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Prices for a Roosevelt Sable Hunt
The average price to hunt a Sable antelope on a big game ranch is between $12,000 and $19,000. The final total depends on the size of the rack, trophy fee, rifle or bow hunt, number of days, taxidermy fees, guide fees, quality of accommodations, amenities and services available. Among the more expensive exotic animals you can hunt and they arent considered affordable, even with their beautiful black and white coat and backward swooping horns.
Sable Antelope Hunting Season
All year
Hunting Sable
The Roosevelt Sable antelope is a big, powerful animal that is often compared;in body type;to a horse. It runs between 6.3 and 8.5 feet long, stands 3.9 to 4.7 feet tall at the shoulder, and has a tail ranging between 1.3 and 2.5 feet. It usually weighs between 420 and 500 pounds, though some trophy animals have been known to break the 500 pound barrier.
Both female and male sable antelope sport ridged, semi-circular horns. The males have larger horns that reach up to 60 inches, whereas the females rarely grow over 40 inches. From a wide base, the horns grow straight up and curve back significantly at the top.
The Sable shows the most activity in the late afternoon and the early morning. If these animals are startled, theyll run off a little way, stop, and gaze back at the motion or noise that startled them. They can run longer and faster, sometimes running up to 35 miles per hour, but they dont do it often. Hunters who frighten them may still get a shot.
Physical Characteristics
The sable antelopes coat is notable for its standing mane of tough hair, much like that of a zebra. A young sable is brown in color, but it grows to a rusty hue as it ages, and the coat keeps getting darker. Though females may stay dark brown, males will become black.
The coat is broken up by a number of markings, including white patches on the face and white hair on the belly. The contrast between white and black makes them easy to spot. The antelopes face is also white, though this is broken up by a black facial mask running down the nose.
Origin, Native Habitat and Countries
The sable is native to Africa, and it is most often found in the Matsetsi Valley in Zimbabwe, in Botswana, and in Southern Africa. It eats leaves and medium high grass, so it typically stays in grasslands and savannahs, but its been known to move into light forests, as well. It stays close to a source of water when possible.
Behavior/Social Characteristics
A sable antelope will only fight if it gets cornered or if it has been wounded. When pressed, it will use its horns as a defense mechanism, and they can be fairly dangerous. The antelope will also fight each other over territory and females, getting down on their knees and fighting with their horns. Occasionally, antelope die while doing this.
The small herds usually have from 10 to 30 antelope, and they are all female except for the dominant male. He forms the harem and protects it. Theyll defend territory around the herd for about 500 yards. Males who do not have their own harems will create small bachelor herds.