When Hunting Springbok
  By: Pieter Stofberg, PH

First things first, what is a Sprinbok?

Springbok are part of the antelope family, with the Latin name being Antidorcas Marsupialis. They will stand about 75 centimeters tall, with the hindquarters appearing slightly higher than the front. Both sexes have horns, but the male horn will be much more robust, heavier and longer. Horns are lyre shaped and are, on average about 35 centimeters in length. Average weight will be around 41 kilograms for the males and 37 kilograms for the females.

Identifying a Springbok poses no problem: There is nothing quite like them anywhere in Southern Africa. Look for the distinctive three colours: Light brown above, dark brown dividing line and the white under belly. When alarmed (or simply pleased with life) the Springbok will indulge in an action called “stotting” or “pronking”. They will unfold (this is not visible when the animal is calm) a bright, white, dorsal crest, that extends from the rump to about midway up the back, and make curious, stiff legged jumps that can carry them high in the air and three meters at a bound.

Although an exclusively Southern African animal, three sub species are recognised with two colour variants. The largest of the sub species is Antidorcas Marsupialis Hofmeyeri, or the Kalahari Springbok. Antidorcas Masupialis angolensis occur only in Southern Angola and are of middle size when compared to the other two sub species. Antidorcas Marsupialis Marsupialis is the Southern African Springbok and the smallest of the three sub species. Males of this sub species will attain a maximum weight of only about 30 to 32 kilograms. The colour variants, known as either Black or White Springbok, occur almost exclusively within the South African sub species and are simply variants of this sub specie.

Feeding and breeding
  Springbok are both grazers and browsers. They prefer short grasses, especially new growth, as well as browsing on new leaves of the short, stunted bush types. In the Kalahari, the Springbok are especially fond of the “Driedoring” (Ryghosa) bush and can often be found in the pan (low depressions) areas where these bushes are prevalent.
Although Springbok will drink where water is available, they are true desert animals in that they do not need water supply in order to survive. Their entire moisture requirement can be derived from their feed.
During earlier years, Springbok were migratory. Accounts of Springbok herds, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, are common. In the Kalahari, the early settlers were known to get together and literally shoot a “Springbok fence” to divert the migrations from their land. When a herd of thousands of Springbok passed over a piece of land, they decimated all growth. This made it necessary for these settlers to keep the migration off their farms. They would shoot a wall of Springbok large enough to split the migration, thereby ensuring that they would have grass left for their domestic animals. This was in the days before fencing, of course.

Springbok have a gestation period of around 168 days. Rutting will take place at such a time that the young will be born just before the rainy season in the specific area. Thus, in the Kalahari, young will be born around December/January to take advantage of the summer rainfall, while young will be born around July in winter rainfall areas.
When it comes time for the females to go into estrous, a dominant ram will herd off a harem of females. He will work himself half to death protecting them from other males and keeping them from straying. Mostly mating takes place on the move and the territorial ram, which will do all the breeding, has to make several attempts before brief penetration is achieved. For all this, Springbok are surprisingly successful breeders, especially when times are good. Although not proven, it is suspected that Springbok females can control their ovulation, producing no ovum in times of extreme drought. During good seasons, it is not uncommon for them to produce twins. When the rains are especially good, Springbok will keep reproducing as long as feed is readily available.
As soon as the rutting is complete, the males will form bachelor herds and move away from the females. Territorial rams are often solitary and will stay in their territories even when the rest of the herds move away to find better feeding.
It should also be noted that enclosed herds, where feed and water is supplied, would eventually adapt to where they reproduce year round. This, and the fact that they are much more “ecologically friendly” to the land they occupy, makes Springbok an excellent alternative to domestic sheep and goats and the possibility, of them replacing these animals as an agricultural product should be seriously researched.

The Hunt

Although both sexes are similar in size and both have horns, recognizing the male poses no problem. The male horns are much more robust than the female horn, which is spindly. The male also appears much stockier than the female, especially in the fore quarters. When part of a large herd, males will stand out and are readily recognizable.
Springbok are scored according to Safari Club International scoring method 1, with a minimum total score of 38 inches for the Kalahari Springbok and 30 inches for the smaller South African Springbok.

When evaluating a possible Springbok trophy, there are certain guidelines that could help:

1.              Ear length:
The average length of the ear will be about eight inches. When a Springbok is facing the hunter, the horns should extend about four inches above the ears, which will indicate a good trophy. The rest of the length required will then result from the typical curved shape of the horn. But beware, the shape of the horn could easily fool you! 
2.              Horn width:
Look for width in the horn shape. As the Springbok faces you, the horns should touch the ears on the sides. If you can see daylight between the horn and the ear, do not shoot! Many Springbok males have high, narrow horns and, while the horn will extend past the ears for the required minimum four inches, the narrowness will result in a disappointing final measurement.
3.              Base height above the forehead:
If the horn starts its curl almost immediately above the forehead, don’t shoot. Look for horns with bases that extends at least two to two and a half inches above the forehead, before starting the typical lyre shaped curl.
4.              Base weight:
Have a careful look at the bases of the horns on your prospective trophy. The heavier (thicker) they are, the better the circumference will be and the better the trophy will score.
5.              Horn shape:
If the horn turns back above the base, before it starts to turn out and up to form the distinctive Springbok shape, you are in good territory. Now make sure the horns are at least touching the ears on the sides, and if it could extend over the ears, even better. The last thing to look for is a turn back at the horn tips. In the really outstanding Springbok trophies, the tips turn almost directly towards the animal’s rump and could add as much as two inches of length per horn. 

If you find a Springbok that meet all the above requirements, give me a call and I’ll come shoot him myself!

Stalking
Because Springbok prefer shorter grasses and stunted bush, you are most likely to encounter them in areas that do not offer very much cover. This makes for some interesting stalking, with a lot of crawling being part of the fun. If you can call it fun!
To start with, make sure you are dressed accordingly. Long pants and long sleeved shirt to protect the knees and elbows during the long crawl and, if available, a pair of gloves to protect the hands are indicated. Some form of shooting stick, more often for the sitting position, will also help.
If the Springbok notice you coming, don’t panic! Keep still until they have become used to you and then move slow. A method called “obliqueing” often produces good results. This consists of not moving directly towards the herd, but at an angle, all the while sidling closer. This sometimes results in the herd totally ignoring you and makes getting close a little easier. Like most antelope, Springbok will spook at a combination of two of three senses. The three senses being sight, smell and hearing. If they see you, they will be uneasy, but will not necessarily spook. Add smell or sound to it, though, and they will be out of there!
When alarmed, Springbok will stamp with the front feet and utter a whistling sound. This serves as a warning to the rest of the herd, but is not necessarily an incitement to flight. Keep very still and the chances are that the herd will settle down and go back to feeding. If they do take off, be patient and keep after them. If the herd has not been shot over too much, they will move until they lose sight of you (normally about two to three hundred meters) and settle down again. So, allow them a few minutes to forget about you and resume the stalk.

Rifles and Shot placement
Which caliber to use is a debate that could fill this entire magazine! Personally, I prefer a fast, flat shooting caliber with a relatively light bullet. Because of their preferment of open space, Springbok will more often than not present you with a long shot of between 200 and 300 paces. Probably the most popular caliber used would be the .243 with 100 grain bullet but, to prevent the necessity of carrying too many rifles around, anything up to a .300WinMag will do. Springbok also readily succumb to the .375! While these larger calibers are obviously a case of “overkill”, they do allow you to use just one rifle on a hunt. Provided you use the correct bullet weight and shot placement, they will not do excessive damage to the Springbok trophy. And you never know when you might walk into the Kudu of a lifetime, when the smaller caliber can mean that you cannot shoot!
I am dead set against head shots on any plains game animal. The chances of screwing up, or damaging your trophy, are just too great. Preferred would be the side on shot in the engine room. Springbok carry their hearts just about directly behind the elbow, low down in the chest cavity. The lungs are situated directly behind the shoulder blade. Aim dead center on the shoulder and you will have a clean kill. We all know that things go wrong, sometimes, but this point of aim gives you the best chance at putting the animal straight down. If the bullet goes exactly on your point of aim, you will have a double lung shot. Little low will take the heart and a little high will spine the animal. If you should be off towards the front of the animal, you will break the neck. Take great care not to shoot too far back, a gut shot Springbok will make you work very hard to find it! If this does happen, keep in mind that wounded Springbok very often find a thick bush and crawl into it. Have an especially good look in every bush you pass, else you might walk right by your quarry and never know it.
Best advice I can give you would be to avoid quartering shots at all costs. Be patient and wait for the animal to present the side on shot. Quartering shots are not only chancy, they waste a lot of meat. The longer passage of the bullet, through the animal, also gives it more chance of tumbling, which results in a much larger exit wound, spoiling the cape unnecessarily. Be patient and wait for the shot!

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