HUNTING - TEXAS LARGE GAME

SPRING NILGAI – THE BLUE BULL
By Jim Foster

The Kleberg family of the King Ranch introduced the nilgai, originally from India, to South Texas in the early 1930’s. The animals were sold to the King Ranch by a circus that had fallen on hard times during the depression.

The ranch bought several breeding pairs. It was later learned. much to the chagrin of those who tended the fences, that a nilgai has no regards for any fence. Soon the animals were spreading all over adjoining pastures and then South Texas.

Since that time, nilgai have expanded their range and numbers. South Texas is an excellent habitat for the nilgai.

The nilgai is both a grazer and a browser competing with both domestic cattle and native wildlife.

The bulls are gray or blue in color and blend in well with the south Texas brush. Bulls grow to 800 pounds or more. The horns are not really impressive at 9 to 10 inches however they will use them in breeding and territory battles that may lead to the death of one or both combatants.

Females are about two-thirds the size of the bull and are light tan in color. The bulls have a small white patch on their neck just under their chin and sometimes this will be what a hunter will see first.

Nilgai are hunted safari style using the spot and stalk method. Time is spent glassing large open areas in order to spot game. Then the hunter and guide will stalk to within shooting range. The nilgai bull is a very hard animal to bring down except with a well-placed shot from a large caliber rifle. On many ranches the smallest caliber allowed is a 300 Winchester magnum.

When a good bull is spotted the hunt begins. Checking the wind, the hunters will stalk through the brush to a position close enough for a shot. Many times the guide and hunter will make a long drive around an open pasture to make sure the wind will not give them away or to better position themselves for the stalk.

Stalking a nilgai is a challenging, exciting and at times frustrating experience. There will be times when after a long stalk you discover the nilgai has vanished - it just wandered into the brush.

Considering the animal's sharp senses, moving quietly and staying well hidden in the brush is very important. At times nilgai bulls will group together in herds of twenty or more. Stalking these groups is extremely difficult - twenty plus pairs of eyes, ears and noses testing the surrounding area for danger.

Nilgai meat is some of the finest wild game meat you can find. It's lean like venison but does not have the strong game flavor of venison if it is handled properly. Nilgai must be field dressed quickly and allowed to cool. Hunters should take their photographs and get busy with the knife work.

Getting your nilgai into a processing plant or cooler is just as important. Figure on getting about half the animals weight in processed meat, so a 750 pound nilgai bull should give you over 300 pounds of meat. A nilgai is not an animal you should try to butcher at home unless you have all the right equipment.

Hunting a nilgai bull is a great spring hunt - just watch out for the ticks.

If you have comments or news for Jim Foster please e-mail him at: jim@jimfosteroutdoors.com