The Nilgai Arrow Build Thread

[prodigyoutdoors]

following.

im shooting 455 grain arrow, 12% foc and 92.36 K/E and 300-302 fps
72 pound v3x @ 30.5 with QAD exodus and was wondering the same.

if the broadheads fly i wont change arrows but i may have issues at that speed.

[prodigyoutdoors]

i also use the fact system so i might be able to add another 20grain up front just to be sure

[txtrophy85]

following.

im shooting 455 grain arrow, 12% foc and 92.36 K/E and 300-302 fps
72 pound v3x @ 30.5 with QAD exodus and was wondering the same.

if the broadheads fly i wont change arrows but i may have issues at that speed.

That is more then enough.

No reason to shoot a log out of your bow.

Nilgai and all other African and Asian antelope have vitals that are farther forward.


I think the OP didn’t get the shot placement he thought he might have and that was the reason he lost those animals

I would probably use a fixed blade head though instead of a mechanical on a Nilgai.

[jsko91]

Interesting stuff!

I’ve got a bunch of Iron Will 125s for my trad bow but I’m not sure how bad I wanna drop money on 100gr.

I’ve killed a few things with the magnus buzzcuts and black hornets, but the ferrules always bend on the 100grs. I know of another guy on here who had a bull turn a buzzcut into a silly straw.

Main positive I see with staying at 100gr is I wouldn’t have to adjust my sight tape but I really don’t see a shot beyond 60 being likely in that type of country, but I could be wrong.

Interesting note on the Magnus BHs… that’s what I was considering taking down with me this year - the poor man’s version of Iron Wills or Grizzly Stiks. Thanks for posting, following along intently.

[TXOUTLAW]

Ok layman here, need some advice from some of you techies on heavier bolts,FOC.
First nilgai archery hunt so I want a bolt that will give good penetration.
Currently shooting a Excalibur matrix 385, with black eagle executioner 20” bolts (325gr with 100 Gr field tip)

1. When added FOC weight does it matter where? Insert, heavier broadhead? Both? How heavy should I target?

2. Currently leaning towards 150 -200gr toughhead evolution or woodsman elite 3 blade. Open for suggestions on others or thoughts on two blade instead of 3. Suggestions please

3. What is the weed eater line trick? Assuming cut line the length of what fits in the bolt for overall extra weight?

Point me in the right direction please
TIA

[Kirby86]

Interesting note on the Magnus BHs… that’s what I was considering taking down with me this year - the poor man’s version of Iron Wills or Grizzly Stiks. Thanks for posting, following along intently.

Take a hard look at Crimson Talon cleavers. Not happy that they’re Chinese, but 12Crmov is pretty much d2. They’re pretty much a grizzlystik Maasai clone.

With the Lusk15 discount it brings em down to like $7 a head. They’re sharp, but not up to my standards so I ordered a sharpener from Staysharp that uses wooden dowels.

The heads do pretty dang good in testing for the price.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKnA41YCLbI"]CLEAVER 150 gr by Crimson Talon: Broadhead Test - YouTube[/ame]

[Kirby86]

The Nilgai Arrow Build Thread

3. What is the weed eater line trick? Assuming cut line the length of what fits in the bolt for overall extra weight?

Point me in the right direction please
TIA

Pop the nock off, measure out the weedeater line (cut it longer than the bolt) and then take pliers to add a kink every 2 inches, almost like crimping it. This gives it some grab inside the arrow. Add multiple pieces til it’s a fairly tight fit then pop your nock back in. You don’t want it loose or the momentum and sudden stop will blow your nock off.

I use white electric tape on all my lighted nocks, regardless of weedeater line or not. If you hit heavy enough bone it’ll blow the nock out.

As to weight in crossbow bolts, since it’s such a short projectile they tend to be super stiff but some bolts are stiffer than others. The zombie slayers are stiffer than the executioners if I remember right. With that said, the excaliburs tend to like a lot of FOC. I’d probably just go with 100gr brass inserts and a 150 or 200gr head and see how it shoots. My gut tells me you can eventually be underspined, but crossbows are a little different. At the end of the day it’s whether it groups field points with broadheads or not. Not much else tuning wise on an Excalibur you can do besides manipulating brace height.

I had an Excalibur equinox back in 2012 and it shot best with 150gr heads, but I wasn’t experimenting much beyond factory fire bolts. I have a matrix grizzly now that seems slow as dirt, but I’m running 19 inch victory xbolts with 100gr inserts and it’s shooting great.

You’re still gonna be faster than most compound shooters, so I’d probably lean towards a healthy combination of weight and speed.

The only thing I worry about at this point with the whole 2 blade single bevel thing is the lack of blood trails I’ve had in the past. As others have said, it seems like nilgai don’t bleed great in some instances because of the hide so it may just be a wash.

[txtrophy85]

The only thing I worry about at this point with the whole 2 blade single bevel thing is the lack of blood trails I’ve had in the past. As others have said, it seems like nilgai don’t bleed great in some instances because of the hide so it may just be a wash.

Every person i know who has shot many animals with a two blade head has complained about the blood trails.


I just got back from a buffalo hunt and used a 100 grain Kudu Point and a 433 grain arrow @ 280 fps and got a complete pass thru on the two arrows I shot, but I'll be honest the hole it left could have been bigger.

Imo if your worried about penetration you can use a two blade head but I really think a regular old slicktrick or G5 Montec would be fine on a Nilgai, they are big but pretty thin skinned.

[Saltyag15]

Your setup seems great. Maybe a beefier fixed blade head is the only thing I'd look at, which sounds like you already are. Keep at it!

[TXOUTLAW]

Thanks for the tips

[docmay]

I would go with a good 125-150 grain two blade or two blade with bleeders up front and not worry about it. I would look at iron will, Strickland helix, or kudu point. Lots of good options. I shot through a bull with arrow laying on the ground out the other side. That was an old beeman 300 spine shaft with an old black magnus head up front glued on to an insert.

[Landrover]

Both of my BlueBulls were 620ish total arrow weight on the King Ranch. No worries, no second guessing,..as bowhunting has a serious mental component! Heavier arrows are about MAKING a bad shot (which happens) turn out good. It is not about the perfect shot that does not hit a serious bone. If I always made the perfect shot I would shoot light and fast.....but I dang sure don't as living breathing animals don't act like a piece of paper at 20, 40, 60+ yards for some odd reason. Good luck and enjoy the ride!

[txtrophy85]

Both of my BlueBulls were 620ish total arrow weight on the King Ranch. No worries, no second guessing,..as bowhunting has a serious mental component! Heavier arrows are about MAKING a bad shot (which happens) turn out good. It is not about the perfect shot that does not hit a serious bone. If I always made the perfect shot I would shoot light and fast.....but I dang sure don't as living breathing animals don't act like a piece of paper at 20, 40, 60+ yards for some odd reason. Good luck and enjoy the ride!

Playing devils advocate, what happens when you make a bad shot and hit too far back? Not every errant shot is gonna go too far forward.


In my research the Heavy arrow/single bevel crowd is largely silent on shots that hit high or too far back.

[TXOUTLAW]

Thanks again. I think I’m learning towards a 150 annihilator XL for the wound channel. Maybe a little heavier insert but not too much more.
That gives me something to start with.

[TWC]

Broadhead and weight

Those of you who have had routine success, whats your setup?

I've seen several posts throughout the years in regard to nilgai setups.

They seem to fall in 2 camps.
1) "Just use your whitetail setup."
2) "They're the toughest animal in North America so plan accordingly."

I hunted LANWR last year and got cocky. I shot two what I would consider large cows in the 400lb range and recovered neither.

My setup then was a 500gr arrow going in the 290's (31.5 draw length @ 74lbs, Mathews Traverse) with *gulp*, a 100gr Grim Reaper fatal steel. One shot was broadside, one was quartering away. Neither were pass throughs and I just know there was a lot of arrow dancing as they ran off and out of my life forever.

Currently shooting VAP 250s, full length with the aluminum shok-TL 50gr inserts, 100gr points. If I go much over 200gr total up front I go underspined according to OT2. Currently I have bare shafts touching with fletched. I figure I have 3 options.

1) Simply switch to a COC 100gr head (likely Iron Will Single Bevel)

2) Add weedeater line to current setup, using pliers to kink the weedeater line every 2 inches to prevent movement. This only gets me likely 50gr since theyre micro shafts.

3) Switch to a 150gr head (Crimson Talon Cleaver single bevel) for a 550gr arrow total weight.

4) Go with a totally different setup in a 200 spine (everything ive seen is STUPID HIGH GPI, like 16 gr per inch) which puts me around a 700-750gr arrow.


I know 650 is the magic number. But I also don't want to turn my bow into a recurve by going way over that, which the heavier GPI 200 spines would do. I have a trophy ridge react pro laying around I'll likely just throw on the bow so I don't have to redo my sight tapes on my black gold.

Hunt isn't til January so I have time, but every 200 spine manufacturer (Sirius for example) is currently out of stock.

Would love to hear some input from those who have been successful!

Definitely no mechanical broadheads on a nailgui if your equipment is turned which I assume it is 550-570 with 150 single bevel broadhead more than enough for shooting a animal of there size and weight with the best shot placement that you can achieve.