The Nilgai Arrow Build Thread

[Kirby86]

Those of you who have had routine success, whats your setup?

I've seen several posts throughout the years in regard to nilgai setups.

They seem to fall in 2 camps.
1) "Just use your whitetail setup."
2) "They're the toughest animal in North America so plan accordingly."

I hunted LANWR last year and got cocky. I shot two what I would consider large cows in the 400lb range and recovered neither.

My setup then was a 500gr arrow going in the 290's (31.5 draw length @ 74lbs, Mathews Traverse) with *gulp*, a 100gr Grim Reaper fatal steel. One shot was broadside, one was quartering away. Neither were pass throughs and I just know there was a lot of arrow dancing as they ran off and out of my life forever.

Currently shooting VAP 250s, full length with the aluminum shok-TL 50gr inserts, 100gr points. If I go much over 200gr total up front I go underspined according to OT2. Currently I have bare shafts touching with fletched. I figure I have 3 options.

1) Simply switch to a COC 100gr head (likely Iron Will Single Bevel)

2) Add weedeater line to current setup, using pliers to kink the weedeater line every 2 inches to prevent movement. This only gets me likely 50gr since theyre micro shafts.

3) Switch to a 150gr head (Crimson Talon Cleaver single bevel) for a 550gr arrow total weight.

4) Go with a totally different setup in a 200 spine (everything ive seen is STUPID HIGH GPI, like 16 gr per inch) which puts me around a 700-750gr arrow.


I know 650 is the magic number. But I also don't want to turn my bow into a recurve by going way over that, which the heavier GPI 200 spines would do. I have a trophy ridge react pro laying around I'll likely just throw on the bow so I don't have to redo my sight tapes on my black gold.

Hunt isn't til January so I have time, but every 200 spine manufacturer (Sirius for example) is currently out of stock.

Would love to hear some input from those who have been successful!

[Dale Moser]

Try your weed eater line trick with coat hanger or wire?

I put 75gr outserts on my setup to add weight up front, and went to 125gr heads.


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[lizardslick]

Shot a mature bull with 62lb bowtech, 75 grain expandable, 380 grain total weight of arrow plus broadhead. 25 yards, quatering away. Did not exit but got one lung and completely through the heart. Boadhead tip was touching opposite side of brrisket.

[fishycatfish]

#1, your arrow seems fine. 100% switch to good COC head though, I use Kudu points for big pigs and before that slick tricks for elk/pig.

[kd350]

Heck I woulda bet money that woulda killed anything you shot at

If you wanna do fixed, kudupoint, cutthroat and iron will

[TexasTK]

Don't overthink it. My preferred shot on a Nilgai is quartering away. My setup is around
430 gr out of a 65# bow w G5 Strykers.

[Kirby86]

Well, here’s preliminary results of 2 strands of weed eater line with a 200gr point.




The 100gr was just to confirm, but it’s already bareshaft tuned with those to 20 yards so I won’t touch it til December.



**** arrow went through my target and poked a hole in my shed. I figure it’s close enough to tweak. Without having to go to a completely different arrow, but I’ll have to see once I broadhead tune.

[Phorizt]

I shot a mature cow last year, broadside at 30 yards halfway up the body straight up the leg and got a full passthrough and the arrow was stuck in a mesquite tree 10 yards behind the cow.

I was shooting the following:
Black eagle carnivore 250
Brass inserts
150 grain Iron Will solid Wide double bevel
560 grains total weight
I also shoot w feathers instead of vanes bc that takes about 15 grains off the backend


I shoot 150 grain coc for everything now so with your setup that is the only thing I would change. My new setup this year is only 480 grains w 50 grain IW inserts and 10 grain IW collars and i wouldnt hesitate to shoot a Nilgai with it.

My fist Nilgai hunt I shot 2 of them w my crossbow(pre compound days for me) using QAD exodus heads and never recovered either.




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[Kirby86]

I shot a mature cow last year, broadside at 30 yards halfway up the body straight up the leg and got a full passthrough and the arrow was stuck in a mesquite tree 10 yards behind the cow.

I was shooting the following:
Black eagle carnivore 250
Brass inserts
150 grain Iron Will solid Wide double bevel
560 grains total weight
I also shoot w feathers instead of vanes bc that takes about 15 grains off the backend


I shoot 150 grain coc for everything now so with your setup that is the only thing I would change. My new setup this year is only 480 grains w 50 grain IW inserts and 10 grain IW collars and i wouldnt hesitate to shoot a Nilgai with it.

My fist Nilgai hunt I shot 2 of them w my crossbow(pre compound days for me) using QAD exodus heads and never recovered either.




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Interesting stuff!

I’ve got a bunch of Iron Will 125s for my trad bow but I’m not sure how bad I wanna drop money on 100gr.

I’ve killed a few things with the magnus buzzcuts and black hornets, but the ferrules always bend on the 100grs. I know of another guy on here who had a bull turn a buzzcut into a silly straw.

Main positive I see with staying at 100gr is I wouldn’t have to adjust my sight tape but I really don’t see a shot beyond 60 being likely in that type of country, but I could be wrong.

[kd350]

Did you happen to hit the knuckle or too far forward? Still blows my mind it didn’t penetrate

If you shoot the 125 iron wills you shouldn’t see a difference until 50 or so

[Big Ace]

I wouldn’t overthink it. I’ve killed 2 with full pass throughs. My first arrows were 560 grain TAW with 225 up front. The second one I killed was with 500 grains with 200 up front. I killed 1 with a QAD Exodus and the other with RMS cut throat. Shoot a good broad head and put it in a good place. Also depending on what unit you hunt 60 yards isn’t that far away. I can usually get to around 100 and after that it gets really tough.

I’m your case I would screw on the 125 IW and sight in.

[Phorizt]

Interesting stuff!

I’ve got a bunch of Iron Will 125s for my trad bow but I’m not sure how bad I wanna drop money on 100gr.

I’ve killed a few things with the magnus buzzcuts and black hornets, but the ferrules always bend on the 100grs. I know of another guy on here who had a bull turn a buzzcut into a silly straw.

Main positive I see with staying at 100gr is I wouldn’t have to adjust my sight tape but I really don’t see a shot beyond 60 being likely in that type of country, but I could be wrong.

Pretty sure I’ve got a couple of IW vented 100 blades i could send you if you want to try them. You would need to check the IW ferrule compatibility chart on their website to make sure they work w the 125 ferrule. I think they have 2 dif ferrules they use on their heads. I actually swapped the blades w the solid 150 wides which I use now.


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[ShoootLow]

I’m going again on private land in November. Primary goal is to get my brother on a bull. I really want to try archery, but I’m concerned about how thick it is for recovery. I put a 300WM Barnes TTSX through this bull, upper shoulder entry heart shot with pass through, and not a drop of blood on the ground or on the animal. More than 20 yards and I think recovery chances get tough. Their hide is out of this world tough, and seals like you can’t believe.

[Kirby86]

The Nilgai Arrow Build Thread

I’m going again on private land in November. Primary goal is to get my brother on a bull. I really want to try archery, but I’m concerned about how thick it is for recovery. I put a 300WM Barnes TTSX through this bull, upper shoulder entry heart shot with pass through, and not a drop of blood on the ground or on the animal. More than 20 yards and I think recovery chances get tough. Their hide is out of this world tough, and seals like you can’t believe.

Honestly I’m certain both of those cows died, but like you mentioned, I didn’t have a drop of blood and not getting a pass through didn’t help.

I don’t think I hit the knuckle on either. The quartering away one I was certain I was gonna find but no dice. Both hits were fairly far forward, but I think the broadside was straight up the leg instead of being further forward.

And as to the yardage, maybe I’m wrong but at LANWR, anything beyond 50 in the stuff I was hunting was further than the opening I had available. Maybe Teniente is different but tall gras and mesquite let me stalk within 20 several times. We did have high winds at the time to help though, I will admit.

[Kirby86]

Both hits were fairly far forward, but I think the broadside was straight up the leg instead of being further forward.

That didnt make any **** sense. I meant to say straight up the leg, in front of the crease.

Everything I'm seeing now looks like I should have been even further forward.

Only reason I keep overthinking this is because I've seen guys shooting those Fatal Steels on moose and had good luck shooting less poundage and arrow weight than me, but the more I talk to people the more I realize a mech is not something I wanna shoot a nilgai with again.