Nilgai Antelope
The Nilgai, or Blue Bull, originates in Asia and carries a Hindi name – “Nilgai” means “blue bull”. Sure enough mature Nilgai bulls actually look blue while younger males, females and immature animals are brownish gray, to orange or yellowish brown in color. They have a distinctive white patch under their lips and underbelly and a distinctive tuft of hair under their chins.
For such a large antelope (mature males are in the 300-500 pound range, with some approaching 1000 pounds), Nilgai do not have overly long horns. A typically Nilgai’s horns will be less than 8 inches in length, with anything exceeding 8 inches considered a trophy animal.
The Nilgai’s trophy characteristics come from the difficulty in harvesting a mature animal. They are known for keen eyesight, a fantastic sense of smell and great hearing – comparable to a whitetail deer in these respects. Getting close enough to harvest one is a significant challenge as they seem to have a “threat avoidance” sense which appears to make them move to safer cover for no reason at all.
Chef's thoughts
Similar to Eland Antelope, Nilgai is a lean meat similar to beef. Calorically, however, the Nilgai is comparable to Chicken breast, a healthy lean cut. More Omega-3 in this meat than a piece of Salmon due to its diet being completely grass and brush.
| Species | Origin | Hunting Season | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nilgai Antelope | India | Year Round | .00 |