USA: My Best Nilgai

[375 Ruger Fan]

@Red Leg well done sir! You'll be happy with a Nilgai mount, because so many folks that view it won't know what it is and will ask you about it. Enjoy the tasty eating too! Good report too on the Hornady ELD-X bullets, thanks.

 

[Red Leg]

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?

I am fortunate to be able to hunt with a family member as a guest (we usually hunt quail), and so we stay at the ranch (a fascinating dinner jacket kind of experience). The ranch does offer the opportunity to hunt nilgai by booking a hunt (a real bargain), and accommodations would usually be in a local hotel. You can find that information on their website. https://kingranchhunting.com/ Over half the pasture is leased in one form or another, Several outfitters have access to pasture as do a number of individuals. https://kingranchhunting.com/king-ranch-leasing-program/ The leases are rarely available, and the requirements (for instance, the lease holder must have a game biologist on retainer) tend to insure a fairly well healed leasing population. For instance, Jerry Jones has a lease there.

Their management deer hunts are also a real bargain, and are handled like the Nilgai.

 

[sgt_zim]

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?

Types & Rates - King Ranch Hunting

King Ranch is the premier hunting destination for whitetail deer, nilgai, turkey, feral hog, javelina, and other game. King Ranch conducts its hunts in a free-range, low-fence, fair-chase environment, offering great opportunities for both experienced and novice hunters. As outlined below, we...

kingranchhunting.com

 

[Bullthrower338]

Fine animal @Red Leg

 

[kdenn]

Spectacular trophy! all reports are the meat is incredibly tasty, enjoy. thanks for sharing the pictures to all of us waiting to hunt.

 

[AZDAVE]

Nice old bull, congratz on a fine hunt. @crs has talked with me several times about his hunts for Nilgai and now you report, I will have to put them on my future hunts. Thank you for sharing your experience.

 

[Nyati]

Congrats @Red Leg , nice Nilgai !

 

[USMA2014]

Congratulations on a great hunt @Red Leg ! I’m going to look into King Ranch myself after reading this.

 

[Red Leg]

Congratulations on a great hunt @Red Leg ! I’m going to look into King Ranch myself after reading this.

I see you are an academy grad and a canon cocker! Welcome to a great site. I did the usual school things at Sill and later commanded a battalion and brigade there. Had great hunting on post, but was never drawn for an elk tag there or the refuge. You'll really enjoy a free range nilgai or aoudad hunt in Texas.

 

[USMA2014]

I see you are an academy grad and a canon cocker! Welcome to a great site. I did the usual school things at Sill and later commanded a battalion and brigade there. Had great hunting on post, but was never drawn for an elk tag there or the refuge. You'll really enjoy a free range nilgai or aoudad hunt in Texas.

It’s a small world! I did my CPT time in 3-13 at Sill (resisting the overwhelming urge to say “Sir”). I wish you’d gotten a chance at one of the elk there. It was a fantastic hunt!
I’ll start working on convincing my wife we need to hunt there. She loves goat, so audad may be the easiest way in.

 

[Red Leg]

It’s a small world! I did my CPT time in 3-13 at Sill (resisting the overwhelming urge to say “Sir”). I wish you’d gotten a chance at one of the elk there. It was a fantastic hunt!
I’ll start working on convincing my wife we need to hunt there. She loves goat, so audad may be the easiest way in.

I commanded 6-27 (when we had 27 launchers) and later the 75th BDE.

 

[USMA2014]

The 75th is still kicking butt and taking names, as I’m sure it was with you at the helm. Col. Carpenter was in command when I was there, an exceptional mentor. I don’t even want to think about maintaining 27 launchers, 16 was more than enough!

 

[Red Leg]

The 75th is still kicking butt and taking names, as I’m sure it was with you at the helm. Col. Carpenter was in command when I was there, an exceptional mentor. I don’t even want to think about maintaining 27 launchers, 16 was more than enough!

Yeah - But in Desert Storm we could light up a grid square.

 

[USMA2014]

Yeah - But in Desert Storm we could light up a grid square.

If we wanted to do that with current ROE, it would have to be illumination

 

[USMA2014]

A little more toward the subject of your hunt: Do you think One could get close enough to a Nilgai in that terrain to use a .500 A2? I’m contemplating the CEB 350 safari raptors with the plastic tip inserts. Which should bring the B.C. up a bit to .3-something, going 2800+.
Thoughts?

.510 350gr Safari Raptor - 50ct

Dangerous game solid brass hunting bullet.

cuttingedgebullets.com

 

[Doug3006]

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.View attachment 400326View attachment 400327

Very nice trophies Hutch01...congrats! I hunted Scimitar Oryx on the H. Yturria ranch last Oct and had a wonderful time. Scimitars are a fun hunt. Plus, we help conserve animals that are endangered in their home range. The money ranchers make off the hunting has led them to be quite common in South Texas..and a pool from which to draw as they are reintroduced in North Africa. Plus, plus...they taste great!

 

[Red Leg]

A little more toward the subject of your hunt: Do you think One could get close enough to a Nilgai in that terrain to use a .500 A2? I’m contemplating the CEB 350 safari raptors with the plastic tip inserts. Which should bring the B.C. up a bit to .3-something, going 2800+.
Thoughts?

.510 350gr Safari Raptor - 50ct

Dangerous game solid brass hunting bullet.

cuttingedgebullets.com

I have never used the caliber and so don't have a good feel for its trajectory - though I suspect it is closer to a howitzer than a field gun. The coastal Texas plains are big country and across most of it shots will tend to be closer to 300 yards than 100. You'll have to be the judge. The guides down here recommend a .300 mag or larger, so at least you will have that suitably trumped.

 

[Pheroze]

Nice call on that one! I dearly love those old looking guys. Did you know the state of the horns before the shot, or was there something else you saw that made you choose that one?

 

[Ridgewalker]

A fine nilgai indeed! Congratulations! Excellent mounting choice for an old warrior bull.

 

[Red Leg]

Nice call on that one! I dearly love those old looking guys. Did you know the state of the horns before the shot, or was there something else you saw that made you choose that one?

He was bigger and much darker than the others. In the couple of seconds I had to make a decision and shoot, neither the guide nor I had an opportunity to evaluate the horns. We were both thrilled when we walked up to him.