Starting to plan my second trip to Africa and considering a Sable.

What is the average size horns I should be tageting regarding the Sable?

40 inches

Jeff

Depends where you end up going? 40" is a nice number in most areas, but I think in parts of Zambia, you can realistically raise the bar a bit to 42"+

In northern mozambique/Niassa a 37" + Rooseveld sable.

I agree with Thierry on the 42" for zambia.

I know it was a long time ago, but based on what I saw in 1993 and 1995, 42 inches should not be that difficult to find in Zambia. Zimbabwe's Matetsi used to have some great sable bulls,too.

Bill Quimby

quote:

Originally posted by billrquimby:
I know it was a long time ago, but based on what I saw in 1993 and 1995, 42 inches should not be that difficult to find in Zambia. Zimbabwe's Matetsi used to have some great sable bulls,too.

Bill Quimby

Took a nice heavy 44" at Kasibi (Matetsi) in 91' which was a dandy even back then but I would say you could expect 40+ in Matetsi these days.

Swaincreek,

There are lots of areas with sable 37"-39" in Zim and Mozambique. 40" plus is going to be much harder to find. As others have said some areas of the Kafue in Zambia can offer a 40"+ average with a mid 40's a real possibility but the price will reflect that increase in size big time.

Mark

Wouldn't be a bad idea to leave your tape measure at home and go hunt an old black as the "ace of spades" bull with horns so heavy you can't put your hands around them. You won't care how long he is if you hunt him the right way and earn him proper.

quote:

Originally posted by sevenmagltd.:
Wouldn't be a bad idea to leave your tape measure at home and go hunt an old black as the "ace of spades" bull with horns so heavy you can't put your hands around them. You won't care how long he is if you hunt him the right way and earn him proper.

Mine was all of the above but the "right and proper" left a bit to be desired. They aren't the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. Now Roan will be "right and proper".

As far as leaving the tape home I agree whole heartedly.

That said mine taken in the Kafue with Andrew Baldrey was 43 inches and I believe the smallest he's taken so far, but it did have very heavy basses, secondary growth, and worn tips.

" They aren't the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree."

Agree, but they sure are pretty.

Bill Quimby

They aren't in great supply and in few areas. I guess it is where you go and how much you want to spend.

It would also be wise to identify the species with the area when making plans for a sable trophy knowing in advance which species one is after; the smaller but rarer Roosevelt of the larger but Common Sable.

Northern Mozambique for example is an extension of the Roosevelt's territorial domain which spills over from Southern Tanzania and the Selous Game Reserve where all the sable belong to the species Roosevelt.

Move off to the West and North West and you would find the Common or East African sable whose horns will extend well beyond the 42/43".

A heavy 40 inch Sable striding across a plain looking like a fully rigged battleship at sea is a very worthy trophy.

This a photograph of one taken last year and the bases were some of the heaviest ever recorded. Combined with the length it makes for an exception trophy.



My best last year was 4 feet 2 inches.

quote:

Originally posted by sevenmagltd.:
Wouldn't be a bad idea to leave your tape measure at home and go hunt an old black as the "ace of spades" bull with horns so heavy you can't put your hands around them. You won't care how long he is if you hunt him the right way and earn him proper.

Couldn't have said it better!

I shot mine in 2001 as the PH said "He's huge and is easily 40+". BOOM...dropped him in his tracks. We got up to him and a set of unusually long un-ridged horn tips had tricked the PH. The beast only went 38". PH was really apologetic and disappointed but I have to say that I didn't care one bit about 2" more or less horn. Just go hunting and enjoy it!

I would say go hunting and if a nice bull pops up and it's a nice hunt you will be happy with a 37" - 40" mature bull.

Enjoy.

Cheers,
Mark.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark R:
I would say go hunting and if a nice bull pops up and it's a nice hunt you will be happy with a 37" - 40" mature bull.

Enjoy.

Cheers,
Mark.

50 plus is a bonus

I shot a sable last summer with a bow. It looks fabulous to me.
I never measured it, and likely never will.

Not to be picky, but there is only one species. The common (H.n. niger), Roosevelt (H.n. roosevelti), Zambian (H.n. kirkii) and giant sable (H.n. variani) are the four recognized subspecies of the species Hippotragus niger.

It doesn't really matter, though. These are gorgeous animals. I was fortunate to have taken two of the four back when trophy fees were reasonable.

Bill Quimby

quote:

Originally posted by billrquimby:
Not to be picky, but there is only one species. The common (H.n. niger), Roosevelt (H.n. roosevelti), Zambian (H.n. kirkii) and giant sable (H.n. variani) are the four recognized subspecies of the species Hippotragus niger.

It doesn't really matter, though. These are gorgeous animals. I was fortunate to have taken two of the four back when trophy fees were reasonable.

Bill Quimby

I hear you Bill..I paid $ 1250.00 TF for a Matetsi sable in 91'.

quote:

Originally posted by Safari2:

quote:

Originally posted by billrquimby:
Not to be picky, but there is only one species. The common (H.n. niger), Roosevelt (H.n. roosevelti), Zambian (H.n. kirkii) and giant sable (H.n. variani) are the four recognized subspecies of the species Hippotragus niger.

It doesn't really matter, though. These are gorgeous animals. I was fortunate to have taken two of the four back when trophy fees were reasonable.

Bill Quimby

I hear you Bill..I paid $ 1250.00 TF for a Matetsi sable in 91'.

Trophy fees are dictated by Government and not the Operator.

Matetsi produced some outstanding trophies and it is a pity that this gene pool was not nurtured.

I paid less than $2,000 in trophy fees for a buffalo, kudu and sable in Zimbabwe on my first trip to Africa in 1983.

Bill Quimby

quote:

Originally posted by billrquimby:
I paid less than $2,000 in trophy fees for a buffalo, kudu and sable in Zimbabwe on my first trip to Africa in 1983.

Bill Quimby

They had gone up a bit by 89'..$ 1000.00 Buff and $ 550.00 Kudu.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
A heavy 40 inch Sable striding across a plain looking like a fully rigged battleship at sea is a very worthy trophy.

This a photograph of one taken last year and the bases were some of the heaviest ever recorded. Combined with the length it makes for an exception trophy.



My best last year was 4 feet 2 inches.

I remember you commenting on how heavy the horns of our sable were Andrew, and you are right of course.

It does add to the character more than just the length.

First sable I shot many years ago was 47.

He was living in the park, comes out to feed, and runs like hell back to the park as soon as he sees anyone.

We tried for him a few times, but he always beat us crossing the boundary.

We had another one, younger bull we saw regularly, which we named Fred.

We started thinking that if all else fails, we could always shoot Fred.

Towards the end of the safari, we saw our old friend close to the park boundary, and he took off. We ran after him.

He made the mistake of stopping to look back, and all I could see was the upper part of his body.

A 300 grain bullet dropped him in his tracks.

I remember the days when I could shoot several sable on one safari in Zimbabwe, as many are left at the end of the season.

The best money I ever spent was on trophy fees! No matter the amount.

I don't measure trophies -- refuse to. But I'm waiting to get my sable back from western Tanzania. I've heard rumblings from the skinning shed that he'll go 42".

All I can tell you is he is beautiful. A Roosevelt a couple of inches shorter from the Selous would be no less gorgeous.

Leave the tape at home. I've never carried one.

quote:

50 plus is a bonus



ROYAL KAFUE LTD
Email - fairgame@iconnect.zm
Tel. (00260) 966 745747

Now that is just incredible. Still no need for a tape IMHO.

The Sable of Mozambique are generally shorter than the sable of Western Zim or Zambia but are bigger bodied with very heavy horns. Also comments that Sable aren't the smartest of animals is incorrect. It all depends on the area, I've hunted sable on farmlands in Zim which are habituated to vehicles etc and are easy to hunt, if you hunt them in a large wild unfenced area in Mozambique you will be amazed at how sharp they are, their eyesight is only surpassed by the Hartebeest and in the right conditions blend in surprisingly well. They are a great challenge and a very beautiful trophy regardless of length, as long as they are mature with good secondary growth .

Another important thing is the price, generally the Zambian and South African sable are the most expensive ,then Zimbabwe and the cheapest is Mozambique. Price is largely affected by availability . I.e the more sable/bigger quota in an area the better the price.

quote:

Originally posted by sevenmagltd.:
Wouldn't be a bad idea to leave your tape measure at home and go hunt an old black as the "ace of spades" bull with horns so heavy you can't put your hands around them. You won't care how long he is if you hunt him the right way and earn him proper.

So how long do you reckon the bull with horns you cant put your hands around is likely to be?

Secondly - what method do you use to subdue the bull, to test the hand measurement before the shot?

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
The best money I ever spent was on trophy fees! No matter the amount.

I don't measure trophies -- refuse to. But I'm waiting to get my sable back from western Tanzania. I've heard rumblings from the skinning shed that he'll go 42".

All I can tell you is he is beautiful. A Roosevelt a couple of inches shorter from the Selous would be no less gorgeous.

Leave the tape at home. I've never carried one.

Lavaca:

By today's standards a 40" Roosvelti is a trophy worth a double malt and cigar.

quote:

So how long do you reckon the bull with horns you cant put your hands around is likely to be?

Secondly - what method do you use to subdue the bull, to test the hand measurement before the shot?

Graham:

I was under the impression you objected to facetious or snide remarks?

Facetious is my middle name!! Just mucking about of course. Usually the only persons who have called me 'Graham' were my school principal and an arresting officer.

quote:

Originally posted by Neil Duckworth:
Another important thing is the price, generally the Zambian and South African sable are the most expensive ,then Zimbabwe and the cheapest is Mozambique. Price is largely affected by availability . I.e the more sable/bigger quota in an area the better the price.

Neil:

IMO it should be the other way around as the Roosevlti is not found anywhere else to be hunted other than parts of Mozambique and Southern Tanzania. They are a coastal species of Sable whose presence extends all the way up the coastal belt, north through Tanzania up to the southern parts of Kenya.
You would unlikely find it more than 250/300kms west of the coastline in any of the above mentioned countries.

Compared to its cousin the Hippotragus Niger or Common Sable, the Roosevelt is considered a rarity to have on the wall - a good number of hunters are ignorant of this fact and often decry it due to its smaller set of horns but it is nevertheless a species on its own.

There overall numbers will never match the population of the Niger and thus give further reason for them to be listed as rare and therefore to be allocated a higher price tag.

If as you say they come cheap in Moz. I suggest trophy collectors to make hay while the sun shines.

How's that for marketing?

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
Facetious is my middle name!! Just mucking about of course. Usually the only persons who have called me 'Graham' were my school principal and an arresting officer.

Hence my use of "facetious" instead of "snide"

I'm old school, so I address people who insult me by their surname - which has its own meaning.

Now you know why your school principal and arresting officer called you 'Graham'.

Am I right is saying that the giant sable record from Angola is 72 inches?

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
Am I right is saying that the giant sable record from Angola is 72 inches?

64 and something

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
Facetious is my middle name!! Just mucking about of course. Usually the only persons who have called me 'Graham' were my school principal and an arresting officer.

Hence my use of "facetious" instead of "snide"

I'm old school, so I address people who insult me by their surname - which has its own meaning.

Now you know why your school principal and arresting officer called you 'Graham'.

I guess you have the luxury of knowing my surname - I cant be insulted by a pseudonym.

In reiteration to the officer and my school principal - Honestly, I didn't do it!!