I'm going to do a Nilgai hunt but need advice. Lots of options of who to use, I could use recommendations. I'm intrigued by the King Ranch option because, well, it's the King Ranch. That said, if I was convinced I wouldn't be posting this!

So, I'd love to hear your experiences and recommendations.

I have nothing to add, but will following this thread.

A Nilgai cow hunt is on my hit list. Let me know if they give you a group discount, ha ha!

I went around and around recently. After a lot of discussion with my hunting buddy, we landed on the King Ranch as well (our dates are in March of 23). We even went to Dallas Safari Club and shopped around there.

It wasn't the cheapest, but it was on the lower end and, like you said, IT'S THE KING RANCH!

I can't wait… good luck!

Get ready for some tasty meat!

Double Shot Outfitters
Tail Chaser Charters
Wildlife Systems

All three can put you on nilgai in South Texas

Going to the King Nov. 15th. Can't wait!

Shot a nilgai cow on the Norias division of the King ranch in 2014. Was the trip of a lifetime. Was able to add in an evening dove hunt on a stock tank that was epic.

el gato18 said:

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Shot a nilgai cow on the Norias division of the King ranch in 2014. Was the trip of a lifetime. Was able to add in an evening dove hunt on a stock tank that was epic.

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Did you do a day hunt?

I had Nilgai picadillo two weekends ago out at El Sauz. It was freaking delicious.

King Ranch cause.... it's the King Ranch!
Where else can you go stand in true Texas folklore and history?

We did one night on the ranch. Some family friends had won the hunt at Houston livestock auction. They shot the bull but took my dad and along to shoot the cow.

We've talked about doing a day hunt and staying in Raymondville or Port Mansfield though. The day hunts are very reasonably priced.

Thanks. I am so tempted to do a day hunt there, but I want to talk to someone who has actually done one. I want to know if they funnel you in and out, and if you happen to get a shot then that's a bonus. Or is it a pretty serious day of hard hunting.

If you book one, let me know, I'm down the road

I've hunted the Yturria and Kennedy for nilgai. I've shot animals on both. I was fortunate to have friends that were on them as paid hunters and I went as a guest. Quite the feeling when you drop your first one. They're much bigger than you imagine. Good luck. Post pics!

Just be ready to shoot one on the run...

Have a friend that leases the Santa Cruz division after Anadarko turned it loose, before that came up they leased part of the Kenedy. Been lucky enough to be invited down there with him multiple times to quail and nilgai hunt. Have killed 4 bulls and 4 cows down there over the years. It is so dang fun hunting those animals.

If hunting from a high rack, be ready to shoot as soon as they tell you which one to shoot, spookiest animal I've ever hunted. Personally, I enjoyed hopping out of the Ranger and stalking with shooting sticks. Either way, it will be one of the hunts you remember for the rest of your life. Have shot them with .300 WSM, .300 Win and .30-06. Break em down, shoot them in the shoulder, if you shoot behind the shoulder they could be miles away by the time they die. Very tough animals.

lazuras_dc said:

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If you book one, let me know, I'm down the road

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For sure brother! That would be a hell of a way to spend a day!

I did a 1/2 day Nilgai hunt on the Mariposa Ranch outside of Falfurrias. It was good. Pretty bare bones. If I remember correctly, the hunt for two of us was $1000 and a bull was $1000 and a cow was $600.

https://www.mariposaranch.net/texas-nilgai

Call Sam at Lomaschicasoutfitters.com. He hunts the Kennedy. You stay in Kingsville and meet him at the ranch to hunt each day Sam is a retired game warden and knows his stuff. Great guy!
Call him at:
Phone: 361-296-4571

Use enough gun.

Willy Wonka said:

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I did a 1/2 day Nilgai hunt on the Mariposa Ranch outside of Falfurrias. It was good. Pretty bare bones. If I remember correctly, the hunt for two of us was $1000 and a bull was $1000 and a cow was $600.

https://www.mariposaranch.net/texas-nilgai

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I surveyed about 25,000 acres of that place about 10 years ago. Beautiful country (I'm partial to the South Texas thorn scrub).

Wodanaz said:

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Going to the King Nov. 15th. Can't wait!

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Day hunt? What was the deciding factor for the King Ranch?

Yes. I think the success rate, price, and history of the place all factored in.

I've done two Nilgai trips to the King Ranch as part of corporate group events and both were great. We stayed one night on property both times and had one guide per 2 hunters and each hunt was very different. First, they guarantee you at least a shot at an animal (at least they did for the 2 day hunt package).

The first trip I was the first shooter and my hunt lasted about 10 minutes as the guide spotted two bulls on our drive out to the area we were going to hunt. After about 5 minutes to get in to position and on the sticks I had a clean single heart shot kill at about 75 yards and the rest of my day was very enjoyably spent tagging along with the other hunter and stalking for hours until he got his animal shortly before sunset.

My second trip included a cull whitetail and Nilgai combo. The weather was completely different this trip and I was second shooter for the Nilgai and we drove pastures and stalked for a while and came up empty day one after spooking a bull we didn't know was there from about 30 yards. The second morning day I killed the white tail on the way to our Nilgai area and it wasn't so much hunting as harvesting, 100 yards under a feeder resting the gun on the truck side mirror. Not much exciting or rewarding about that other than being able to say you killed a whitetail on the King Ranch and helped manage the heard, it was a 6.5 year old 8 point that measured 122.5.

Not long after the buck, we stalked for a bit before finding a shooter nilgai bull. Had to get in to position and almost spooked him, but got a good shot off the sticks at about 100 yards. I hit this one a little back and instantly got nervous but quickly found him nearby with two vaporized lungs.

Others in our group had very different experiences, some with much longer shots and many others requiring multiple shots and varying degrees of chasing the wounded animal to finish them off.

All in all, the King Ranch is great and would absolutely recommend it for the nostalgia, top quality guides, and high likelihood of a successful hunt. I haven't been anywhere else, but I would imagine some other spots may be more "sporting" if that's what you are looking for.

My biggest piece of advice is to bring enough gun and only take a shot if you are comfortable as once you pull the trigger and hit an animal you're paying for it and they are tough SOBs. My first trip I shot a 300 Weatherby mag and had a 300 PRC for my second trip (that makes for a really clean/quick kill on a skinny whitetail at 100 yards). I think the King Ranch requires a 30 caliber magnum round or larger unless they know you and approve something else.

i have a buddy that lives in the mcallen / harlingen area that i'm trying to find a lease with for specifically nilgai. a lease is like 2500 bucks and for a 7 hour drive a couple times a year to chase and try to kill a free range nilgai seems worth it to me. hoping to find a place before the end of the year

I've hunted Nilgai over a dozen times including 3 times on King Ranch. I recommend a stalk hunt on King ranch.

TheGroupGuy said:

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I've hunted Nilgai over a dozen times including 3 times on King Ranch. I recommend a stalk hunt on King ranch.

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Do you recommend the day hunt, or the 2 day option? I'm thinking of taking my Dad on an Nilgai & Bay Fishing trip. But we could easily swing a day hunt if they are productive. I can't afford to drip that cash and not have meat in the freezer though, so I would rather save up for a 2 day hunt if that is significantly better.

I sincerely appreciate your recommendation.

I never had any problem shooting a Nilgai on a day hunt see no need for a 2 day you could stay in Port Mansfield and hire a guide to fish and hunt Norias. Username at g m aI l with questions

TheGroupGuy said:

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I never had any problem shooting a Nilgai on a day hunt see no need for a 2 day you could stay in Port Mansfield and hire a guide to fish and hunt Norias. Username at g m aI l with questions

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Thank you sir! Much appreciated. I'll reach out if we get serious about it. I would love to take my Dad on a Nilgai/Salt cast & blast.

Dirty-8-thirty Ag said:

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Have a friend that leases the Santa Cruz division after Anadarko turned it loose, before that came up they leased part of the Kenedy. Been lucky enough to be invited down there with him multiple times to quail and nilgai hunt. Have killed 4 bulls and 4 cows down there over the years. It is so dang fun hunting those animals.

If hunting from a high rack, be ready to shoot as soon as they tell you which one to shoot, spookiest animal I've ever hunted. Personally, I enjoyed hopping out of the Ranger and stalking with shooting sticks. Either way, it will be one of the hunts you remember for the rest of your life. Have shot them with .300 WSM, .300 Win and .30-06. Break em down, shoot them in the shoulder, if you shoot behind the shoulder they could be miles away by the time they die. Very tough animals.

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I shot all three of mine right behind the shoulder. Double lung on all 3, no front shoulder meat ruined at all. Not a single one made it past 75yds. Not sure why people always try to blast through the shoulder.

Dirty-8-thirty Ag said:

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Have a friend that leases the Santa Cruz division after Anadarko turned it loose, before that came up they leased part of the Kenedy. Been lucky enough to be invited down there with him multiple times to quail and nilgai hunt. Have killed 4 bulls and 4 cows down there over the years. It is so dang fun hunting those animals.

If hunting from a high rack, be ready to shoot as soon as they tell you which one to shoot, spookiest animal I've ever hunted. Personally, I enjoyed hopping out of the Ranger and stalking with shooting sticks. Either way, it will be one of the hunts you remember for the rest of your life. Have shot them with .300 WSM, .300 Win and .30-06. Break em down, shoot them in the shoulder, if you shoot behind the shoulder they could be miles away by the time they die. Very tough animals.

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My guide told us to aim for the white patch under their chin. That way you either drop them or you missed, odds are you are not going to have to track and pay for an animal you wounded but didn't kill.

WestTexAg12 said:

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Dirty-8-thirty Ag said:

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Have a friend that leases the Santa Cruz division after Anadarko turned it loose, before that came up they leased part of the Kenedy. Been lucky enough to be invited down there with him multiple times to quail and nilgai hunt. Have killed 4 bulls and 4 cows down there over the years. It is so dang fun hunting those animals.

If hunting from a high rack, be ready to shoot as soon as they tell you which one to shoot, spookiest animal I've ever hunted. Personally, I enjoyed hopping out of the Ranger and stalking with shooting sticks. Either way, it will be one of the hunts you remember for the rest of your life. Have shot them with .300 WSM, .300 Win and .30-06. Break em down, shoot them in the shoulder, if you shoot behind the shoulder they could be miles away by the time they die. Very tough animals.

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I shot all three of mine right behind the shoulder. Double lung on all 3, no front shoulder meat ruined at all. Not a single one made it past 75yds. Not sure why people always try to blast through the shoulder.

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Because that is where the guide asked us to shoot them and I enjoy being invited back down there annually, so I don't just go renegade and shoot them where they tell us not to.

Wodanaz said:

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Yes. I think the success rate, price, and history of the place all factored in.

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Love to touch base about your experience. Mind emailing me at Ag81atyahooodotcom?

TheGroupGuy said:

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I've hunted Nilgai over a dozen times including 3 times on King Ranch. I recommend a stalk hunt on King ranch.

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This guy gets it.*



*A few will understand

AG81 said:

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Wodanaz said:

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Yes. I think the success rate, price, and history of the place all factored in.

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Love to touch base about your experience. Mind emailing me at Ag81atyahooodotcom?

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Currently in Mexico, but will get with you next week.