The nilgai are out there, from highway 100 to highway 48. The Rangers say the Unit is "infested" with nilgai. W have been given this unique opportunity to hunt the Bahia Grande Unit in the hope that it will reduce the number of nilgai-vehicle interactions along both highways 100 and 48. Let's all hunt smart and do what we can to help. Remember that nilgai are not white-tailed deer. They are active during the entire day and sleep at night. There is no such thing as "the dawn hunt period" or "the dusk hunt period" for nilgai. You are just as likely to see them moving at 1 pm as at 8am. So, don't push them by walking around in the middle of the day, and we'll all do better.
This hunt will be tough. It is a big area but most of it is covered with water. It will be a learning experience. I have been looking at it and there are not a lot of places to set up. 50 permits were issued but at least 49 are going. (My son-in-law could not get the days off from work[emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787].
This hunt will be tough. It is a big area but most of it is covered with water. It will be a learning experience. I have been looking at it and there are not a lot of places to set up. 50 permits were issued but at least 49 are going. (My son-in-law could not get the days off from work[emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787].
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Make that 48...my hunting partner can't get off either!
Would you mind sharing where you will be staying? I was thinking maybe a few of us that the same location may be able to debrief at the end of each day. I'm on the Feb 12-14 hunt btw.
[quote=csbonn;15447784]Would you mind sharing where you will be staying? I was thinking maybe a few of us that the same location may be able to debrief at the end of each day. I'm on the Feb 12-14 hunt btw.[
Would you mind sharing where you will be staying? I was thinking maybe a few of us that the same location may be able to debrief at the end of each day. I'm on the Feb 12-14 hunt btw.[
Scout Day report. According to the rangers there are only EIGHTEEN bow hunters this weekend!
The place is CRAZY. Went in just after sunrise. There was no place that DIDN'T have nilgai -- bulls, cows, cows with calves (or whatever the young one are called). I saw more nilgai in 90 minutes than in 10 solid days in the main Refuge. Also, they were wary but not skittish -- the didn't run away from me, either when stopped to glass them from the truck, or on foot. I'm not saying they came over to eat from my hand, but my past experience with these beasts is "they see me, they run away, fast" and that was definitely not true today. Three times I got within about 150 yards of big bulls and I just stood still each time while they slowly walked away.
As for terrain, on the Hwy 48 side BEFORE you get to the first bridge, there is some decent brush that might allow use of a tripod stand or well-brushed in ground blind. AFTER you cross the first bridge, it is almost barren, like the barren area of Unit 3 in the main reserve. There is almost no cover. There are just a few small patches of mixed yucca and other low brush that will allow hunting from the ground, but good luck to us trying to close the gap to shooting distance. There are a couple of other small brushy areas but I'm not sure that they are thick or tall enough to conceal you if you are on a half-height tripod stand. I'm hunting on the ground tomorrow, doing what I can to hide myself.
Good luck to all!
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