King Ranch first acquired nilgai brood stock principally from the San Diego Zoological Garden in the late 1920s. Today, there are over 18,000 nilgai on King Ranch’s Norias division, which is a popular pursuit for any hunter. Nilgai are challenging to hunt, given their impressive eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell. All of these elements make our nilgai hunts an incredible hunting experience. Depending on what the conditions dictate, nilgai hunts can be customized for still hunting, stalking, or safari style hunts.

Additionally, many health-conscious hunters view nilgai (and deer) as a lean, natural and healthy alternative to other proteins. Given the relatively large size of nilgai (up to 600 lbs. for a bull and 300 lbs. for a cow) and milder taste than some other game species, many hunters harvest one or more nilgai on their hunts for year-long use.

Hunting whitetail deer on King Ranch is an experience that is second to none. Due to limited bookings per pasture, tightly controlled access, and strictly enforced quotas, the likelihood of seeing an appropriate buck to harvest in the assigned pasture(s) are very high. King Ranch offers both rifle and archery hunts for white-tail deer as well as both day hunts and package hunts that can be designed to fit almost every hunters needs. In addition, we welcome appropriately trained youth hunters, as it’s a fantastic place for someone young to harvest their first buck.

We offer a variety of different management-level deer hunts, ranging from 100 B&C to 130 B&C inches, all the way up to hunts for bucks scoring from 130 to 149 B&C inches. Although these hunts are commonly booked a year in advance, a limited number of hunts are usually available throughout the season due to cancellations. Some common hunting methods include safari style, spot-and-stalk, still hunting, hunting on ladder or ground type stands (predominately archery hunts), rattling, and/or other methods as chosen by your professional guide to fit the appropriate time of season, location, and hunter desires. A day afield with a King Ranch guide is a lesson in history, wildlife, natural resource management, and hunting and harvest strategies. Most importantly, it will be an unforgettable experience and a long lasting memory.

King Ranch conducts its fair chase archery nilgai hunts on over 35,000 acres that are managed primarily for bow hunting. Nilgai range over very large areas and are not bound to a single pasture. However, their movements, watering locations, and fence crossings are fairly predictable. They’re frequently found in areas with deep sandy soils within the largest contiguous live oak motte in the State of Texas.

The day usually begins hunting the fence crossings. These are great spots to intersect a nilgai traveling from their bedding to their feeding areas. We use ladder stands positioned downwind of a trail we have identified as an active crossing location. These are also great locations to view all types of wildlife.

One of the most popular methods is hunting in a ladder stand adjacent to a waterhole. The 15-35 yard shot opportunities are incredible when the conditions are right. A third option for the experienced bow hunter is spot and stalk style hunting. This type hunt is for those hunters that are comfortable with and capable of shots of over 35 yards. These hunts can only be attempted when the winds are at least 15 miles per hour or higher to mask the guide and hunter’s scent and movement. These hunts are very productive, usually starting in March and going all the way through Fall.