Springbok Trophy hunting takes place on the open plains, and stalks can be tricky. Sometimes a long shot will be required. Springbok is the best eating of all African antelope. There are no seasonal restrictions on Springbok in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Nick Bowker Hunting offers Springbok safari hunts year-round.
The Springbok is a medium-sized antelope, graceful and handsomely patterned, with a long fold of skin on its back. The springbok is the national emblem of South Africa.
Table of Contents
- Springbok Hunting Cost
- Interesting Facts About Springbok
- Difference between Male and Female
- About the Springbok
- Springbok Hunting in South Africa
- Trophy Judgement and Rifle Caliber
- Hunting the Springbok Slam
Springbok Hunting Cost
The average cost of a Springbok is $350. Springbok is a cheap add-on to the cost of hunting in Africa. A plains game package hunt often includes a Springbok Trophy.
The Springbok Slam is also an excellent addition to any Africa hunt package and consists of Springbok’s four-color phases.
| Species | Price |
| Common Springbok | $350 |
| White Springbok | $850 |
| Black Springbok | $550 |
| Copper Springbok | $650 |
All-Inclusive $4000 Starter Plains Game Package for seven trophies and eight days hunting. (Inclusive of a Springbok Trophy)
- Gemsbok safari hunt
- Springbok
- Impala
- Black Wildebeest safari hunt
- Blesbok
- Warthog safari hunt
- Mountain Reedbuck
Included in the Springbok trophy hunting package is a licensed hunting guide. As well as a hunting license and all permits. Bow hunting springbok can be difficult.
The Springbok in images
Interesting Facts about Springbok
- One of the fastest animals on the planet. Springbok can reach a speed of up to 60 miles per hour.
- They have a pocket-like flap of skin on the rump, which conceals a white crest. When Springbok detects predators, the crest is visible. The white crest sends a message to other members of the group.
- Springbok has long, pointed ears, a long neck, and a slender body. Lyre-shaped horns can be seen in males and females (they are longer and thicker in males).
- Springbok is a herbivore (plant-eater). The springbok’s diet is grasses, leaves, roots, and tubers.
- Natural enemies of springboks are cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, lions, wild dogs, jackals, and lynxes.
- Springbok form a few herds: mixed herds (one dominant male with numerous females and their offspring) and bachelor herds.
- Springbok (antidorcas marsupialis) can mate all year round. Young are born at the start of the rainy season when food is abundant.
- Pregnancy in females lasts 5 to 6 months and ends with one baby hidden in the bush or tall grass during the first few days of life. At 3 to 4 weeks, young springbok joins a nursery herd with its mother.
- Springbok depends on the milk of the mother until the age of about six months. Females often stay within their native herds, while males leave them at 6 to 12 months to join bachelor herds.
- Females reach sexual maturity at one year and males at two years.
- Springbok can survive up to 10 years in the wild.
- Springbok hunting is very similar to blesbok hunting as they share the same characteristics.
Difference Between Male and Female
The male Springbok has thicker and heavier horns than the female and is slightly heavier with a thicker neck.
About the Springbok for your Africa hunt
Springbok is primarily active around dawn and dusk.
The weather influences activity; Springbok can feed at night in hot weather and midday in colder months.
They rest in the shade of trees or bushes and often lie in the open when the weather is cooler.
The mixed-sex herds or harems have a roughly 3:1 sex ratio; bachelor individuals are also observed.
The Springbok is a medium-sized, slender antelope with long legs. Both sexes reach 28 inches at the shoulder with a head-and-body length typically between 47 and 59 inches. The weights for both sexes range between 45 and 55 pounds. Both sexes have a pair of black, 10 – 15-inch-long horns that curve backward.
Springbok has a white face and a dark stripe from the eyes to the mouth. A light-brown coat marked by a reddish-brown line that runs from the upper foreleg to the buttocks across the flanks and a white rump flap.
Springbok Hunting in South Africa
Shot placement must be in the bottom third of the animal directly above the front shoulder. This will ensure a heart or lung shot. Avoid head and neck shots which are high-risk.
Your springbok ram trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 28 inches, weigh about 50 pounds, and have a Horn Length of approximately 12 inches. Recently a world record springbok of 20 inches has been found.
The Safari Club International minimum score for a springbok is 30, white springbok 28, black springbok 30.5, and copper springbok 25.
The trophy is measured by adding the length of each horn and the circumference of the bases.
Springbok is the national emblem of the Republic of South Africa. The antelope’s name originates from the early Dutch settlers and the word “spring,” which means jump.
Its unique trait of “prancing” will make you understand why our ancestors gave it this specific name.
.
The Springbok is graceful and handsomely patterned, with a long fold of skin on its back.
The skin fold on the back is closed, and when the animal becomes excited, it opens, fanning a length of stiff white hair.
It is believed that after rains, particularly in the Kalahari, for the joy of living, the animals jump up and down like bouncing balls, stretching their front and rear legs simultaneously and bending their heads down (called ‘prancing’).
Springbok is shot mainly in the open plains, and stalks can be tricky. Sometimes a long shot will be required, especially on the open plains.
Springbok are hunted by spot and stalk and are a suitable trophy for the first-time hunter.
Come and join us for a hunt of a lifetime at our hunt lodge in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
Trophy Judgement and Rifle Caliber
If you can approach within 250 yards, you are doing well, and best take your shot. The flat-shooters will be the right rifle when hunting Springbok.
For those hunters who do not wish to go through the red tape of bringing a rifle into South Africa, Nick Bowker has Sako 300 Magnums fitted with suppressors.
The rifle is mounted with a Swarovski Z8 tactical scope. We have hand-loaded Hornady ELD-X ammunition.
The rifle, including ammunition, is available as part of all hunting packages free of charge.
Hunting springbok can be a challenge due to its size and excellent senses. Stalk carefully, keeping the wind in your favor, and get as close as you can.
The trophy quality lies in the bases’ width, the overall length, and the curls on the horns’ tips.
A great trophy to hunt while on safari. A must for any collector interested in collecting all four springbok color variations.
Springbok is included in nearly all of our hunting packages, along with kudu, gemsbok, impala, blesbok, warthog, and mountain reedbuck.
Hunting the Springbok Slam
Four color phases exist and are called White Springbok, Copper Springbok, and Black Springbok.
Table of Contents
Black Springbok Hunting in South Africa
Black Springbok forms part of the four springbok color variations, and the black Springbok usually ranks number two, behind the common Springbok, in the body and horns of the four variations.
A medium-sized gazelle. The black Springbok is not a subspecies but a color phase of the South African Springbok.
Black Springbok was developed by selective breeding; the skin color is all black except for the white facial stripe running up the nose’s front.
They have all the same traits as the common Springbok. Hunting the black Springbok is no different from pursuing a common springbok.
The difference between a male and female springbok with a color variation
No differences exist when identifying males and females with color variations. The black male Springbok has thicker and heavier horns when compared with the female.
Copper Springbok Hunting in South Africa
Copper Springbok forms part of the four springbok color variations.
This color variant usually ranks number three, behind the black Springbok, in the four variations’ bodies and horns.
The copper springbok is not a subspecies but a color phase of the common Springbok.
As with the other color variants, copper springbok was developed by selective breeding; the skin color is a dark copper color with a darkened stripe running down the flanks with a very dark face.
The copper springbok has all the same traits as the common Springbok. Hunting the copper springbok is no different from pursuing a common springbok.
White Springbok Hunting in South Africa
White Springboks form part of the four springbok color variations. This color variation usually has the smallest horns and body of the four variations.
The white Springbok is not a subspecies but a color phase of the common Springbok.
White Springbok has the same traits as the common Springbok, and hunting is no different from hunting a common springbok.
This color variation was developed by selective breeding; the skin color is all white except for the dark facial stripes and eyelashes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hunt a Springbok?
The trophy fee as a standalone Springbok hunt is between $300 to $400. Daily rates vary between $250 and $500 per day.
Included in the Springbok trophy fee is a licensed guide. As well as a hunting license and all permits.
A Springbok trophy is often included in a plains game package. Package prices vary from $3000 to $10,000, depending on location and size. Packages include 5 – 7 trophy animals and accommodation, meals, and daily rates.
How much does it cost to hunt a Black Springbok?
The trophy fee as a standalone Black Springbok hunt is between $400 to $500.
How much does it cost to hunt a Copper Springbok?
The trophy fee as a standalone Copper Springbok hunt is between $400 to $500.
How much does it cost to hunt a White Springbok?
The trophy fee as a standalone White Springbok hunt is between $700 to $900.
How to hunt Springbok?
Springbok is hunted on the open plains. The Springbok is wary and difficult to approach. Longer shots will therefore be required.
Springbok bunch together. Shooting the right one will need careful communication with your professional hunter.
Where do you shoot a Springbok?
Shot placement must be in the bottom third of the animal directly above the front shoulder. This will ensure a heart or lung shot. Avoid head and neck shots which are high-risk.
What is a trophy, Springbok?
Springbok trophies have a Horn Length of approximately 12 – 14 inches. The minimum qualification score under Safari Club International for a Springbok is 30. Add the length of each horn and the circumference of the bases to get your SCI score.
Seasonal Restrictions
When can you hunt Springbok in South Africa?
There are no seasonal restrictions on springbok hunting in the Eastern Cape of South Africa for most outfitters.
How do you judge a Springbok trophy?
The trophy quality lies in the bases’ width, the overall length, and the curls on the horns’ tips.
References:
Smithers RHN – The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion
Deon Furstenburg – Springbok
Jerome Philippe – Founder of AfricaHunting.com
Softschools – Springbok Facts