Got a nice Nilgai bull! - TexasBowhunter.com Community Discussion Forums

bowhunterhelm · 11-10-2022, 10:49 AM

I’ve been wanting a Nilgai Bull for a long time and finally bit the bullet and booked with Tony Median out of San Benito. It was a thermal night hunt.

I drove down Monday and we met about 4:00 and started the hunt. He told me to make sure and bring waterproof boots which I did. I have Magellan snake boots that have been good for turkey and deer hunting the last two years. Unfortunately they are advertised as waterproof, but they are not! 10 minutes into a two-day hunt and my feet were soaking wet. It sucked!

Right after dark we had a coyote show up and I took a shot at him. I hit him but he ran off and went unrecovered. We saw several pigs and we decided to take one to make sure the rifle was on. It wound up being a nice size boar. Man if this had been a hog hunt, we could have loaded the truck down, we saw a lot of pigs during the hunt. We saw several Nilgai on the first night but couldn’t get it done. We did a lot of walking and spotting which was fun seeing all the critters through the thermals. We tried to stalk several bulls but the were always going the opposite direction. We moved once to get on two bulls and when we made it to where they were they were moving off. While we were trying to stalk them a bull came out and walked right where we had been set up. Ugh! If we had stayed put he would have walked right to us.

On the second night we went to a different property and while driving on a county road there was a monster bull standing right on the side of the road. It was awesome, I don’t have any experience hunting these things, but I instantly knew it was a bull and a big one! We got a quick glimpse of him as we drove by.

We made our way to Tony’s hunting grounds and entered a field and there were Nilgai everywhere. I think there were about 15 or so. We singled out the biggest bull in the group and made our stalk. We got to within 150 yards and that’s as close as we could get. The moon was super bright the entire hunt and there was no cover between us. I set up on the shooting sticks and squeezed a shot off. I was surprised by the shot, and it felt really good. I was shooting suppressed, so it was easy to hear the bullet hit the Nilgai. I knew I connected but lost sight of the bull in the thermal. Tony told me to shoot him again and my heart sank. I know they have a reputation for eating led and being difficult to track. I chambered another round but by the time I was searching for him in the Thermal Tony told me he was down!

When we walked up to him, I was amazed at the size of these things. I knew they were but dang! I was thinking that the heck are we going to do with this dead horse out here. LOL!

We took some really good pictures and got him in the cooler. It was an awesome hunt. I cant wait to get this meat back from the butcher. All I hear about is how good these things are.

Check out that back strap!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ultrastealth · 11-10-2022, 10:51 AM

Very cool!

Txsurveyor2014 · 11-10-2022, 10:53 AM

Congrats! Nilgai is on my bucket list.

Deathrow Jethro · 11-10-2022, 10:54 AM

Good looking bull AND yes, they taste great.

Dusty8186 · 11-10-2022, 10:55 AM

Nice! Sounds like a fun trip

Huntindad · 11-10-2022, 10:58 AM

Congrats on a fine bull. I'll get one down at Laguna...one of these days. Hope you got a big freezer

rjtkdplus · 11-10-2022, 10:58 AM

Nice! Congrats!

Mudslinger · 11-10-2022, 10:59 AM

Congrats!!!

TKRanch · 11-10-2022, 11:03 AM

Great bull! You will NOT be disappointed when you get the meat!!!!

Landrover · 11-10-2022, 11:04 AM

Yessir thats a good one for sure. I have two and both were delicious!

Bryan11 · 11-10-2022, 11:23 AM

Congrats

C-dubyah · 11-10-2022, 11:28 AM

If you field dressed one of those in field do you think a game cart could get it out?

JuDGe · 11-10-2022, 11:30 AM

Awesome!

SaltwaterSlick · 11-10-2022, 11:35 AM

What a beautiful trophy! Congratulations sir!! And that backstrap pic really gives us some perspective of just how big those jokers are!! That's a lot of steak right there in that one piece!!

Saltyag15 · 11-10-2022, 11:38 AM

Congrats! Awesome deal

Texastaxi · 11-10-2022, 11:40 AM

Tony is a good dude. Congrats on an awesome trophy!

bigblock78 · 11-10-2022, 11:42 AM

Very Nice!!

Johnny Dangerr · 11-10-2022, 11:43 AM

That one is huge...

elhefe · 11-10-2022, 11:44 AM

No experience with a game cart but I’ve field dressed one and think the only way a cart would work is if you quartered it in the field and then loaded the cart. Again, no experience trying it but would think that’s the only way a cart could work

elhefe · 11-10-2022, 11:45 AM

And Heck of a nice Bill. Congrats

RR 314 · 11-10-2022, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C-dubyah

If you field dressed one of those in field do you think a game cart could get it out?

How big of a boy are you?

I don't think it is happening with a mature animal.

Gumbo Man · 11-10-2022, 02:08 PM

Great write up and great bull. Congrats

Jon B · 11-10-2022, 02:11 PM

Great animal sir.

texan16 · 11-10-2022, 02:16 PM

Man, I bet that was some fun. Congrats on a really nice bull !!

Hardware · 11-10-2022, 02:16 PM

Congrats on a nice bull!

Texastaxi · 11-10-2022, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elhefe

No experience with a game cart but I’ve field dressed one and think the only way a cart would work is if you quartered it in the field and then loaded the cart. Again, no experience trying it but would think that’s the only way a cart could work

I hunted with Tony a few years ago and got a bull. He gutted it in the field and it took 4 of us to get it up onto his receiver basket, which was lower than normal.

I think you'd have a pretty tough time getting one onto a game cart, whole.
Even if you were able to get it up there, pulling it would be another obstacle.

C-dubyah · 11-10-2022, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elhefe

No experience with a game cart but I’ve field dressed one and think the only way a cart would work is if you quartered it in the field and then loaded the cart. Again, no experience trying it but would think that’s the only way a cart could work

Yeah, I think you are right.

Congrats to the OP on a nice bull.

AggieRod · 11-10-2022, 02:29 PM

Nice, congrats

bowhunterhelm · 11-10-2022, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texastaxi

I hunted with Tony a few years ago and got a bull. He gutted it in the field and it took 4 of us to get it up onto his receiver basket, which was lower than normal.

I think you'd have a pretty tough time getting one onto a game cart, whole.
Even if you were able to get it up there, pulling it would be another obstacle.

Thank you for answering my questions when I was vetting him.

piercebronkite · 11-10-2022, 02:34 PM

Congrats. Thats been our primary meat source in my household. It's top game animal for sure!

UncleBubba · 11-10-2022, 02:37 PM

Sounds like an awesome hunt! Congrats

HOOKNBULLET2 · 11-10-2022, 03:38 PM

Congrats.

Sackett · 11-10-2022, 04:31 PM

Congrats! Definitely on my bucket list

stxbowhunter · 11-10-2022, 04:34 PM

Congrats!

AntlerCollector · 11-10-2022, 05:09 PM

Congrats on the animal. Excellent write up also. Yes Nilgai meat is awesome!

sahunter · 11-10-2022, 05:23 PM

congrats!!!

Texas Grown · 11-10-2022, 06:52 PM

Congrats on a great bull Jeremy!

What cartrige did you use to down him? I understand they are very tough critters.

miket · 11-10-2022, 09:38 PM

Very nice, congrats!

fish4food · 11-10-2022, 09:42 PM

Awesome!!!

Bone Thug · 11-10-2022, 09:48 PM

Congrats….

W-O · 11-10-2022, 09:58 PM

Congrats! Bucket list item for sure.

Raider Power · 11-10-2022, 10:01 PM

If you don’t mind me asking what would a hunt like this cost?

bowhunterhelm · 11-10-2022, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Grown

Congrats on a great bull Jeremy!

What cartrige did you use to down him? I understand they are very tough critters.

I used the guides gun, 6.8 Western. It did the trick no problem. Bullet was just under the skin on the opposite shoulder.

bowhunterhelm · 11-10-2022, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raider Power

If you don’t mind me asking what would a hunt like this cost?

Night time thermal hunts seem to be cheaper, they seem to start at about $2k from the shopping around I did.

Mtltx · 11-10-2022, 10:23 PM

That’s awesome! Congrats!

Aggiehunter08 · 11-10-2022, 10:29 PM

Congrats!

Bisch · 11-10-2022, 10:49 PM

Congrats on your bull! As far as the meat goes, it is superb!!!

This was my supper this past Tuesday. Pepper crusted nilgai tenderloin!!!!

Bisch

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Mexico · 11-10-2022, 11:11 PM

Congratulations! I've gotta try that meat someday!

SharpEnd · 11-10-2022, 11:43 PM

Congrats on a fine bull.

and Bisch that tenderloin looks fantastic!

J Loves Huntin · 11-11-2022, 07:45 AM

Very nice congratulations

11-10-2022, 10:49 AM	#1
bowhunterhelm Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Leander Hunt In: Leander/Christoval	Got a nice Nilgai bull! I’ve been wanting a Nilgai Bull for a long time and finally bit the bullet and booked with Tony Median out of San Benito. It was a thermal night hunt. I drove down Monday and we met about 4:00 and started the hunt. He told me to make sure and bring waterproof boots which I did. I have Magellan snake boots that have been good for turkey and deer hunting the last two years. Unfortunately they are advertised as waterproof, but they are not! 10 minutes into a two-day hunt and my feet were soaking wet. It sucked! Right after dark we had a coyote show up and I took a shot at him. I hit him but he ran off and went unrecovered. We saw several pigs and we decided to take one to make sure the rifle was on. It wound up being a nice size boar. Man if this had been a hog hunt, we could have loaded the truck down, we saw a lot of pigs during the hunt. We saw several Nilgai on the first night but couldn’t get it done. We did a lot of walking and spotting which was fun seeing all the critters through the thermals. We tried to stalk several bulls but the were always going the opposite direction. We moved once to get on two bulls and when we made it to where they were they were moving off. While we were trying to stalk them a bull came out and walked right where we had been set up. Ugh! If we had stayed put he would have walked right to us. On the second night we went to a different property and while driving on a county road there was a monster bull standing right on the side of the road. It was awesome, I don’t have any experience hunting these things, but I instantly knew it was a bull and a big one! We got a quick glimpse of him as we drove by. We made our way to Tony’s hunting grounds and entered a field and there were Nilgai everywhere. I think there were about 15 or so. We singled out the biggest bull in the group and made our stalk. We got to within 150 yards and that’s as close as we could get. The moon was super bright the entire hunt and there was no cover between us. I set up on the shooting sticks and squeezed a shot off. I was surprised by the shot, and it felt really good. I was shooting suppressed, so it was easy to hear the bullet hit the Nilgai. I knew I connected but lost sight of the bull in the thermal. Tony told me to shoot him again and my heart sank. I know they have a reputation for eating led and being difficult to track. I chambered another round but by the time I was searching for him in the Thermal Tony told me he was down! When we walked up to him, I was amazed at the size of these things. I knew they were but dang! I was thinking that the heck are we going to do with this dead horse out here. LOL! We took some really good pictures and got him in the cooler. It was an awesome hunt. I cant wait to get this meat back from the butcher. All I hear about is how good these things are. Check out that back strap! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11-10-2022, 10:49 PM	#47
Bisch Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sonora, Tx	Got a nice Nilgai bull! Congrats on your bull! As far as the meat goes, it is superb!!! This was my supper this past Tuesday. Pepper crusted nilgai tenderloin!!!! Bisch Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

11-10-2022, 10:51 AM	#2
ultrastealth Pope & Young Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Katy Hunt In: Camp Wood, TX	Very cool!

11-10-2022, 10:53 AM	#3
Txsurveyor2014 Ten Point Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Forney Hunt In: Oklahoma and Angelina County	Congrats! Nilgai is on my bucket list.

11-10-2022, 10:54 AM	#4
Deathrow Jethro Pope & Young Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Angleton, TX Hunt In: Looking	Good looking bull AND yes, they taste great.

11-10-2022, 10:55 AM	#5
Dusty8186 Six Point Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Denton, TX Hunt In: Quanah, TX	Nice! Sounds like a fun trip

11-10-2022, 10:58 AM	#6
Huntindad Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Leander / Liberty Hill Hunt In: Kerr county & TP&W	Congrats on a fine bull. I'll get one down at Laguna...one of these days. Hope you got a big freezer

11-10-2022, 10:58 AM	#7
rjtkdplus Pope & Young Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Lockhart Hunt In: Everywhere I can	Nice! Congrats!

11-10-2022, 10:59 AM	#8
Mudslinger Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Rogers TX Hunt In: Bell County, Limpopo South Africa	Congrats!!!

11-10-2022, 11:03 AM	#9
TKRanch Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Back in TEXAS!!! Sandia, TX	Great bull! You will NOT be disappointed when you get the meat!!!!

11-10-2022, 11:04 AM	#10
Landrover Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Spring Hunt In: Wherever & Whenever	Yessir thats a good one for sure. I have two and both were delicious!

11-10-2022, 11:23 AM	#11
Bryan11 Ten Point Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Taylor/Franklin Hunt In: Robertson & Limestone Co	Congrats

11-10-2022, 11:28 AM	#12
C-dubyah Eight Point Join Date: Aug 2018	If you field dressed one of those in field do you think a game cart could get it out?

11-10-2022, 11:30 AM	#13
JuDGe Eight Point Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: San Angelo Hunt In: Tom Green, Concho and Runnels	Awesome!

11-10-2022, 11:35 AM	#14
SaltwaterSlick Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006	What a beautiful trophy! Congratulations sir!! And that backstrap pic really gives us some perspective of just how big those jokers are!! That's a lot of steak right there in that one piece!!

11-10-2022, 11:38 AM	#15
Saltyag15 Ten Point Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Falls City Hunt In: Karnes, La Salle, and Sutton Counties	Congrats! Awesome deal

11-10-2022, 11:40 AM	#16
Texastaxi Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: West of Houston Hunt In: now accepting invitations!	Tony is a good dude. Congrats on an awesome trophy!

11-10-2022, 11:42 AM	#17
bigblock78 Six Point Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Stockdale Hunt In: DeWitt & Wilson	Very Nice!!

11-10-2022, 11:43 AM	#18
Johnny Dangerr Pope & Young Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: H Town Hunt In: My Dreams	That one is huge...

11-10-2022, 11:44 AM	#19
elhefe Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Montgomery, Tx.	No experience with a game cart but I’ve field dressed one and think the only way a cart would work is if you quartered it in the field and then loaded the cart. Again, no experience trying it but would think that’s the only way a cart could work

11-10-2022, 11:45 AM	#20
elhefe Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Montgomery, Tx.	And Heck of a nice Bill. Congrats

11-10-2022, 02:08 PM	#22
Gumbo Man Pope & Young Join Date: Aug 2021 Location: Livingston Texas Hunt In: Between Onalaska and Groveton	Great write up and great bull. Congrats

11-10-2022, 02:11 PM	#23
Jon B Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Central Tx. Hunt In: Central Tx and the Western States	Great animal sir.

11-10-2022, 02:16 PM	#24
texan16 Pope & Young Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Fairfield Hunt In: Freestone/Schleicher Counties	Man, I bet that was some fun. Congrats on a really nice bull !!

11-10-2022, 02:16 PM	#25
Hardware Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Brazoria County Hunt In: Texas, Western US & Argentina	Congrats on a nice bull!

11-10-2022, 02:29 PM	#28
AggieRod Ten Point Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: McAllen Hunt In: Starr/Hidalgo Co.	Nice, congrats

11-10-2022, 02:34 PM	#30
piercebronkite Six Point Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Allen, TX Hunt In: Mismatched camo	Congrats. Thats been our primary meat source in my household. It's top game animal for sure!

11-10-2022, 02:37 PM	#31
UncleBubba Pope & Young Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NE Texas Hunt In: Dickens, Hunt, and Red River Co.	Sounds like an awesome hunt! Congrats

11-10-2022, 03:38 PM	#32
HOOKNBULLET2 Ten Point Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Braunfels Hunt In: Blanco	Congrats.

11-10-2022, 04:31 PM	#33
Sackett Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Richmond, TX Hunt In: Sutton County	Congrats! Definitely on my bucket list

11-10-2022, 04:34 PM	#34
stxbowhunter Eight Point Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston	Congrats!

11-10-2022, 05:09 PM	#35
AntlerCollector Pope & Young Join Date: Apr 2014 Hunt In: Votaw, Del Rio, Eldorado, Bon Wier	Congrats on the animal. Excellent write up also. Yes Nilgai meat is awesome!