I'm now offering nilgai hunts

This article was first published in my email newsletter in February of 2025. I've added it to my website, because I think the information has some long-term value. If you'd like to keep up with the latest hunting information, including my open dates and available hunts, you can subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of this page.

I’m pretty excited. There’s one game animal that’s been missing from my ‘portfolio’ of available hunts that I’ve really wanted to include: Nilgai.

Nilgai is a really big antelope native to India and Pakistan. Nilgai were introduced to Texas in the 1920s on the King Ranch. They thrived in the semi-arid brush country of South Texas, where the climate closely mirrors their native habitat. With no natural predators and plenty of room to roam, the nilgai population exploded. Today, tens of thousands roam freely on private lands across several South Texas counties.

But I haven’t had a ranch for nilgai hunting — until now.

I’ve just established a relationship with a great ranch near Linn, Texas, a bit north of Edinburg. This isn’t a huge ranch — less than 2,000 acres — but it’s surrounded by huge ranches like the King ranch, so the nilgai population has plenty of room. And here’s the really great thing: There’s very little hunting pressure here. This particular ranch hasn’t been commercially hunted for almost a decade, and the surrounding ranches are hunted only by the owners.

When I scouted the ranch last week, I saw more nilgai in a few hours than I’ve seen previously in my whole life. Most of the cows I saw had twins, which contributes to a flourishing population.

HERE'S THE STORY ON NILGAE

Nilgai are the largest Asian antelope. Males typically weigh between 400 and 600 pounds, and females can weight up to 300. They have a robust build and short horns. Adult males have a distinctive bluish-gray coat that gives them the name ‘blue bulls’, while younger males and females are a tawny brown.

They are a challenging hunt.

There are two reasons for that. First, they’re incredibly wary and have excellent eyesight and hearing. And once they’ve spotted you, they are terrifically fast and have the stamina to cover a lot of distance. Second, they’re tough. They’re big, they have a thick hide, and they’ve got heavy bones.

Because of their size and toughness, nilgai require a high-powered rifle. I recommend using calibers like .300 Win Mag, .338, or even larger. The key is deep penetration and high-impact energy to get through their thick skin and bone structure. Premium, heavy-grain bullets designed for big game are a must. Some particular options that I’d suggest include the Barnes TTSX, the Nosler Partition, and the Federal Trophy Copper or Trophy Bonded Tip.

For the hunts I run, we’ll use some spot-and-stalk, and we’ll also set up over water and other locations where we can expect the nilgai to come to us. For the most part, I think our shots will be under 200 yards. (Hunting from a truck, on the other hand, spooks the nilgai and requires significantly longer shots).

Nilgai can be hunted year-round in Texas, but the cooler months from late fall through early spring are generally the best times. I’ll schedule my hunts from November through February. I may also schedule some in March, since I’ll be organizing turkey hunts on the same ranch at that time.

Nilgai are great trophy animals — shoulder mounts show off the bluish-gray coats of the males and their distinctive horns -- but they’re especially good meat animals. The meat can be compared to lean beef or venison, with a mild flavor and a tender texture.

NILGAI HUNTS CAN BE BOOKED NOW

Anyhow, I’m really excited to add this ranch and this game animal to my collection of hunt offerings. The ranch offers a really good population of nilgai, and it also gives us some really nice accommodations in the ranch itself. These hunts should be a lot of fun, and I’m already taking reservations.

If you’re interested, call me or fill out my booking form. The first available slots for nilgai hunts may be at the end of 2025, depending on some other hunts currently being scheduled. I’ll certainly be doing some hunts in early 2026. As I mentioned above, I’ll be doing nilgai hunts primarily in November through February, but there will also be some in March.

The price for this hunt is $4,500 per hunter, with a minimum of two hunters and a maximum of three. The deposit is $2,250 per hunter. Note that this is a flat-rate hunt. It includes 3 days/2 nights for groups of two hunters. For three hunters it will be a 4 day/3 night hunt.

For more details about hunt pricing and payments, check out the Frequently Asked Questions page on my website.