USA: My Best Nilgai

Red Leg

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I had the privilege to hunt King Ranch over the last couple of days, and took an ancient and very large bull. If you look at the horns, he has started to shed the outer covering at both the base and tips. A year ago, he would likely have scored very high, but a year ago he would not have been such an old and spectacular animal.

We spotted a group of five or six bulls around 600 yards away at about 8:30 am. The wind was in our favor, and my guide and I were able to ghost within 300 yards of them. Using a handy mesquite limb, I was lined up on one very respectable animal, when this bull stepped out from the brush. He was clearly older, and I instantly switched to him and launched a 200 gr ELD-X from my .300 Win Mag R8. The bullet hit him low in the chest (later found to have cut through the lower heart), and he reared on his hind legs like a stallion. I immediately hit him twice more while he was still on his feet which is pretty much the standard drill in South Texas where they can be quickly lost in the thick brush country. As he gave a cape buffalo type death bellow (often happens with Nilgai), I used my Leica's to check the range to the shot - 282 yards. My R8 in .300 Win Mag livery is extremely accurate well beyond that - and really quick on a follow-up shot.

Normally, I would not mount a Nilgai, but this is a special old bull, and I am afraid that I will have to find a place for him.

nilgai 2.jpg


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Well now that’s just cool. Congratulations!
 
Beautiful animal. Would swear you were in India from that pic !
 
Someday I would like to hunt free range n
 
I figure those horns just got so cold in the last last they started falling apart.

Congrats on spotting the opportunity and making good on it.

Incredible trophies so require the effort at the taxidermist.
 
Well done. Thanks for telling us about it. Sounds like a great hunt, Congrats
Bruce
 
Congratulations on a great animal.

Sounds like a fun hunt.
 
Mr Leg- I was hunting King for Nilgai Saturday. It was rainy off and on until about 2:30 and finally cleared. During the day we saw one mature bull and rest were cows or younger bulls. So I rescheduled for next Jan. So after the King I was scheduled further South at the H Yturria and I took a nice addax and scimitar. I’ll try and get photos uploaded.
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Nice trophy sir! Let us know how the steaks eat.
 
Both of these animals are cows! We had a great time, covered miles of ground, got blisters from snake boots not being lace ups stalking in the sand dunes, ate great Mexican food each day and enjoyed my personal favorite, mesquite fired beef steaks. The hunt was handled by Greg Simons, Wildlife Systems, San Angelo, Tx.
 
Nice, love chasing those bulls. The maker distinctive mount.
 
In addition, both of these deep S. Texas ranches suffered considerably from the winter freeze. The Nilgai were hit hard on the King. The latter lost Kudu, Sable, Nyala and many other specie. Very sad, but all will rebound I’m sure...
 
Congratulations on a spectacular trophy. Does the meat quality change with the age of the animal?
 
Red Leg, Congrats on a nice trophy.
My best hunting buddy shot a blue bull on his ranch and it made a great mount. I have shot a few and only mounted one , but ate them all. Now I shoot only younger ones for meat, like the one below taken with my Simson Suhl .405 DR. One shot through the heart and DRT. On the same trip, my son shot one just like mine with his. .458 Socom with same BANG you are dead result.

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In addition, both of these deep S. Texas ranches suffered considerably from the winter freeze. The Nilgai were hit hard on the King. The latter lost Kudu, Sable, Nyala and many other specie. Very sad, but all will rebound I’m sure...
Can’t speak for the other, but the King lost an estimated 12%. They would probably have been thrilled to have lost another 18%. The Nilgai don’t get a lot of love among whitetail and registered cattle.
 
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@Red Leg,

Great Nilgai! Congrats!

(Would love to see it mounted, when done, as well! ;) )
 
How is the hunting organized on the king ranch? Is it independent outfitters and leases on portions of the ranch or directly from king ranch? Had you done this hunt previously?
 
Well done!
 

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