Originally Posted by Elkhunter49
Originally Posted by mudhen
Originally Posted by Elkhunter49
I know many of the remarks here are tongue and cheek but to answer the question about why the large caliber recommendation/requirements by many landowners who hunt Nilgai, it's mostly do to poor shot placement. Hell yea a .243 will kill a Nilgai bull if the shots well placed but it's nowhere near the most effective tool for the job. Tracking wounded game in South Texas is a brutal task that should be avoided any way you can!

A poor hit with a .375 H&H is only marginally (if any) better than a poor hit with a .243. A poor hit with a .375 is much more likely if it is a rifle that is borrowed, or one you only pull out of the gun safe for a once or twice in a lifetime hunt.

Nilgai, especially the bulls, are tough critters. I have seen bulls walking around with 4-5 ft of intestine hanging down out of their guts. I have seen these same bulls months later, apparently completely recovered and going about their business. I have also killed bulls that had multiple healed-over gunshot wounds. If I was guiding for nilgai (something that I wouldn't do on a bet!) I would much rather have a dude that with a rifle that will consistently place shots where they need to go, regardless of the diameter of the bullet or the headstamp on the cartridge case.



I agree that I'd rather hunt with guys that can shoot but when you hunt for hire you get all kinds. Chances of recovering a bull gut shot with a 300WM have got to be higher than one with a .243

In my experience, the odds of recovering one that is gut shot are not good, regardless of the cartridge. However, if you can chase them in a vehicle and shoot them multiple times, I would agree that it might take fewer shots with a .300 Mag.

Ben

Some days it takes most of the day for me to do practically nothing...