lot of people who have hunts, want me to come out. Hard no on that, I’m not a stand sitter or a stand driver. No offense, I’m a hunter not a shooter.

When you’ve spent most of your life in AK, MT, it is one hell of a shock to walk into this style of “wild game”. Call it what you like, I call it farming not hunting.


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[cuerro viejo]

[

Well I recently moved here, and I can’t say I disagree with him. I’ll be packing up and headed north as soon as possible, not impressed with anything down here except Mexican breakfast for $3, that’s impressive for homemade.

It’s not high and mighty, I have chances to shoot(not hunt) animals down here, I’ve passed them all up. Working in Ag, I meet a lot of people who have hunts, want me to come out. Hard no on that, I’m not a stand sitter or a stand driver. No offense, I’m a hunter not a shooter.

When you’ve spent most of your life in AK, MT, it is one hell of a shock to walk into this style of “wild game”. Call it what you like, I call it farming not hunting.


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It's a none migratory animal. It's always going to a different perspective when a private land owner can control carrying capacity, densities and ratio’s to a degree.

But that's not just Texas that's entire eastern and south Eastern United States.

it's also interesting how hunting styles very throughout Texas due to topography and habitat differences. But then again you can put Montana, Wyoming and Idaho in Texas together or France and Germany.

You won't see a high rack in Central, North, West or East Texas.

 

[EastMT]

[


It's a none migratory animal. It's always going to a different perspective when a private land owner can control carrying capacity, densities and ratio’s to a degree.

But that's not just Texas that's entire eastern and south Eastern United States.

it's also interesting how hunting styles very throughout Texas due to topography and habitat differences. But then again you can put Montana, Wyoming and Idaho in Texas together or France and Germany.

You won't see a high rack in Central, North, West or East Texas.

I don’t blame people for doing it here, I mean it’s 24 hour drive to most places so might as well hunt your backyard, it’s just not for everyone. I really want to eat a Nilgai, I just don’t want to pay $2000 for one, I can buy half an angus for that price lol.


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[cuerro viejo]

I don’t blame people for doing it here, I mean it’s 24 hour drive to most places so might as well hunt your backyard, it’s just not for everyone. I really want to eat a Nilgai, I just don’t want to pay $2000 for one, I can buy half an angus for that price lol.


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Oh I get the pricing, it's rough but like you said so is the gas and tag bill for ID, Wy or MT.

If I was in south Texas and not the panhandle id put in for Laguna every year and if I didn't draw I’d show up and do stand bye.

Glad we live in a country with the freedoms and multitude of hunting choices to hunt our own style/method of hunting

 

[EastMT]

Oh I get the pricing, it's rough but like you said so is the gas and tag bill for ID, Wy or MT.

If I was in south Texas and not the panhandle id put in for Laguna every year and if I didn't draw I’d show up and do stand bye.

Glad we live in a country with the freedoms and multitude of hunting choices to hunt our own style/method of hunting

Yeah I didn’t find out about the LM until it was too late, I did put in for the Grand Slam lottery though, long odds, but worth a shot at a bighorn.

I thought about the public land bow hunts over west on the lake, but heard that can be a %#+^ show, packed pretty bad. I may try that after I burn my MT/WY points next year.


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