I might be going to Texas for business in April 2014. I've had a hankering for stalking blackbuck for some years.

Does anyone have any recommendations for free-range exotics, especially blackbuck? Options for self-guided are interesting as well. I'll be in the San Antonio area.

Thank you in advance.

I'm not from Texas, so I have no personal knowledge other than what I have read. The vast majority of Texas is private land (90%?). I would be surprised if there is such a thing as free range blackbuck. Google an outfitter and you're off to the races.

Yes, there are free range blackbuck hunts in Texas, I've done it and have a friend that guides a few of these hunts each year.......I sent him a link to this thread.

Just because it's on private land doesn't mean it's not free range. In the hill country there are lots of free range exotics on private land that are not behind a fence.

Most likely for blackbuck you are going to have to go out to the hill country which is North / NW of San Antonio.

South of San Antonio in the brush country you really aren't going to find as many exotics as the hill country. You can find exotics in a lot of places but the highest concentration will be there. If you are searching on the internet try areas around Kerrville, Llano, Mason, San Saba etc....just to give you an idea.

You never know what you are going to see out in that part of the world that is free range. One day I had to stop and let a cape buffalo cross the road.

Depending on when you come there's a good chance that will be turkey season if you want to try for a turkey, and a fair number of places will be full of turkey hunters.

Guys thank you for your impute. I've only done a little duck hunting in Texas outside of Dallas, no exotic hunting. The geographic information is really helpful.

Trip timing is a little off in my opinion.

The blackbucks tend to rut in the fall, getting darker black hides then. The axis tend to be hard horned in the summer.

I have seen some free range black buck, but not as many as axis.

I would look for a turkey/hog hunt that time of year. Plenty of both.

Good luck and don't be hesitant to hunt on a large ranch that is high-fenced (not free range). I have hunted both and fences were not an issue if the pasture is big enough.
Hope you get a real recommendation. These are just my thoughts on exotics/spring hunting in TX.

stumpy

Thanks again for the details. I'm sorta stuck working around a work trip for mid-April.

I'm not too interested in axis I hunt them all the time here in Hawaii. But blackbuck have been on my want list for sometime.

Thought this thread needed a picture -

This one from near Fredericksburg

That's a beauty!
Chasseur, in the San Antonio area, I recommend you contact Mike Stroff IV of SOE Ranch (and Savage Outdoors) he has some nice ones and tell him I sent you to him. jorge

Thanks again for the details.

Reach out to MuleyMike here on the CampFire. He puts together various hunts including exotics in Texas. I hunted with him a couple of years back.

Oh man that's a beauty!! The blackbuck is on my list in a few years.

Wow. That is a beast. How many inches?
Nice cape.

stumpy

Thank you gents for information.

That is a handsome blacbuck!

Here's my best Hawaii axis:

This -

The Harper/Castell country has more free range exotics than I've seen anywhere. Lots of exotics also west of Brady headed to Angelo too and all the country in between -

?

He is 21 inches tall. The ranch owner had a 23 inch ram from his place.

He really is a nice looking blackbuck.

Chasseur...I live in the Texas Hill Country and there are plenty of free ranging blackbuck, axis, etc around here. Hell, I regularly see axis in my back yard. Most of these animals originated at the YO Ranch many years ago. It has become a pretty lucrative business for many land owners.

You shouldn't have any problem finding a hunt west of San Antonio during your trip. Google is your friend...you will find plenty of information. Also, you can check with the local Chambers of Commerce in towns like Junction, Fredericksburg, and Kerrville. They normally have lists of local ranchers/outfitters. Hope this helps.

Again thank you all for your advice!

I have seen all kinds of animals when hunting in TX, hogs, axis,
I have talked to other guys who have seen ostrich, bison, etc.

Baker Ranch in Rocksprings, 2 hours from SA, used to offer both axis and bbuck and they are totally free range. Nothing is easy about them at times. Other times you can drive right by one....

I haven't guided there in years so can't comment on the quality of the hunt but the sisters used to run it and Bonnie and Lisa put on a good feed and you had a good chance at an average animal, never did see anything exceptional, IE 21-22 inch bbuck and 34 inch axis were about tops. 19 average on bbuck, 30ish on axis.

I"m sure it would google up.

My best bbuck was something over 23 but it was on a not hunted much ranch and the owners allowed me to do my own thing.... they had seen a large one they said but it never came by the stands.... so of course I set off to just glass and watch areas no where near stands and on the last morning after finally tracking his location down somewhat, I set up close to where I"d seen him from a distance.... 80 yards ain't much of a shot..

Rost, how did it taste?

Another outfitter http://www.magnumguide.com/ExoticHunting.aspx

There are plenty of free roaming black buck but usually they can't cross a standard goat fence, so make sure you aren't getting a small pasture canned hunt. The YO ranch was one of the first to offer exotic hunting. It's a nice place just to visit.

Drilling? What caliber?

It my "go-to gun" an old GDR Merkel in 16/16/7x65r, very accurate and fun to use.

Very cool. Need more pics!

Thanks! Here are some more photos:





With the right handloads it can do this at 100 yards:

wow! Beautiful rifle and accurate... thats a keeper for sure.

I have a Drilling that my dad gave me 9.3x72R/16x16. Its not a deluxe grade by any means - probably was a working gun for a PH, maybe. But man does it handle nicely.

Thanks for sharing pic's

There are a good many free range blackbuck around San Angelo. They are lots of fun to hunt and certainly not dumb. They are not nearly as common to be found free range as Axis deer are and are nowhere near as good to eat. Axis are nearly everywhere in the Hill Country of TX now. I've had leases in Junction, Sonora, Menard, and Lampasas. We had axis on every lease we've ever had in the Hill Country. We even shot several free range axis on our property in Del Rio.
I usually hunt them during turkey season and they breed year round. No set time for the rut. Bucks will be in all stages of antler growth during any given time of the year.
Book a turkey hunt with a landowner that has lots of axis. Turkey numbers will be low in most of that country because of drought, but still should be enough birds to make it fun.
Another option is turkey/nilgai hunt in S. Texas.

I've begun to hunt in Texas some lately instead of just driving through to hunt farther west as I have for years. I have been fortunate to take a good Blackbuck and Aoudad but the Axis has eluded me thus far.

I'm looking for good trophy Axis hunting if anyone has suggestions.

Thanks,
Jeff