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LANWR Hold Nilgai Hunting Lottery
- Updated: March 23, 2018
NILGAI ANTELOPE. 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. More info on nilgai at http://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/tcn01. Photo: Anupom sarmah/Wikimedia Commons
by Tony Vindell/LFN
A total of 81 hunting permits were drawn during a lottery-styled system held last week for an “emergency hunt” at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.
The refuge is having the hunt in an effort to reduce the population of nilgai antelopes and also because dozens of hunters did not show up during the regular hunts held in the fall and winter.
The 81 permits are to harvest nilgai, feral hogs and fallow deer, a species that has appeared recently at the refuge just northeast of Los Fresnos.
Some of the hunters showed up as early as 6 a.m. on Monday, March 5 for the 11:30 a.m. lottery at the refuge and the numbers drawn were posted on the window of its main office as well as online shortly after it took place. The hunts will be held April 7 and 8 and April 14 and 15.
Ernesto Lugo and Manuel Vargas, both of McAllen, were among the lucky winners.
“I feel great,” Lugo said after the number on his application was drawn. “I believe I am going to buy a (Texas) lottery ticket after I leave from here.”
After the emergency hunt is over, the refuge will conduct a culling later on to reduce the nilgae herd in in an attempt to combat the spread of the cattle fever tick.