Texas Nilgai - Rifle choices

[JG26Irish_2]

My comment about a .375 being the best overall caliber to use for Nilgai is based on our own experience hunting these critters - and yes we have had over 1000 stuffed in our meat cooler over the years.

We recover 1 out of 4 mature bull Nilgai shot in the lungs with a .300 or lesser caliber every season generally. The big bulls tend more often then not to go forever after being shot and don't bleed so no way to track them even when they are hit perfect. So, we have gravitated to spot and stalk hunts with .375s inside of 200 yards. And we do a lot of hunts using double barrels inside 100 yards.

Thank you for the inputs. When hunting in a spot and stalk manner with a 375HH and keeping shots inside of 200y, I agree 100% that the 375HH is a great cartridge for the Nilgai. That is right in its operational sweet spot.

 

[dchum]

We recover 1 out of 4 mature bull Nilgai shot in the lungs with a .300 or lesser caliber every season generally.

Certainly not hitting the others in the lungs

What an insane stat to say as if it’s a fact

If you’re not recovering them then how do you know they were double lunged?

You said your property is right off 281. We might be neighbors. I’d love to meet up and show you what happens when you double lung a bull with a 300. They die…. Then we can have a cold beer

 

[pilar]

Certainly not hitting the others in the lungs

What an insane stat to say as if it’s a fact

If you’re not recovering them then how do you know they were double lunged?

You said your property is right off 281. We might be neighbors. I’d love to meet up and show you what happens when you double lung a bull with a 300. They die…. Then we can have a cold beer

I 100% agree, I don’t know where lion flue owns or is hunting, but I haven’t seen many ,much less 75% of Nilgai be unrecoverable after shot with a .308mag or bigger caliber unless shot in the head seems far fetched and worth a rum & Dr Pepper or beer to get perspective of that statement

 

[lionofluangwa]

Certainly not hitting the others in the lungs

What an insane stat to say as if it’s a fact

If you’re not recovering them then how do you know they were double lunged?

You said your property is right off 281. We might be neighbors. I’d love to meet up and show you what happens when you double lung a bull with a 300. They die…. Then we can have a cold beer

If you read correctly, I just said based on our hunting experience. I am not trying to pick any fights here but you seem to want to. I have been hunting KR Encino and SF East Ranch that I have leases on and my own ranch on the Ball ranch for years and years. I am glad all your hunters "double lung" their Nilgai and would agree those are generally recoverable when that happens. Good luck to you out there my friend. To each their own.