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I few weeks ago, I asked about oryx and telling the difference between bulls and cows. Thanks to those who posted replies. they were all helpful. What about Springbok. What makes a trophy a trophy? Are they difficult to stalk? ______________________ I'm not a great hunter...just a guy who loves to hunt. | ||
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Hi Stevie, Sprinbuck in first place are difficult to stalk but not tough to shoot they are not that hardened. For a trophy search for a ram that as fully grown horns from the front and then turn backwards. As easy as that. Frederik Cocquyt I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good. | |||
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Look for height and if the tips are nicely curled. I used a 257WBY with 100TSXs and it was PERFECT. The Kalahari is the place to go for both oryx and springbok........... | |||
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stevie, Sexing a springbok is dead easy: If you see a number of springbok together the difference between males and females is quite obvious. At least to the trained eye! The males are generally bigger, have significantly thicker necks and their horns are much thicker, and longer, than those of the females. When standing broadside and view is unobstructed the ram’s penis sheath is also quite visible as a little button. If you see one single lone springbok with no others near it, it is 90% sure that it is a male, as the females almost always stay in a herd. Such a lone animal is not only likely to be a male, but more likely than not, a trophy male! It is only the fully mature males, and hence worthy of being called a ‘trophy’, that establish territories that they occupy alone. If the lone springbok is just 'standing there' or just ‘lying in one place’ while you observe it, the chances that is a trophy male goes up to about 99%. If, by the time you have stalked close enough for a shot, it is still standing alone or just lying there, the chances that it is a male rises up to about 99.9%. If you are close enough for a shot, you are also close enough for easy horn-size evaluation. If the lone animal that you have stalked has thick horns that seem to first grow straight up before curving outwards [something like the curved horns being on an upright base or pedestal] it sure is a mature male. If the ends of the horns also point backwards, you really have an old territorial male: In my book a true trophy and worthy of taking, irrespective of the actual number of inches it measures! Warning: At lambing time the 0.1% remaining of the aforementioned 99.9% could be a female in labor, as they leave the herd to give birth. Stalking springbok is usually very difficult: This is so mostly because they are animals of open and often featureless plains, nothing to hide behind while stalking! The territorial rams are very vigilant – they are constantly on the lookout for other males! The herds have many eyes! But they can be stalked and hunted on foot! In good hunting. Andrew McLaren | |||
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 They see well and hang out in groups. Yes, the stalking is a challenge and long shots are more the rule than not. For you - no problem.  | |||
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The males have thicker horns, and the ones with tips pointing backwards are te ones to look out for. If you stalok them, go as early as possible while they are still "asleep" and it's easy to get within 100 yards, use all available cover and freeze when they look at you. Good luck. I once got a friend within 30yards of a 14" male and he missed!!!!!! | |||
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stevie, You couldn't ask for better advice, Andrew covered it all mate  A flat shooting rifle is a definite asset! | |||
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I hunted Oryx and Springbok in the Kalahari in August and the Springbok weren't hard to hunt. However there were good numbers of them around which helps. Did miss one by hitting a twig on a bush, and a reportedly very good trophy got away. Can't tell you about how to judge trophy quality as I just relied on the PH to tell me which ones were good and not. It probably helps to have a good flat shooting bolt action for longer shots as well. | |||
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One of the hardest stalks I've done was on a White Springbok in the Cape. The whites are extremely wary, and keep a lot of distance between them and anything that could harbor a foe. I past up two shots where I did not feel comfortable. I finally was able to get a good solid rest and nail one at a significant distance with my 30-338. He is a really nice one and went right down. There was a brouhaha that arose after the shot. It seems that my ph spotted another one that was bleeding. I said, "No way! There was no animal in line with mine when I fired." My ph insisted that another animal had been hit. He reported it to the farm's owner, who check out the animals using a spotting scope. He found the "bleeding" animal, but it was not hurt in any way. The animal had been behind and down wind from the animal I shot, and was sprayed with blood by my animal either from the bullet's passage or from the bleeding out. Kudude | |||
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