BLUE BULLS OF THE WILD HORSE DESERT A By Horace Gore
TPWD Photo
fter chasing most of the big game of Texas for over 60 are rather tame and allow for closer shots with lighter bullets, years, I’m convinced the three hardest trophies to come but the average nilgai hunt in Texas will test the best hunters. by, in their order of importance, are an open range 180 On the King Ranch, I’ve seen bulls break and run out of sight typical whitetail buck, a 36-inch eight-point axis buck, and a 10- when approached by a vehicle at 400 yards. Their eyes and ears inch nilgai, the “blue bull of the Wild Horse Desert.” are excellent for keeping them alive where they are continually My descriptions have been carefully chosen, between high fence and open range, and axis with eight points. Charlie Schreiner III told me years ago that the Y.O. Ranch had a few eight-point axis, and he tried to save as many as he could for breeding. The fourth point on each side was between the second and the beam tip. A 36-inch eight-point axis would be a trip to the moon. With nilgai, there are a few 9-inch bulls, but 10inch bulls are scarce as hen’s teeth! As for an open range 180 typical whitetail, such a trophy speaks for itself. The majority of nilgai in South Texas live on natural food, which tends to limit herd management that would provide for better horn growth. Also, from what I hear, the The author says three ways exist to hunt nilgai in Texas: spot-and stalk, demand for blue bulls is high, and safari-style driving, and from waterhole stands. any mature bull with 8-inch horns is a trophy. So, a 10-inch blue bull would be hard to come by, and most hunters are pleased with chased by hunters. On the other hand, it makes them a very less. challenging and sought-after big game trophy. There was a time An old nilgai bull can be a real challenge. From my experience, when nilgai were not so wild, and a hunter riding in a vehicle three ways exist to hunt nilgai in Texas: spot-and-stalk, safaricould drive close enough to get a standing shot at less than 150 style driving, and from waterhole stands. Safari driving is the yards. On most ranches, those days are gone because hunting most popular and exciting, but spot-and-stalk and waterhole from vehicles has made the animal very wild. Spot-and-stalk and hunting are probably much more productive where bulls are waterhole hunting are the most productive on such ranches and heavily hunted. A few herds on state and federal wildlife refuges cut down on crippling losses. 126 |
January/February 2022
The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters — THE VOICE OF TEXAS HUNTING®
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