45-70, 1886 takes a huge Nilgai

86er · Post by **86er** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:55 pm

For the past few weeks there have been a bunch of Nilgai running on and off low fence neighbors of ours. We opened our gates at night in the front, then in the morning closed the front and opened the back gates. After a week, sure enough we spotted Nilgai on the ranch. We thought there were four of them. I hunted two days and kept seeing two cows but I got a glimpse of two bulls together. Late on the second day, I spotted one bull at a water hole. I snuck up to 100 yards and he started leaving. I back-tracked to cut him off and waited. About 15 minutes later the bull appeared 70 yards out following a trail through the brush. I put the crosshairs on him and squeezed the trigger sending a 405 grain Kodiak bullet 2000 fps though the air. The bullet penetrated the top of the heart and clipped lungs, exiting through a hole all of an inch round. The bull walked about 50 feet and fell dead. Richard told me he has taken about 300 Nilgai with clients in his career and only a handful died with one shot. He also said it is extremely rare to get full penetration. (Exit hole visible in the photo) The bull ended up making the record books and being a 9 year old black caped animal that weighed 528 pounds. Truly a monster among Nilgai. Over the next two days we saw two more bulls and let a client shoot one. His was 326 pounds and grey and blue coated with around 7 1/2 inch horns (for comparison).

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:01 pm

Great picture and great shot Joe!

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:02 pm

Gotta love that 86!!!

WCF3030 · Post by **WCF3030** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:08 pm

Every article I have ever read about the Nilgai have all talked about their abilty to absorb round after round.
Except this time.

Great job on a large animal.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:20 pm

That's a very interesting 86 Win or is it a Browning? Tell us about it. Who did the work, etc?

86er · Post by **86er** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:22 pm

Same old Win/Miroku that I always use. I put a custom scope mount, sling swivels, kick-eeze pad, firesight front and Lyman 66 rear. It is the high-grade model though.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:23 pm

Good going Joe! What a beast!

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:03 am

Wow. You lead a charmed life, mi amigo.

scott

Glen · Post by **Glen** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:11 am

Very nice! I would like to shoot a nilgai someday....

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:37 am

I guess that critter didnt know that levers are under powered brush guns.

Nice nalgia good shooting.

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:52 am

Congrats on the trophy Nilgai

!I guess the ol 45-70 simply WORKED!

Nice post 86er.

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:54 am

Nice Shootin' "Tex"!!

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:23 am

86er wrote:Same old Win/Miroku that I always use. I put a custom scope mount, sling swivels, kick-eeze pad, firesight front and Lyman 66 rear. It is the high-grade model though.

Nice animal. I hope it eats good, that's a lot of meat on those hooves.

How about a closeup of your firesight? I'm interested in how you installed it. My Browning has the old Winchester square block with a blade pinned into it. I don't know how that block is attached, is it soldered?

Thanks

Grizz

Bluehawk · Post by **Bluehawk** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:36 am

NICE animal NICE GUN I LOVE what you have done with that rifle VERY NICE

crs · Post by **crs** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:54 am

Congratulations and glad that worked out for you.

Later, lets hear how the rest of the weekend hunt went.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:57 am

Joe, very kewl. Nice shot and trophy and story.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:05 am

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:07 am

Really nice Nilgai Joe. Texas has got to be the quintessential North American Africa.

Pisgah · Post by **Pisgah** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:48 am

kimwcook wrote:Really nice Nilgai Joe. Texas has got to be the quintessential North American Africa.

In the case of the Nilgai, Texas is the India and Pakistan of North America.

Post by **Old Savage** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:38 pm

Great picture - let's see some more of the rifle.

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:22 pm

Pisgah, my fopah. I just lumped the Nilgai in with all the other African exotics. I didn't realize the Nilgai was from India/Pakistan. Thanks, won't make that mistake, at least not within the next two weeks, again.

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:33 pm

Well done dude

Whats the meat like?
Nath.

RKrodle · Post by **RKrodle** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:32 pm

Well done 86er, thats a nice animal taken with a beautiful rifle. Those kodiak bullets are something to behold. I can't hardly wait for August to get here for the summer safari.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:46 pm

RKrodle,

I agree, I am so stoked for August hunt.

bigbore442001 · Post by **bigbore442001** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:34 pm

I hear that the Devil Horse is a dangerous animal. Do you have any interesting tales to tell us?

spencer516 · Post by **spencer516** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:43 pm

86er,

Did you make the scope mount or somebody else? I have a takedown 86 that it would be perfect on. By the way, nice Nilgai!

piller · Post by **piller** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:46 pm

Very nice. Keep these posts coming and you are keeping everyones interest up to go to Hondo and hunt with you and Richard M. It was fun in February when I went, and now my wife is bugging me to find time to take her.

tube_ee · Post by **tube_ee** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:26 am

Beautiful gun, great cartridge!

Good on 'ya!

-Shannon

86er · Post by **86er** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:04 am

The scope mount is a Wild West Guns that I machined out to fit my barrel contour.

The meat is the best antelope meat there is. A close second would be Oryx. The short story is that the Railroad companies did not want to feed the oriental workers prime beef so they imported the meat native to their country. Thinking it was sub-par to beef the RR owners thought they had a cheap alternative for feeding the oriental workers. They tried to contain them in round pens and makeshift corrals. The Nilgai jumped over, broke through and pushed open the barriers and escaped. The remnants of the original herds are predominantly on the King Ranch. These probably wandered out from King (about an hour from us). They are now free range in the coastal counties, and some of the western areas of TX.

If anyone wants to shoot one I'd provide a full hunt for a cow Nilgai with no kill, no pay guarantee for $850. In other words, there is no guarantee that we can get one but I won't charge you anything unless you do. There are at least 3 or 4 more on the ranch right now.

The size is typically 400 something pounds for males and the largest horns recorded are 11 6/8". This one is 528 pounds and the horns are 10 and change. Less mature bulls are greyish blue and are commonly called Blue Bulls. Since the hair is translucent, the sunlight penetrating the grey fibers creates a blue hue. Older bulls are dark like the one I shot. Cows are a redish tan color and do not sport horns. They grow up to 400 pounds.

destroyer4570 · Post by **destroyer4570** » Sat May 10, 2008 9:20 pm

Hello 86er,where about is that Ranch located at in hondo,who is Richard M.,would It happen to be Richard Munneich I'm sorry if i butchered the last name i mean no disrespect,but i've only heard the name mentioned that this fellow had a nice exotic game ranch.I heard it from a co-worker who used to do some skinning for a Richard Munneich if it is the same person.

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Sat May 10, 2008 9:34 pm

Congrats 86'er! That is super nice.

O.S.O.K. · Post by **O.S.O.K.** » Sat May 10, 2008 9:50 pm

Outstanding! I can't wait for the upcoming hunt! That's a great trophy

Montanan · Post by **Montanan** » Sat May 10, 2008 9:51 pm

You lucky dog you... wish someone would turn some loose up in my neck of the woods

45-70, 1886 takes a huge Nilgai

45-70, 1886 takes a huge Nilgai

Beautiful animal,