Texas Parks and Wildlife Nilgai Draw Hunt

[SC Living Outdoors]

Hey guys,
One day my luck will run, but I hope its when I'm old and I can't hike, lol. I knew the draw odds were really low, but its really cheap to apply so i threw my name in the pot. 3300+ applicants and 60 permits and wouldn't you know it I drew Nilgai for the Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR - Teniente Feb 6-9th permit. Its unlimited either sex hogs and Nilgai for 4 days. The location is way South Texas down close to where Texas, Mexico and the Gulf all come together. I was wondering if any of you have done this hunt? What can I expect? I have hunted all over, but I have never hunted down in that area of Texas and I definitely haven't ever hunted Nilgai. I have looked at the area on googly earth, google maps, and onX. Im guessing its just Texas brush country? Any info or advice would be appreciated.

Feel free to send me a pm if that would be preferable.

Thanks in advance,
Stan

 

[jabber]

My son hunted the Laguna Atascosa NWR for Nilgai in mid March, 2008. It was very hot then, should be a little cooler for your hunt. The area is very brushy, I would assume this place would be too with some open areas and water. This link is to the brochure on the TPWD site, I am assuming you looked at it, but just in case you didn't, there is quite a bit of info on it. https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/brochures/ALLUD.pdf

 

[prhunter]

Ticks are a big issue in the area, make sure you take the proper precautions.

I have friends that live and hunt down there, I'll hit them up and get you some feedback.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

My son hunted the Laguna Atascosa NWR for Nilgai in mid March, 2008. It was very hot then, should be a little cooler for your hunt. The area is very brushy, I would assume this place would be too with some open areas and water. This link is to the brochure on the TPWD site, I am assuming you looked at it, but just in case you didn't, there is quite a bit of info on it. https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/brochures/ALLUD.pdf

Thanks for the reply and info! I have read that brochure a couple times

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

Ticks are a big issue in the area, make sure you take the proper precautions.

I have friends that live and hunt down there, I'll hit them up and get you some feedback.

I have everything for tick prevention, but I'll take extra precaution.

Any help/tips would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[TexanSam]

Get you a tripod and a rolling game cart. The area is extremely flat, and with low brush scrub, the animals tend to walk with their heads near the ground to watch for predators. Get 8 feet up in a tripod in some brush and they will never see you. Find a well used trail or better yet an intersection of well used trails and set up down wind of it, be still and be quiet and wait. The Nilgai are very smart and if you spook them be ready to move spots. You could hunt from the ground but you will have to be extremely stealthy, and if bow hunting they will catch you when you go to draw back your bow.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

Get you a tripod and a rolling game cart. The area is extremely flat, and with low brush scrub, the animals tend to walk with their heads near the ground to watch for predators. Get 8 feet up in a tripod in some brush and they will never see you. Find a well used trail or better yet an intersection of well used trails and set up down wind of it, be still and be quiet and wait. The Nilgai are very smart and if you spook them be ready to move spots. You could hunt from the ground but you will have to be extremely stealthy, and if bow hunting they will catch you when you go to draw back your bow.

Is it legal to set up a tripod on a NWR?

 

[TexanSam]

Is it legal to set up a tripod on a NWR?

You should have a "scouting period" starting 2 days prior to the first day of the hunt. From the scouting period until the last day of the hunt you are allow to have tripods, stands, blinds etc. set out as long as your contact info is on there and such.

Whatever you do, don't use a ground blind. For some reason they'll see it long before you see them and they will steer clear of it.

 

[SC Hunter]

Hey guys,
One day my luck will run, but I hope its when I'm old and I can't hike, lol. I knew the draw odds were really low, but its really cheap to apply so i threw my name in the pot. 3300+ applicants and 60 permits and wouldn't you know it I drew Nilgai for the Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR - Teniente Feb 6-9th permit. Its unlimited either sex hogs and Nilgai for 4 days. The location is way South Texas down close to where Texas, Mexico and the Gulf all come together. I was wondering if any of you have done this hunt? What can I expect? I have hunted all over, but I have never hunted down in that area of Texas and I definitely haven't ever hunted Nilgai. I have looked at the area on googly earth, google maps, and onX. Im guessing its just Texas brush country? Any info or advice would be appreciated.

Feel free to send me a pm if that would be preferable.

Thanks in advance,
Stan

Hey Stan,
Just found your post doing final research on the Teniente. l lucked up and drew also. l have the 1/30-2/2 hunt so l'm leaving in two days. l hunted nearby several years ago and killed a nilgai cow. Texas law says you can't bone out the quarters so those are big pieces of meat to move, about like an elk. Your clothes need to be treated with Permethrin. l scraped hundreds of seed ticks off me for days. Luckily l didn't catch any disease. l'll let you know how it turned out when l get back.

Dean

 

[redwoood]

Looking forward to both reports.

 

[SC Hunter]

Just returned from the Teniente. Had a great hunt with the cool weather. lt made for good stalking. lt is very dry there with the only water being three remaining mud holes. The animals are still using at least two of them. l saw seven Nilgai with the "Murphy" wind spoiling my only shot at a group of four cows. The others spotted me first. They are extremely wary! Stalking up on deer and coyotes constantly reiterated that fact. There is still good green grass along the several ditches that cross the tract and all the Nilgai l spotted were within 150 yds of them. There was a bull killed on the first day and l heard several more shots on the property. l killed a pig on the last evening. lf you can contact a ranger, you may want to ask them if any other exotics are legal to kill. l stalked up on a pair of Oryx the last day. l did just find one tick that managed to penetrate my treated gear and attach itself to my thigh. l saw no poisonous snakes, just a large bull snake. Lots of Caracara flying around so any dead animal is quickly found and they may be the reason for fewer snakes.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

Just returned from the Teniente. Had a great hunt with the cool weather. lt made for good stalking. lt is very dry there with the only water being three remaining mud holes. The animals are still using at least two of them. l saw seven Nilgai with the "Murphy" wind spoiling my only shot at a group of four cows. The others spotted me first. They are extremely wary! Stalking up on deer and coyotes constantly reiterated that fact. There is still good green grass along the several ditches that cross the tract and all the Nilgai l spotted were within 150 yds of them. There was a bull killed on the first day and l heard several more shots on the property. l killed a pig on the last evening. lf you can contact a ranger, you may want to ask them if any other exotics are legal to kill. l stalked up on a pair of Oryx the last day. l did just find one tick that managed to penetrate my treated gear and attach itself to my thigh. l saw no poisonous snakes, just a large bull snake. Lots of Caracara flying around so any dead animal is quickly found and they may be the reason for fewer snakes.

I just saw this post. I did well. I'm about to do a write up about my hunt.

 

[Daniel T.]

Any more info on this place would be greatly appreciated. I drew the early December archery hunt. What brand of tripod stand is popular down there?

 

[bwbrown348]

Still waiting to see if I get drawn. So also interested in anymore info on this

 

[Big Bore]

I'm from South Texas and grew up hunting that area. One thing that is really odd about Nilgai and I don't think it's already been mentioned is that they use the same dung pile over and over again. I'm not kidding when I say a good technique is to find a big dung pile and set up close to it.

Secondly, snake boots. Never a bad idea.

Good luck!

 

[MITCHMO]

I'm from South Texas and grew up hunting that area. One thing that is really odd about Nilgai and I don't think it's already been mentioned is that they use the same dung pile over and over again. I'm not kidding when I say a good technique is to find a big dung pile and set up close to it.

Secondly, snake boots. Never a bad idea.

Good luck!

Now that’s something I’ve never heard!