Nilgai Hunt - Cartridge

[uncle fester]

An acquaintance of mine is going on a South Texas Nilgai hunt and is worried his 300 WM is not enough gun for the job. He is not really a hunter, but got invited on the trip. He does shoot a lot and is a good shot.

I have no idea about what people use to hunt them, but would expect a 300 WM to do the job with a proper bullet. The only time I have seen video of a Nilgai hunt, it looked like they were hunting skittish cattle.

Thoughts?

 

[Buttstock-TX]

An acquaintance of mine is going on a South Texas Nilgai hunt and is worried his 300 WM is not enough gun for the job. He is not really a hunter, but got invited on the trip. He does shoot a lot and is a good shot.

I have no idea about what people use to hunt them, but would expect a 300 WM to do the job with a proper bullet. The only time I have seen video of a Nilgai hunt, it looked like they were hunting skittish cattle.

Thoughts?

I've never hunted Nilgai but, based on hunting large antelope in Africa, would believe the 300 would do fine with a well-placed shot in the heart-lung area.

 

[Bill K]

Have you friend ask the owner/guides of the outfit he is going to hunt in. They will tell him what he should consider or what they have seen/found works well on their hunts.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

600-700 pounds, any elk appropriate cartridge. African antelope vitals are more forward. A controlled expansion bullet to shoot through a shoulder.

 

[davidjoe]

I shot this one in ‘96 or so with a .270 Win at about120 yards, walking. I have bottle raised two abandoned calves since then, to make up for it . Yes a fast .30 is better. Mine fell immediately with a spinal hit at the base of the neck. They are large animals though, smart, and determined.

 

[wboggs]

I shot one with a .280 loaded with 160 Nosler Partitions at 2900 around 200 yds. Fell after a shoulder shot.
300 mag is plenty. Use a good rangefinder because they can sometime be distant.

 

[Deadmeat1899]

It would be best to check with the guide that will be utilized. The majority of them now have caliber requirements due to the large number of aniamals that are not recovered. Even with the best of calibers shot placement is of upmost importance. I have seen bulls shot with a 375 H&H knocked down and then regained their feet and ran off.

 

[davidjoe]

Royse brought this baby nilgai home today that almost got hit in the tall grass, making hay in a field near town. It’s a male, just able to stand, and he’ll get bottles, move to the yard after the patio, and greet every opening car door for about a year and a half. Then, once he’s thoroughly tame and starting to look impressive, he’ll instinctively leave the yard, then eventually the ranch, and then who knows… the first one’s horns we painted.

 

[davidjoe]

This is Coco this morning. She could walk across that cattle guard if she wanted to, but why leave. Males do, though ours came back from time to time, well into his middle age, to linger from a distance at his old nursery.

 

[nakneker]

Royse brought this baby nilgai home today that almost got hit in the tall grass, making hay in a field near town. It’s a male, just able to stand, and he’ll get bottles, move to the yard after the patio, and greet every opening car door for about a year and a half. Then, once he’s thoroughly tame and starting to look impressive, he’ll instinctively leave the yard, then eventually the ranch, and then who knows… the first one’s horns we painted.

View attachment 1374532

Neat!

 

[davidjoe]

Neat!

In those first hours, the spot gender check had been wrong, and yes, we are livestock raisers , but it’s the same one, a girl in both pics. She’s actually sticking her purple tongue out a little in the pic, a typical adolescent.

 

[Webster]

An acquaintance of mine is going on a South Texas Nilgai hunt and is worried his 300 WM is not enough gun for the job. He is not really a hunter, but got invited on the trip. He does shoot a lot and is a good shot.

I have no idea about what people use to hunt them, but would expect a 300 WM to do the job with a proper bullet. The only time I have seen video of a Nilgai hunt, it looked like they were hunting skittish cattle.

Thoughts?

On the Alaska Game Commision website it says the 30-06 is the most popular cartridge for grizzle's and it's adequit. Some people cannot shoot a magnum with accuracy because of recoil fear. Shot placement is the most important thing. Some people cannot pass up shooting to far at a animal facing the wrong direction. If it's wounded it could run a long ways. A true sportsman will pass up a shot that isn't ideal.