Roan Antelope Hunting in South Africa

Roan antelope hunting is among the rarest opportunities in African hunting. Roan are one of the continent's largest antelope — horse-like, stately, and scarce across their historic range. At Marula Game we hunt roan from our own breeding stock on 24,700 acres of mixed Bushveld in malaria-free Limpopo, fair chase on foot with a licensed PHASA Professional Hunter. Trophy fees start at USD $5,800 for a mature bull.

One of Africa's rarest and most prized trophies

Roan are the second-largest antelope in Africa after eland, and among the hardest to hunt honestly. Their range has contracted sharply over the last century — habitat loss, disease and pressure have pushed truly wild populations into a handful of strongholds. In South Africa, roan are almost exclusively hunted on private land where dedicated breeding and management keeps herds healthy. A mature roan bull — dark-faced, black-and-white masked, heavy-shouldered, with backswept scimitar horns — is one of the great trophies of the continent, and quietly a rarer prize than most of the dangerous game.

Our roan breeding programme & trophy quality

Consistent trophy quality is no accident — it comes from decades of breeding. Marula's owner, Chris Burger, was named WRSA Game Farmer & Game Breeder of the Year and is a member of Classic Game Breeders, and that expertise shows in the animals on our ground. Mature Marula roan bulls typically measure 26 to 30 inches, with exceptional trophies beyond that. Because roan are managed on the property year-round, every hunt is genuine — mature bulls only, on wild ground, on foot.

Fair chase & exclusive-use hunting

Every roan antelope hunt at Marula is fair chase on foot — glassing from vantage points at first light, cutting sign in the sandy drainage lines, then a careful stalk into range. Your party has the property to itself — one hunting group at a time, no strangers on the ground, no shared vehicles. The quality of a roan hunt lives and dies on the tracking team, and ours has spent years on this ground; they know where the small herds water, where they lie up in the heat, and how they move through the Bushveld between seasons. Plan on 3 to 4 hunting days per animal.

Add roan to a buffalo or plains-game safari

Most hunters add a roan to a longer safari rather than travel for one alone. A 7-day plains-game safari comfortably accommodates a roan bull plus two or three plains-game trophies. A 10-day dangerous-game safari pairs a Cape buffalo bull with roan, sable and greater kudu at discounted trophy fees — the most complete way to experience what Marula does best. Roan hunters typically combine their hunt with a sable bull on the same safari; see the combined Sable & Roan hunts page for pricing on both together.

Limited quota & availability

We release only a small number of roan permits each season to protect the breeding herd. Roan quota is booked first, and plains game is scheduled around it. If you are travelling specifically for a roan, enquire early in the year — every roan hunt is confirmed personally with the owner, and availability changes week to week. The South African hunting season runs April to September; cooler winter months (May–August) offer the best tracking and glassing conditions.

Roan antelope hunt price (USD)

The roan antelope hunt price at Marula starts at USD $5,800 trophy fee for a mature bull under 28 inches, and USD $7,000 for a record-class bull of 28–32 inches. Exceptional bulls over 32 inches are priced on application. Trophy fees are payable only on animals taken (or wounded). Daily rates — covering lodge accommodation, all meals, licensed Professional Hunter, tracker, skinner, 4×4 hunting vehicle, JNB or Polokwane transfers, firearm import assistance and permits — are quoted separately from USD $650 per hunter per day.

What's included

• ✓ Exclusive-use luxury lodge or tented camp
• ✓ All meals and beverages (in moderation)
• ✓ Licensed PHASA Professional Hunter, tracker & skinner
• ✓ 4×4 hunting vehicle, field prep and delivery to taxidermist
• ✓ Airport transfers from Johannesburg (JNB) or Polokwane
• ✓ Firearm import assistance and all hunting permits

Roan antelope hunting FAQs