After a slow morning and passing on some smaller Pronghorn we made our way in to a pasture glassing as we drove through. To witness nilgai unassisted, visit the open plains and marshlands of Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in the early morning. Today, habitat restoration and restocking programs have helped increase pronghorn populations to more than 1,100,000. Pronghorn are a native game animal to Texas, and offers some of the finest pronghorn hunts in the US. It was first described by Henri de Blainville in 1816. We have maintained a 100% success rate on all hunts with the scores ranging from 70 … Texas is a place that has always been known for upper echelon antelope, and this location is no exception. See temporary closures and business changes, |  They found that a nilgai’s home range could vary from a few thousand acres to over 70,000 acres. Pathology results of late winter pronghorn carcass samples sent to the veterinary pathology lab at Texas A&M University in the 1990's indicated malnutrition to be the cause of death. “We do roughly 400 commercial hunts a year.”. Check flight prices and hotel availability for your visit. Native to India these huge bovid can weigh over 700 pounds, and were first introduced into Texas back in the 1930s by the King Ranch. Pronghorn Antelope Hunt '21 Texas, United States This guided hunt for Pronghorn Antelope has gained in popularity over the last several years. Join us for a Texas Blackbuck Antelope hunt in a exciting hunting environment on over 800 acres. Sagebrush Hunts is pleased to offer quality Pronghorn Antelope hunting on our historical Texas Panhandle ranch located near Dalhart, Texas. |  Once, while leading a hunting party, Koehler caught a glimpse of a mountain lion—secretive predators that slip between the ranchlands of South Texas—attempting to kill a deer-size nilgai calf. We have access to over 50,000 acres of prime Antelope hunting in The Texas Panhandle near Dalhart Texas. They were originally introduced to the King Ranch in the 1930's by a family member who decided that South Texas was a They will investigate at close range any strange and unfamiliar object especially one in motion. Some of the best places to see Pronghorn are just south of Marfa, Texas and between Alpine and Fort Davis, Texas. Tejas Ranch & Game Fence is the landowners complete source of ranch services and even exotics for sale in Texas such as antelope, deer, sheep, and goats. Extremely elusive and weighing up to 700 pounds, the Nilgai is not only difficult to hunt, but even tougher to bring down. $3,200. Formed in 1987, Wildlife Systems offers pronghorn antelope hunts on the sprawling A.S. Gage Ranch, located in Brewster and Presidio counties. Get the MagazineSave up to 62% off the cover price. Residents of the Gulf Coast got used to seeing them graze along the roadsides. Written by Tyson Bird, Photographs by Larry Ditto | From the October 2020 issue | Updated: October 6, 2020 | Filed Under: Wildlife, Caesar Kleberg, former head of King Ranch. Trophy potential is up overall, and with good rainfall seasons, it makes for one of the best opportunities in the United States, especially without having to break the bank. RBL Farm is located in Weimar, Texas, about midway between Houston and San Antonio on IH 10. In southern Texas, densities were found to be nearly 3–5 individuals per km 2 in 1976. The animals initially struggled to get a foothold on the ranch’s parcel of land, but additional releases of nilgai from the zoo in 1941 greatly helped. Females range around 55lbs. Whether you hunt with a bow or rifle, we have comfortable blinds and stands to accommodate your hunting … Pronghorn Hunts in Texas – I had the pleasure of guiding Brian from Alabama on his first Pronghorn hunt in Texas. For nilgai, a large scrubland antelope with a shy streak, it was paradise. Our hunters have bagged 91 bucks in 9 years, all in the 70 - 85 inch range. Our prairies and flats can be decorated by large herds of Texas “Speedgoats” and can offer a challenging hunt to the sportsman. Nilgai antelope were first brought to Texas in the 1920s, primarily as a gift to Caesar Kleberg of the King Ranch it being the custom of the time. Get directions, maps, and traffic for Antelope, TX. They have also shown to be limited by the cold winters to the north and the extensive agricultural lands and urban development near the Rio Grande. Our Texas Pronghorn Antelope guided hunts take place in the Panhandle of Texas. Antelope Hunting in Texas . The Texas Panhandle offers some of the finest trophy Pronghorn Antelope hunting. Although the pronghorn is called an "antelope" by some, it is not closely related to them, in fact, it is the only species in its family. History. Kleberg wanted to reestablish native wildlife like deer and turkey on the ranch’s Norias division, 70 miles north of Brownsville. and males around 77lbs. Radio-collared nilgai have sometimes set up right next to South Texas towns, living in drainage ditches and grazing in fields and vacant lots. In 1924, Caesar Kleberg, the head of King Ranch, was deep into a long-term wildlife restoration project on his range. Nilgai are also a bountiful source of food. Non-hunting guests may accompany the hunter for an additional $100 per day which covers lodging, meals and … They provided the core of the current herd, which Koehler estimates now numbers 15,000 animals. Ver clausuras temporales y cambios en operaciones. Some people … The pronghorn is the only animal in the world with horns that branch and the only horned animal that sheds them every year as though they were antlers. Then headlights sweep past on the road, and the animals’ enormous shoulders explode into motion as they flee into the savannah. When alerted to danger, they contract their rump muscles causing their white rump hairs to stand on end, which other Pronghorn may detect from 2 miles away. Antelope is one of the oldest active communities in Jack County. Nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus Pallas) were apparently brought to the United States from India as zoo animals before the mid-1920s and were released in South Texas about 1930. But the nilgai weren’t content staying put. That didn’t last. This region has historically been noted as being a popular destination for hunters who are interested in pursuing this most unique game animal in a part of the country that is big and unspoiled. Origins: The first Nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) were brought into the USA from India. The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even - toed ruminant indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. This terrain ranges from flat short buffalo grass prairies, farm ground, rough breaks, and rolling sand hills … “We really like them, but we just know that we have to manage the overall numbers.”. After receiving a post office in 1858, the town became a ranching center because of its fertile soil … Species: Antelope. PRONGHORN ANTELOPE. These creatures are made for the borderlands: between private ranchland and public wilderness, between the alien and the native. We hunt on several different ranches during this hunt. Our ranch’s rugged terrain provides a challenging hunt for these small antelope species. This can be very challenging because of the antelope’s excellent vision and speed. Nonetheless we press on, staying one step behind the nilgai antelope – The Blue Bull of South Texas. Most pronghorn taken during our pronghorn hunts in Texas will make the Texas Big Game Awards. These small antelope sport long spiraling horns and dark coats with white underbelly. All Pronghorn Antelope Hunts in Ochiltree County, Texas are by landowner permit only. They have excellent vision which helps them to see vast distances of wide open prairie. By the 1980s, nilgai had become a common sight in the region. Antelope is a small community near the intersection of Loop 187, U.S. Highway 281, and Farm to Market Road 175, twenty miles northwest of Jacksboro in northwestern Jack County, Texas.The population is 65. Privacy Policy. Call 1-800-346-8747. We offer amazing Trophy Black Buck Antelope hunts, all of our Blackbuck will be of trophy quality and horns will exceed 18 inches straight line measurements. “Our focus is native game, but the nilgai really add a lot of value to the ranch,” Koehler says. BOOK YOUR HUNT. The pronghorn is considered the fastest land mammal in North America, clocked at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and can maintain a relatively high speed for hours. Exotic species like nilgai are at their most taxing when nothing hunts them. Antelopes comprise a wastebasket The Texas antelope squirrel Ammospermophilus interpres is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. © 2008–2020. The population is 65. A most beautiful and hearty antelope is the scimitar horned oryx, which was once also called the Sahara oryx, now extinct. “You’d go up to the coastline and you’d see herds of 20 to 30 here, and go up a mile or two and see 20 to 30 there,” says Joey Salazar, a longtime hunting guide on King Ranch. Now found in Texas only in the deserts of the Trans-pecos and the high plains of the Panhandle, the pronghorn is a unique animal in many ways. There is also the Y.O. Both males and females can have horns, but the male has much larger horns and the female horn is seldom branched or pronged. The Hindi word nilgaw ("blue bull") refers to the bluish color of the adult male, and blue bull is another name for the animal. A great hunt to start off your hunting season, these animals are located in wide open pastures where they exercise the use of their outstanding eyesight and have earned their nickname of "speed goats". The antelope appear along State Highway 77 in the purple morning, drifting through the tall grass an hour north of Brownsville in knots of hoof and horn. Timely and adequate rainfall remains an integral element in maintaining the vitality and viability of pronghorn populations. All permit fees are covered in the Trophy Pronghorn Antelope Buck Hunts base fee. Operations like King Ranch began offering hunting packages to trophy hunters, which can require a special five-day exotic hunting license. Pronghorn can detect movement up to 4 miles away. Around 1930 the King Ranch initiated the first release in South Texas into Kenedy County. The price of this hunt is $2,950.00. All Rights Reserved. This first pair did not yield any offspring, so a decision was made to obtain 5 bulls and 7 cows from the San Diego Zoological Garden. A group of antelope … “They’d just be looking at you as you drove by. Pronghorn Antelope Trophy Fees 3 Days / 2 Nights, Average 13-14 inches: $3,500 Trophy Fee is in addition to $250 per day which covers All-Inclusive Hunt Package. “Some high-fence ranches have probably stocked them, but a lot of these ranches around here got their nilgai from King Ranch.”. Their success owed partially to the landscape of King Ranch and surrounding properties: a patchwork of shortgrass coastal prairie, white sand dunes, and long stretches of live oak forest, all silent but for the rustle of the leaves and carpets of bright green guinea grass. WTA research has found a great opportunity to hunt pronghorn in the Panhandle of Texas. This hunt involves our favorite hunting method of spot and stalking. Ranch Headquarters in the Hill Country, which has an array of exotics. Blue-grey bulls flick their ears, standing stock-still. Fortunately not overrun with these animals, the Mariposa Ranch has healthy herds that roam freely. Originally they were imported as zoo animals before the mid 1920's. Pronghorns display an enormous sense of curiosity uncommon in wild communities. Request Info. Blackbuck Antelope Hunts in Central Texas Trophy Blackbuck Antelope hunts will take place at either one of our Central Texas Ranches in Copperas Cove or Llano Texas. Nilgai are big and fast, and though native to India and Pakistan, they thrive in Texas. Antelope is a small unincorporated community near the intersection of Loop 187, U.S. Highway 281, and Farm to Market Road 175, twenty miles northwest of Jacksboro in northwestern Jack County, Texas. or. Even so, he did something – and openly wrote about it in his five-page story -- that … "Nilgai" means "blue bull" in certain East Indian dialects. The Western counties of our state have some of thelargest Pronghorn in the U.S., with several … Outfitter # 123. from . It might have been to supply an alternate food source for his ranch workers, to help bolster nilgai populations outside of their homeland, or to increase the variety of big game for hunting. The pronghorns harvested in our pronghorn hunts in Texas will score on average from 65-85 B&C and some will make the B&C book. Photo courtesy King Ranch. Texas Antelope Outfitter. These private ranch hunts are on 10,000 acres in unit 55. Koehler’s fleeting glimpse suggests that even away from hunters’ guns, nilgai are subject to the same type of predation attempts as native animals. Though they run very fast, and can jump small obstacles, they tend to resist jumping even low fences, preferring to climb between or under them instead. While any cattle found to carry the tick are subject to immediate quarantine, nilgai are nearly impossible to contain—and their wide-ranging habits threaten to spread the disease outside of South Texas containment zones. Dates: October Dates. This can cause their numbers to spiral out of control. No thanks to Lester B. Colby and anyone else who may have done what he did, thousands of pronghorn antelope are still home on the range in the Panhandle. They’re from India and Pakistan, so the sight of them grazing along the coastal prairies of South Texas may seem incongruous. Pronghorns are animals of the prairie and once roamed the plains along with the American bison. It is found in Mexico and in both Texas and New Mexico. The antelope are nilgai, a heavy-shouldered, long-necked species that can reach 600 pounds yet run up to 30 mph—or slightly faster than world-record sprinter Usain Bolt. But an estimated 30,000 nilgai can now be found in wild herds from the outskirts of Corpus Christi to nature parks in the Lower Rio Grande Valley more than 150 miles south. This fully guided 3 day hunt with 2 hunters per guide has been 100% successful for the past 9 years. King Ranch staffers have observed that they have a particular fondness for bushes like Hercules club or tickle-tongue, and feast on the green grasses along cattle tanks and natural water sources. We have a tremendous selection of trophy exotic animals for sale from around the world. Nilgai often return to the same areas to defecate, and the resulting nutrient-rich piles (biologists call them “latrines”) can establish nurseries for any seeds that make it through their digestive tract. These animals are officially named the "nilgai" antelope and originate in India and Nepal. In response to concerns about disease, and to prevent nilgai from competing with native species, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service occasionally culls the nilgai herd in Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, located about 120 miles south of King Ranch. They’re shapes that bound along the grassy margins before slipping under cattle fences and vanishing into the dark. To see nilgai, book a wildlife or birding tour at King Ranch as experienced guides provide the best opportunity to see them. Now found in Texas only in the deserts of the Trans-pecos and the high plains of the Panhandle, the pronghorn is a unique animal in many ways. The vast majority of these nilgai are descended from animals introduced on the legendary King Ranch in nearby Kleberg County. These … Method: Rifle, Muzzleloader. The Blackbuck Antelope is a species of antelope that is well known for their beautiful horns, which give them a distinctive look as they generally curl about five times. Sign up for magazine extras, upcoming events, Mercantile specials, subscription offers, and more. Pronghorns are animals of the prairie and once roamed the plains along with the American bison. Our best selling game meat is South Texas Antelope. By the 1990s, hunters saw nilgai, the meat of which is known as “Texas antelope,” as an opportunity. Antelope Hunting New Mexico Trophy Pronghorn $3250. Decades later they’ve flourished in the warm climate and vast ranchlands of the southern portion of the state numbering in the tens of … I had scouted 3 good Pronghorn in this pasture before the season so my hopes where high that we would find one of these pronghorn … (The King Ranch doesn’t provide them any supplemental feed.) Introduced to Texas in the … San Joaquin antelope squirrel or Nelson s antelope … This area produces some of the largest Pronghorn Antelope in the nation. The animals bulldoze their way under cattle fences at will, shoving the bottom wires up to create passages in the sandy loam. Colby, who in 1912 wrote an article on the Panhandle for a long-defunct monthly called The Texas Magazine, probably was an OK fellow. He collaborated with the San Diego Zoological Garden (now the San Diego Zoo) to bring nilgai out to the ranch. Two West Texas Pronghorn Antelope tags are filled on this unforgettable 2016 hunt. Location: Texas. Groups of tawny females and deer-size calves graze on the scrub brush. 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