Laguna Atascosa NWR 1/10-1/12 Rifle Hunt

[Darkarcher159]

Got drawn for Laguna Atascosa NWR General Deer Rifle hunt January 10-12!!! Any advice from the Green Screen from those that have been there would be greatly appreciated!!! Send me a PM if you prefer. Thanks in advance!

Cary Beason
aka Darkarcher159

[caalexander4]

From what I have seen, bring shooting sticks and be ready for 200 on up shots for most of the time. I would practice out to 500 for sure. Also from what people have posted and given me advice on, get a good copper bullet that will penetrate and slam them.

[Jspradley]

Bring good glass and plenty of water.

Getting within 200 yards of nilgai isn't hard, any closer and they gone! Luckily they are a big target.

[Darkarcher159]

Thanks for the advice! I am shooting a 300 win mag with 180 grain Berger bullet and 500 yards is not a problem. Super excited about this hunt!!

[caalexander4]

Thanks for the advice! I am shooting a 300 win mag with 180 grain Berger bullet and 500 yards is not a problem. Super excited about this hunt!!

I think I am gonna borrow my dad's 30-378 or my fil's 7mm stw. I know the vitals are located different than where they are in deer. My FIL swears the money shot is part way down the back and off slightly from where the bone is. He grew up hunting the King Ranch and said he would shoot them there with his .270 to drop them.

[Darkarcher159]

I think I am gonna borrow my dad's 30-378 or my fil's 7mm stw. I know the vitals are located different than where they are in deer. My FIL swears the money shot is part way down the back and off slightly from where the bone is. He grew up hunting the King Ranch and said he would shoot them there with his .270 to drop them.

Very interesting...have not given the vitals positioning any though until now.

[thisisbeer]

Very interesting...have not given the vitals positioning any though until now.

Definitely look into this. I've never shot one, but I have hunted them. Seems like everyone has a different spot to hit. The only consistent information seems to be that if you hit behind the shoulder like a whitetail you likely won't find it. These animals are tough and ranked 2nd in toughness to bring down behind the cape buffalo. I've heard of people dropping them with high shoulder shots and neck shots. Always research a new animal before you go hunting it.

[TexAg07]

I was on the fifth rifle hunt last year. If you follow the other Laguna thread you will see most of the animals come from the units that are more easily accessed on the initial archery hunts. By the time my rifle hunt started all of the game was way back off the roads on the edges of the refuge and only those of us that were willing to hoof it back there were seeing anything.

Getting within 200 yards of nilgai isn't hard, any closer and they gone!

This was not my experience. These animals were switched ON. I was over 1500 yards from a herd when they busted me, wasn't even able to get a range on them and I have pretty good glass. I played cat and mouse with several whitetails on my hunt stalking in on them, the nilgai were having none of that. They seem to see hunter orange just fine unlike whitetails, and rely more on their vision than deer. They are an antelope after all.

I would be prepared to stay out all day. Take a bike and get the goo stuff for your tires to prevent flats. Bike in as far as you can and then hike in further.

[TGKIL]

Hello everyone, long time listener first time caller here!

I was lucky enough to get drawn for this hunt, and my first thought was “I have no freaking idea what I’m doing!” I’ve been hunting over 30 years, but nearly all of those years have been spent ambushing whitetails in Arkansas, so I think it is safe to say the odds are against me being successful on this trip.

I’m not gonna be that guy that rolls into this forum and says “Tell me what zone to go to, or where do y’all see all the nilgai at?”, that’s not what I’m here for at all! I am looking for some general advice from people that have hunted nilgai before that can help me formulate a plan of attack before I drive down from Fort Worth and wander around aimlessly in rattlesnake country.

I’ve been google searching nilgai behavior every since I received the ‘congrats’ email from TPWD, and there just ain’t much info out there. I know a little bit about how to find whitetails, but can y’all share some tidbits on nilgai with me? To be more specific:

-What period of a typical 24 hr cycle are they generally the most active?
-How do they bed down? Tall grasses or thick brush?
-Do they have a large home base and roam a lot, or do they hold pretty tight to an area?
-Are they a pretty social animal that tends to stay herded up, or do they go solo most of the time? Any differences in how bulls and cows socialize?
-When is their breeding season, and how does their behavior differ during the rut?
-Are there any calls, scents, or other luring methods that seem to be effective drawing them in?
-Do they tend to find shade during a warm sunny day, or do they not mind being out in the blaring sun?

If anyone here could shed the slightest light on any of these questions, I would greatly appreciate it! I’ll even help y’all pack one of the suckers out down there for some tips! I’m open to any advice about LANWR as well.

Thanks in advance, and I’m looking forward to getting acquainted with y’all!

[piercebronkite]

I have been hunting Nilgai for several years. Here’s my experience.

1. These animals are constantly on the lookout, if you see one you better be ready to squeeze that trigger immediately.

2. Shots are far, it’s not uncommon to shoot them at 475 yards.

3. Better have a big round. Our guide and land owner prefer .30 caliber and larger. Personally I’m a fan of the .30-.378.

4. Their vitals are higher, these are giant animals

5. If you see one running, don’t bother chasing they will sprint to the next county and won’t stop till the next day. These suckers move fast too!

6. They don’t eat corn and I have never seen them be lured to a scent or the like.

7. I have seen 7-8 bulls together. I have also seen solo bulls during the rut. I have seen several cows and one bull in a group.

8. I most often see them in open pastures.

9. On windy days they will bed down.

10. Fun fact, calves are always twins.

11. The meat is phenomenal.

12. I have seen them move throughout all parts of the day. They aren’t like whitetail, dusk or dawn doesn’t particularly matter to them.

Good luck!





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[TGKIL]

piercebronkite,

Thanks for the info! I’ll be shooting a .300 win mag with a Hornady 180 gr sst, so hopefully I can get it done with that. I’ve been watching YouTube videos and reading about shot placement, and advice on that is a little divided.

I’m gathering that a head-on shot should be placed in the white spot of their neck/throat. As for broadside shots, advice seems torn on 10” below the shoulder hump to break their back and 8” up from the brisket to break their front shoulder joint (possibly get the heart as well) and knock em down to allow for a quick follow up. Thoughts on that?

Thanks for the reply!

[piercebronkite]

piercebronkite,

Thanks for the info! I’ll be shooting a .300 win mag with a Hornady 180 gr sst, so hopefully I can get it done with that. I’ve been watching YouTube videos and reading about shot placement, and advice on that is a little divided.

I’m gathering that a head-on shot should be placed in the white spot of their neck/throat. As for broadside shots, advice seems torn on 10” below the shoulder hump to break their back and 8” up from the brisket to break their front shoulder joint (possibly get the heart as well) and knock em down to allow for a quick follow up. Thoughts on that?

Thanks for the reply!

.300 Mag will get the job done. I have always thought of my shot this way, follow the front leg up and then about 4-5 inches towards their rear.

White spot in their neck is a small area and greater chance of a miss in my opinion. If it were me I would aim center mass in front of their shoulder blades. I have never taken a front side shot so take my opinion lightly.

These are super skittish animals. Their natural enemy is a tiger so they dont stop and wait to look around like whitetails. However, you can get the sneak on them but they are often far shots. I missed a toad of a bull at 450 yards.

[glen]

Find where they want to be and sit still. Shoot them in the shoulder and break the two front tires off

[TGKIL]

Find where they want to be and sit still. Shoot them in the shoulder and break the two front tires off

That sounds like a plan. I’m thinking I should find some dung piles on a trail that leads to fresh water, back of a few hundred yards, set up shop and wait em out.

[piercebronkite]

That sounds like a plan. I’m thinking I should find some dung piles on a trail that leads to fresh water, back of a few hundred yards, set up shop and wait em out.

We often catch them crossing a pipeline or a road. I personally have never had any luck at a dung pile but I have heard they will pop out of the brush, mark their pile and go back on their way.


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