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Blackbuck #6018319 11/09/15 01:28 AM
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I am hunting on a free range, low fence lease around Kerrville that has some Blackbuck that will drift in and out. What i am curious is what is considered a "trophy" Blackbuck or one that is mature.

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6018364 11/09/15 01:51 AM
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It seems that most folks want to see 18" on a blackbuck, with good dark coloring. My wife and daughter both have bagged a 17" LF blackbuck, and they are both hanging on the wall.
My 21" blackbuck never got dark and is the color of a doe and I think he looks awesome.



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"Man is still a hunter, still a simple searcher after meat..." Robert C. Ruark
Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6018485 11/09/15 03:01 AM
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What SS said.

18" is about the standard for high fence ranches, 20+ is considered huge. I'd say a 16"+ would make a nice looking mount. They're one of my favorite animals out there, have never had a chance to hunt on though.

Re: Blackbuck [Re: 7x57] #6018859 11/09/15 01:33 PM
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therancher Offline
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98+ % of blackbucks are in fact not free range behind a topical goat proof fence. If they are "drifting" in from time to time, find the hole and shut it once they get in and they'll stay unless you push them really hard.

Last edited by therancher; 11/09/15 01:34 PM.

Crotchety old bastidge
Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6018936 11/09/15 02:16 PM
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I think most ranches consider 18" a trophy. 20" is tougher to find for sure. 22"+ is really rare and gets alot of attention. I think a dark coat, mass, and spread can help alot.

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6020374 11/10/15 02:23 AM
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18"+ is a trophy. 16-17" is respectable. <15" is smallish.

Note: Black males are dominant/mature, while lighter colored ones are not.

Happy hunting!

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6022361 11/11/15 02:43 AM
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20" + would be trophy to me but everyones different

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6022622 11/11/15 05:17 AM
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passthru Offline
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I took one 20.5" and he's pretty nice. I was hoping for 22 to 24". Reality is that size is tougher to come by.


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Re: Blackbuck [Re: passthru] #6022974 11/11/15 02:41 PM
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Any buck turn BLACK is trophy to me,irrespective of it horn size.

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6025483 11/12/15 04:51 PM
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$100 an inch +/-


SPACE FOR RENT


Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6026337 11/12/15 11:59 PM
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I have different position than the others listed here. A true trophy BB will be 24" or better. I have seen upwards of 30", but these are rare. MOST of the paid HF hunts will consider a 20" large, primarily because unless the specialize and can afford to keep them many years, they don't get much bigger than that before they are sold or killed one way or another.. I know a guy north of Brady that has only WT and few BB bucks behind his fence, but oh what BB - some real whoppers. There are other ranches that have them 24" or larger, but they get really expensive and rare at that size - but they're out there if you look long enough.

On the flip side, free range animals rarely get 20", from what I can tell. I think the reason for this is they get shot or fall to predators before they get big. Even the big and old ones are no match for cats and coyotes. Now there are few big ones in Edwards county and a few up around Menard - but most free range I've seen or pics thereof are rarely more than 15"-16". Most guys I know wouldn't hesitate to shoot a 13-14" BB that wandered on their place unless they see them frequently and/or they know the group.

Where I hunt in Boerne there is a free range BB and his 4 does roaming the neighborhood. He's only about 12-13" and I haven't seen him get any bigger in the past three years. But last I saw the group there was a new fawn buck with about 1" horns. Cute. I wouldn't dream of shooting that buck, hoping the herd gets bigger. Maybe in a few years....a doe might be ready for harvest.

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6026515 11/13/15 01:42 AM
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30" blackbuck? Pics?

Re: Blackbuck [Re: 7x57] #6026584 11/13/15 02:26 AM
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Originally Posted By: TheWhiteMexican
30" blackbuck? Pics?


Let me see if I can find them. Buried amoung thousands on my phone.

Re: Blackbuck [Re: 7x57] #6026604 11/13/15 02:37 AM
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This isnt the one I was looking for, but this one is upper 20's. The one I'm looking for makes this one look small

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6026615 11/13/15 02:44 AM
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Dang. eek2


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Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6026635 11/13/15 02:53 AM
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Still looking, but these are prolly mid 20's straight line and may be close to 30" around curl.

The pic I'm looking for shows two next to a pond that are 30" straight line. In fact, I was told the brown one went over 30" around the curl when it was taken a month or so after the pic was taken. I'll find it .... Just give me time.

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6026645 11/13/15 03:01 AM
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STXranchman hooked up me (or rather my daughter) with a guy that had some nice ones. She hunted hard for a big one, passed on 22" because the curls weren't tight enough for her. She took one near the end of the day that was pretty nice and had tight curls that were kind to the tape.

As it always goes, once we had it hanging on the rack starting to clean, and the rancher was taking her out for a whitetail before dark - two MONSTERS came trotting by the cleaning shed. They were brown, not black - but when I am ready to take another trophy BB - that's where I'm going for sure - hope he still has them for hunt.

That was two years ago, so hopefully they are black now.

Super nice guy too!!

Last edited by John Humbert; 11/13/15 03:03 AM.
Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6026716 11/13/15 03:42 AM
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Still looking .... But here's another good pair

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6026744 11/13/15 03:50 AM
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Jeez, those are some monsters. Where did you take those pictures?

Re: Blackbuck [Re: John Humbert] #6026756 11/13/15 03:58 AM
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Originally Posted By: John Humbert


Still looking .... But here's another good pair


Those are some AAA grade blackbuck there. WOW


Lucky 7 Exotic Ranch located in Eden, Tx. Well managed self sustaining herds roaming our 3,000 acre ranch. First Class Lodging, Ranch style meals and qualified guides. 30+ species.
Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6026765 11/13/15 04:02 AM
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John did you mount the one you took with all about exotics?


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Re: Blackbuck [Re: 7x57] #6026780 11/13/15 04:09 AM
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Originally Posted By: TheWhiteMexican
Jeez, those are some monsters. Where did you take those pictures?


These were sent to me last time I was looking for a hunt. All outfitters in Texas. But they ain't cheap. If I remember correctly, these monsters were running $3500-$4500.

For $1800-$2400 you can get 22"-24"

The pic I am looking for was from a guy right here on THF. Wish I could remember who. frown

Re: Blackbuck [Re: passthru] #6026782 11/13/15 04:10 AM
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Originally Posted By: passthru
John did you mount the one you took with all about exotics?


Yup, but he was just average. Tough hunt for everybody in 104-105 degree heat. I got very lucky the first afternoon



Last edited by John Humbert; 11/13/15 04:25 AM.
Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6026817 11/13/15 04:33 AM
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That's a beauty right there.

I've never seen one in person, but BB have always been my favorite of the texas exotics up there with the fallow.

Re: Blackbuck [Re: polishpreacher] #6027126 11/13/15 02:01 PM
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I get mine back from my taxi in a few days. I saw a pic, it looks pretty nice. And it was a tough hunt. They had a lot of BB there but that goes to show how hard it is to take one over 24". That size is tougher to find and more than what we paid for that hunt.


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