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2022 Winter Nilgai Hunt
- Thread starter CaldwellJ
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Tom Wright
Well-Known Member
I went on my first nilgai hunt in March. My guides were OK with my using my .300WM, but made a huge deal about bullet placement saying you had to shoot it in the neck. I have hunted Africa 4 times and the 300 is my go to gun, using 180 grain Swift A frame bullets. I have taken 3 kudu and one eland with it, with one shot kills. I can say that I made a one shot kill on my 500+ pound nilgai and a scimitar horned oryx. No problems — the nilgai ran 25 yards. So I'd use the old African adage—pick a gun that is adequate and one you are comfortable shooting .
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AggieHunter
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- Sep 21, 2014
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I have a couple of thoughts. The 300 is plenty of gun. You will have only 3 to 8 seconds to shoot after the animal spots you 1st. They are very skittish. If the hunt is a walk and stalk, then you have a good chance to sneak up on them. If you are rolling in a truck on ranch roads, you better be ready to shoot fast. Shot placement is absolutely the key on his animal. if you are good and comfortable w/your 300WM, stay with it that rifle. You might want to look at using the Barnes Tipped Triple Shock on these guys.
I have not hunted Nilgai and cannot address their "toughness" yet, but certainly hope to someday.
My understanding is that a stout bullet and breaking down the shoulders is the preferred shot.
They are built more like African antelopes, so check one of the shooting guidebooks to be certain of the your shoulder target area.
My understanding is that a stout bullet and breaking down the shoulders is the preferred shot.
They are built more like African antelopes, so check one of the shooting guidebooks to be certain of the your shoulder target area.
cpipacer1
New Member
300 win mag is minimum my cousin allows on his guided hunts. Shot placement is the most important
There's lots of data on high success rates for nilgai using lower energy and smaller diameter bullets than your 300 WM. See 24hrcampfire for example.
Although first rule of fight club is use enough gun. Second rule of fight club is always listen to your guide. Seems like a good excuse to add to your gun collection. My vote would be a 375 H&H. It will successfully take any mammal on land - literally. Elephant to duiker. At 500 yds the 250 grain still has over 1700 ft/lbs. Well over the bull elk threshold of 1500.
Setting new gun considerations aside for a minute and regarding what really matters, consensus seems to be...drum roll please...shot placement and quality bonded-core or copper bullets. No surprise to folks on this forum. If your 300 Win Mag is your pet rifle and you don't want another rilfe, you should be fine with some good bullets. Barnes, A-frames and Trophy Bonded Bear claws are my personal faves.
Hope you have a great hunt and enjoy your time in Tx!
Although first rule of fight club is use enough gun. Second rule of fight club is always listen to your guide. Seems like a good excuse to add to your gun collection. My vote would be a 375 H&H. It will successfully take any mammal on land - literally. Elephant to duiker. At 500 yds the 250 grain still has over 1700 ft/lbs. Well over the bull elk threshold of 1500.
Setting new gun considerations aside for a minute and regarding what really matters, consensus seems to be...drum roll please...shot placement and quality bonded-core or copper bullets. No surprise to folks on this forum. If your 300 Win Mag is your pet rifle and you don't want another rilfe, you should be fine with some good bullets. Barnes, A-frames and Trophy Bonded Bear claws are my personal faves.
Hope you have a great hunt and enjoy your time in Tx!
Stevenstl86
Well-Known Member
Anyone still hunt these in brackettville? Haven't been there since 2012. We were not pursuing them but saw a lot of big nalgai
MATADOR48
Member
Your 300 Win Mag will be fine. Nilgai are big tough antelope, but they are just antelope. I killed the big blue bull hanging in m y living room with a single 160 grain Nosler Partition bullet in the neck from 'old death ray", my 7 MM Wby Mag 700 classic. He was running about 40 mph at the front of a herd that crossed the ranch road about 150 yards in front of our King Ranch truck. That's the hard part about killing a Nilgai. Any shots you get with them standing still or walking slowly is going to be a very long shot. If you get closer they are going to be running like hell, and they go right through good fences.
john dabney
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- Oct 22, 2014
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Sanford338
Well-Known Member
I've shot 3. My guide wanted a minimum of 300 Win.. no problem, I have one. Not sure why he would be unimpressed? But with said, I took my first at about 170 yards give or take, went about 20 yards, dropped. The other 2 were taken with a 30-378 Wby, and lastly a 338 RUM... just because I have them. The 300 Win is plenty ...pick a good bullet and just make a good shot, like on ALL game! Good Luck! Post the pictures after your hunt!!
john dabney
Member
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- Oct 22, 2014
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- 10
Only thing I ever hit with 7 mag and ran off into senders. Have read there are one step below water buffaloes on toughness. I stepped up to 338 Lapua 300 gr burgers. We usually Shootin 300 plus yards
I have seen or killed many of the larger Texas exotics. The Nilgai is a heavily muscled critter but I wouldn't hesitate to use a 166 hammer hunter and your 300WM. It will hit them with plenty of energy to blow through double lung or high shoulder shot. Not that anyone in this thread has said it but some folks like overkill, I know dead is dead and there isn't such thing as to dead but we aren't talking about a wounded elk in the mountains with bears around. I was getting ready to shoot one last year with a 7-08 129TTSX but couldn't make it happen and it was out last day.
The older I get and more deer and hogs killed with a rifle, I am convinced it's bullet placement over caliber. I learned to do a heart/lung shot, but I am ditching that method and going to a double sholder shot. Tried of tracking deer. Last season with 25-06 shot a doe in the heart, she ran 140 yds with 1/2 heart blown out. Shot another deer on the run in sholder-DOA.
Shot many a hog with 25-06, the 25 caliber is lethal on hogs,
I am a proponent of less is more as one will tend to practice more and flinch less with lighter recoiling calibers like 25-06, 6.5CM and 6.5x55 (which has been used for decades to take moose in Scandinavian countries)
The 300WM is an excellent round will be more than enough with a well placed shot.
Shot many a hog with 25-06, the 25 caliber is lethal on hogs,
I am a proponent of less is more as one will tend to practice more and flinch less with lighter recoiling calibers like 25-06, 6.5CM and 6.5x55 (which has been used for decades to take moose in Scandinavian countries)
The 300WM is an excellent round will be more than enough with a well placed shot.
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300 Win Mag is plenty shoot her in the shoulder and she will go down, maybe not dead but not going to run off.
