The Nilgai Post

[Jhconnected]

I wanted to start a Nilgai dedicated post to collect everyone’s experience and recommendations.

In South Texas, the guides are notorious for their magnum-itis. Nilgai are big and tough but they aren’t tanks like they are made out to be.

Things that would be useful info:

What cartridges and bullets combo have you used?
What shot placement?
What were the results? DRT? Ran 1000 yards?
What would you do different?

 

[S-3 ranch]

A guided hunt is completely different then local who gets to pick distance and shot placement
Guided usually means 30 cal , 180gr or larger requirement
I have used 270win , 7RM ,300wm, 303 British, 8mm Remington mag , 35whelen, .375 ruger.
Bonded or TSX is preferred, they are both tough and have vitals in different locations then North America game
Upper front shoulder, neck , or right in the beard frontal usually has devastating effects
They aren’t tanks, but are tough and don’t bleed much so if you are in brush you need to plant them DRT or have a dog so a 6.5cm isn’t a ideal cal imo

 

[Megalodon]

I can't find it now. But there's a youtube out there of a 12 year old kid shooting one off a tripod with a 6CM at ~250 yards and it's DRT.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I can't find it now. But there's a youtube out there of a 12 year old kid shooting one off a tripod with a 6CM at ~250 yards and it's DRT.

Yeah it’s a rare occurrence a small caliber = DRT
Lots more run off and die unrecoverable in the brush
But if it’s a free hunt have at it with a small caliber, I wouldn’t do it on a $3500-$4500 paid hunt

 

[Hnthrdr]

Genuinely want to know what makes these animals supposedly tougher than an elk or moose? They look about 1/3 the size of an elk

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Genuinely want to know what makes these animals supposedly tougher than an elk or moose? They look about 1/3 the size of an elk

A big bull is over 600lbs. They have a real muscular front end (more so than elk or moose) and their vitals are further forward than most NA game. Unless shooting quartering away, you need to go through the shoulders. I'm not arguing or part of the crowd saying you need large calibers, but that's why I'd imagine.

 

[S-3 ranch]

A big bull is over 600lbs. They have a real muscular front end (more so than elk or moose) and their vitals are further forward than most NA game. Unless shooting quartering away, you need to go through the shoulders. I'm not arguing or part of the crowd saying you need large calibers, but that's why I'd imagine.

Yes
And see those spikes/daggers on their heads, they fight a lot
And have 1 inch of hide and grisl covering the vitals on each side
Making a pass through difficult or non bonded bullet not really reach all the vitals.
They can run a hell of a long way before dying with light weight gear

 

[cuerro viejo]

I wanted to start a Nilgai dedicated post to collect everyone’s experience and recommendations.

In South Texas, the guides are notorious for their magnum-itis. Nilgai are big and tough but they aren’t tanks like they are made out to be.

Things that would be useful info:

What cartridges and bullets combo have you used?
What shot placement?
What were the results? DRT? Ran 1000 yards?
What would you do different?

Only one ran. 100sp hard QTR away, went 75 yards. Rest dropped where they stood. High-shoulder or neck shoulder crease.

257wby-115berger, 100gr SP, 80ttsx
6.5cm-130 VLD
7.5 prc-175eldx
300nos-215 VLD

Zero preference on Caliber—. But 100% do not get back and high, shooting high lungs if you can avoid it. thats with any long leg animal that can move great distances quick. Hardest track jobs are always high lungs and back. Are they tough yes, but same with any animal, you want DRT, disrupt CNS

 

[Hnthrdr]

A big bull is over 600lbs. They have a real muscular front end (more so than elk or moose) and their vitals are further forward than most NA game. Unless shooting quartering away, you need to go through the shoulders. I'm not arguing or part of the crowd saying you need large calibers, but that's why I'd imagine.

Thanks so built more like a beef cow bull.

 

[Mojave]

I see a lot of Texans referencing these huge numbers on weights over 600 pounds.

I asked Grok about this, and it seems as though Texas hunting websites have inflated the numbers between 675 and 1200 pounds.

The zoo numbers are in the 500's.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Genuinely want to know what makes these animals supposedly tougher than an elk or moose? They look about 1/3 the size of an elk

where you shooting 1800lb + elk? Very similar to 5 year old Rockies with bigger front half but smaller rear

 

[cuerro viejo]

I see a lot of Texans referencing these huge numbers on weights over 600 pounds.

I asked Grok about this, and it seems as though Texas hunting websites have inflated the numbers between 675 and 1200 pounds.

The zoo numbers are in the 500's.

we have killed one summer time bull that broke 600 dressed, majority are low 300-400 range dressed depend on time of year, few getting into 500. Really just depends on location age and feed.

Kind of like Alpine migratory bull elk vs low land ranch bull,

 

[Megalodon]

I see a lot of Texans referencing these huge numbers on weights over 600 pounds.

They also come with natural level II body armor apparently.

 

[Jhconnected]

Everything is bigger down here in Texas…including wild animal body armor.

But, in all seriousness, I’m looking for accounts of people in all directions.

Small caliber, big caliber, match, bonded, copper bullets, success and failure.

 

[Hnthrdr]

where you shooting 1800lb + elk? Very similar to 5 year old Rockies with bigger front half but smaller rear

1800lbs is enormous! Animals posted on this thread were about 275 to 450 lbs… none of those animals were anywhere near 1800lbs that’s why I asked, biggest bull elk I have kill was about 850-900 on the hoof. Most are half that size.

 

[bpitcher]

Zero preference on Caliber—. But 100% do not get back and high, shooting high lungs if you can avoid it. thats with any long leg animal that can move great distances quick. Hardest track jobs are always high lungs and back. Are they tough yes, but same with any animal, you want DRT, disrupt CNS

I wonder how much this contributes to their status as "tough" animals.

I always hear the same about Aoudad as well. Upon disassembly, I've not found anything to indicate they're any tougher than any other critter but their hide. Shoot one back behind the shoulder a ways like you would a deer and they'll run from what I've seen.

 

[cuerro viejo]

I wonder how much this contributes to their status as "tough" animals.

I always hear the same about Aoudad as well. Upon disassembly, I've not found anything to indicate they're any tougher than any other critter but their hide. Shoot one back behind the shoulder a ways like you would a deer and they'll run from what I've seen.

They are much wider in chest then a bull elk but I think most people just get to high and far back, and in the high grass/sand country of coastal STX they can cover a lot of ground , since it’s flatter. They are like an oryx just built to barrel down and run.

S3 pictures pretty much shows there is also a large difference between mature bull and juvenile bull size wise even if there only a few inch’s difference in horn.

 

[Jhconnected]

I wonder how much this contributes to their status as "tough" animals.

I always hear the same about Aoudad as well. Upon disassembly, I've not found anything to indicate they're any tougher than any other critter but their hide. Shoot one back behind the shoulder a ways like you would a deer and they'll run from what I've seen.

I’m trying to find out how much of this is it being a tough animal vs being a tough animal compared to WT and hogs that are typical of the Texas landscape vs bad shooting/guiding/setups vs different vital area etc.

 

[Jhconnected]

They are much wider in chest then a bull elk but I think most people just get to high and far back, and in the high grass/sand country of coastal STX they can cover a lot of ground , since it’s flatter. They are like an oryx just built to barrel down and run.

S3 pictures pretty much shows there is also a large difference between mature bull and juvenile bull size wise even if there only a few inch’s difference in horn.

I also don’t think people realize the vital zone difference in comparison to native species.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I also don’t think people realize the vital zone difference in comparison to native species.

I agree , most people get hung up on the behind the shoulder shots
Nilgai and critters in Africa, it’s straight up the leg and shoulder is the heart and lungs, it’s a pretty beefy area protected ,a breakdown of the CNS is good for smaller caliber imo