Steenbok Hunting in South Africa

Patience is critical when Steenbok Trophy Hunting. A small antelope with a coat is any shade from fawn to rufous. Males have horns, while females do not. There are no seasonal restrictions on Steenbok in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Nick Bowker Hunting offers Steenbok African hunting trips year-round.

It’s a hugely underrated trophy. This is mainly due to their size or because so few people notice them or have the time to study them before they disappear over the horizon. A hunt in South Africa should always include a steenbok

Shot placement should be on the bottom third of the shoulder for steenbok hunting.
Shot placement for steenbok hunting
Steenbok taken with Nick Bowker

Table of Contents

  1. Steenbok Hunting Cost
  2. Interesting facts
  3. Difference between male and female
  4. About the Steenbok
  5. Steenbok Hunting in South Africa
  6. Trophy Judgement and Rifle Calibre
Steenbok Hunting South Africa | Nick Bowker Hunting
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Steenbok Hunting Cost

A Steenbok will cost $250. Steenbok can be added to any of our African hunting safari packages.

Included in the Steenbok trophy hunt is a licensed hunting guide. As well as a hunting license and all permits.

Steenbok safari hunting in South Africa
Steenbok hunting – trophy shot in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Steenbok makes for a cheap add-on to any of our packages.

The Steenbok in Pictures

Description of the steenbok.
Steenbok description and facial glands.
Growth and size development chart.
Steenbok Trophy hunt. Steenbok distribution across Africa.
Steenbok predators.
Steenbok habitat in South Africa.
Mother and lamb on the plains in Africa
Steenbok in the plains. Steenbok species.
Shot placement.
Steenbok Trophy hunting in South Africa.

Interesting facts about the Steenbok

Safari style African hunt with Nick Bowker.
  • Steenbok form mating pairs that share a defended territory. However, they forage and rest away from one another.
  • This is probably because it is less conspicuous in their open habitat.
  • The steenbok will scrape the ground before, during, and after defecating and urinating and sometimes bury their dung.
  • This action is to demarcate territory and is done by both males and females.
  • Steenbok have glands below their eyes, but they do not like other antelope and use them for scent marking.
  • Instead, they will use glands between their hooves for this purpose.
African steenbok hunting with Nick Bowker.
Steenbok African hunting with Nick Bowker.
  • They will browse and graze depending on what is available due to their location and the season.
  • When grazing, they can rapidly increase the micro-organisms in their stomach to break down the fiber.
  • Steenbok hides in old aardvark holes when the cover is sparse.
  • The steenbok name is derived from the Afrikaans word “Steen,” meaning brick due to its brick-red coloration.
  • Steenbok hunting – all hunters should take a steenbok if the opportunity presents itself.
Africa hunting steenbok with Nick Bowker.

The difference between a male and female steenbok

Males have horns, while females do not.

Steenbok trophy hunting. Males have horns while females do not.
Steenbok male
Female camouflaged in the grass. Females do not have horns.
Steenbok female

About the Steenbok

Description of steenbok

Steenbok safari hunt in South Africa

Steenbok resembles a small Oribi, standing 18-24 inches at the shoulder.

Their pelage (coat) is any shade from fawn to rufous.

The Steenbok’s underside and the chin and throat are white, as is the ring around the eye. Their ears are large and have “finger marks” on the inside.

Males have straight, smooth, parallel horns of around 4 inches.

The tail is not usually visible, only an inch or so long.

Steenbok is active during the day and the night; however, during hotter periods, they rest under shade during the day’s heat.

Steenbok typically lies low in the vegetation at the first sign of trouble.

If a predator approaches, a steenbok will leap away and follow a zigzag path to shake off the attacker.

Escaping, Steenbok frequently stops to look back.

They are known to take refuge in the burrows of Aardvarks.

Known predators include:

  1. Southern African wildcat
  2. Caracal
  3. Jackals
  4. leopards
  5. Martial eagles
  6. Pythons.

Information for steenbok hunting

Steenbok trophy hunt. Trophy  shot in the Eastern cape South Africa.

Steenbok is typically solitary, except for when a pair comes together to mate.

A pair occupies consistent territories while living independently, staying in contact through scent markings to determine their partner’s whereabouts.

The Steenbok is a browser and is very selective of greens such as flowers, fruits, shoot tips, new leaves, and various plants.

Its selective feeding habits enable the Steenbok not to be dependent on open water sources.

It rakes and digs for tubers, roots, and bulbs that contain moisture and are high in nutrients during dry months.

A single lamb weighing 1 kg is born after a gestation period of about seven months.

The mother steenbok hides her young for the first 3 to 4 months after birth and only feeds her lamb in the early morning and late afternoon.

During her visits, she eats her young’s dung and drinks its urine to eliminate odors that make it detectable to predators.

Steenbok Hunting in South Africa

Vital organs showing the position of the heart and lungs.
Vital organs for Steenbok hunting

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 steenbok ram trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 22 inches, weigh about 25 pounds, and have a Horn Length of approximately 4 inches.

The Safari Club International minimum score for a steenbok is 8. This is measured by adding the length of each horn as well as the circumference of the bases.

They are underrated trophies, mainly due to their size or that they are rarely noticed before they disappear over the horizon during a plains game hunt.

Hunting areas for steenbok are on the open plains and can be taken opportunistically while game hunting other trophies.

Steenbok trophy

The Steenbok gets its name from the Dutch settlers who traveled to Africa.

The word “Steen” means brick – as you can well imagine, the color of the Steenbok resembled that of a red building brick and thereby got the name steenbok.

It’s a magnificent trophy to add to any trophy room.

An ideal and cheap trophy to add to our seven animal packages, which include big game trophies such as Kudu, blesbok, waterbuck, and black wildebeest.

Steenbok harvested in 2023.

Trophy Judgement and Rifle Caliber for Steenbok hunting

Africa steenbok hunting with Nick Bowker.

Juveniles take flight when adults approach. When hunting Steenbok, he will lie flat in the grass to avoid detection and flatten his ears.

He will only flush at the last moment, running away with astonishing speed.

It is a challenging hunt and quarry to approach on the open plains. The Steenbok often pauses to look back before continuing his flight; the hunter should be ready to take the shot.

As a caliber, we would recommend the 243 for this small antelope.

 

Steenbok African hunting with Nick Bowker.

For those hunters who do not wish to go through the red tape of bringing a rifle into South Africa, Nick Bowker Hunting has a Sako carbon light 243 fitted with a Swarovski Z8 tactical scope.

We use Sako factory ammunition.

Mainly a browser, the Steenbok will occasionally graze on newly sprouted grass.

Steenbok taken with Nick Bowker

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to hunt a Steenbok?

Africa hunting steenbok with Nick Bowker.

The trophy fee for a standalone Steenbok hunt is between $200 and $300. Daily rates vary between $250 and $500 per day.

Included in the Steenbok trophy fee is a licensed guide. As well as a hunting license and all permits.

How to hunt Steenbok?

Steenbok harvested in 2023.

Hunted on the open plains and often pausing to look back before continuing his flight, the hunter should be ready to take the shot.

Where do you shoot a Steenbok?

African steenbok hunting with Nick Bowker.

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, Steenbok?

Steenbok African hunting with Nick Bowker.

Steenbok trophies have a Horn Length of approximately 4 inches. The minimum qualification score under Safari Club International for a Steenbok is 12. Add the length of each horn and the circumference of the bases to get your SCI score.

How do you judge a Steenbok trophy?

Steenbok African hunt.

Horn tips that are level with the top of the ears are about 4 inches long and make for an excellent trophy.

Seasonal Restrictions

When can you hunt Steenbok in South Africa?

Steenbok African hunt.

There are no seasonal restrictions on springbok hunting in the Eastern Cape of South Africa for most outfitters.

References:

Smithers, RHN, 1983. The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion, 1st edn. University of Pretoria, CTP Book Printers, Cape Town.

Furstenburg, D, 2008. Focus on the Steenbok (Raphicerus campestris)

Wikipedia – Steenbok

Claire Relton(Endangered Wildlife Trust), Matthew F. Child (Endangered Wildlife Trust), Nico Avenant (Utah State University), IUCN SCC Antelope Specialist Group, Raphicerus campestris – Steenbok

Animalia – Steenbok Fact File