Sable & Roan hunts in South Africa

Sable and Roan are the antelopes serious hunters dream of: striking, scarce, and quietly difficult. At Marula Game we offer sable hunting in South Africa and closely managed roan hunts from our own breeding stock, on 24,700 acres of mixed Bushveld on our family-owned Limpopo reserve. The result is consistent trophy quality and a hunt that stays honest — on foot, with a licensed Professional Hunter, in country these animals genuinely call home. Trophy fees start at USD $5,850 for Sable and USD $5,800 for Roan.

Roan hunting at Marula is a specialist pursuit. We release only a handful of roan hunts each season from our own breeding herd — for a roan-only itinerary, quota updates and detailed trophy-class pricing, see our dedicated roan antelope hunting page.

Sable antelope hunt price

The sable antelope hunt price at Marula starts at $5,850 USD for a mature bull under 42 inches, with record-class 42–44 inch bulls at $7,350. See our dedicated roan antelope hunting page for roan-only safaris and the latest roan quota.

Why hunt Sable and Roan with us

• Our own breeding programme — Sable and Roan are managed on the property year-round, so trophy quality is consistent and the hunt is genuine.
• Mature bulls only — strict quotas set by our wildlife management team protect the breeding herd.
• Exclusive-use camps — your party hunts alone, at your own pace.
• Experienced professional hunters who know these animals and this ground.
• Malaria-free, year-round — no prophylactics required, and safe to bring family or non-hunting observers along.

Sable hunting in South Africa

A mature Sable bull is among the most beautiful animals in Africa — jet black, white-faced, his scimitar horns sweeping back over his shoulders, fierce enough to face down a lion. Sable hunting in South Africa is largely private-land hunting, and the quality of a hunt comes down to the ground and the breeding behind it. At Marula, our bulls typically measure 40–44 inches, with occasional bulls exceeding 44 inches. We hunt them on foot in mixed Bushveld — glassing from ridgelines, working the wind, and closing the last hundred yards on a mature herd bull. Expect 3 to 4 hunting days per animal.

Roan hunting & roan hunts on limited quota

Roan hunts are among the rarest opportunities in African hunting. Roan are one of the continent's largest antelope — horse-like, stately, and scarce across their range. We release only a tiny number of roan permits each season to protect the breeding herd, and every roan hunt is booked personally with the owner. Bulls at Marula generally fall between 26 and 30 inches, with exceptional trophies beyond that. Because availability is so limited, we recommend enquiring early in the year — quota fills quickly and roan hunting is booked first, plains game around it.

Hunting method & rifle calibre

Both species are hunted fair chase on foot — glassing from vantage points, then a careful stalk into range. Sable and Roan are large, tough antelope that carry lead well, so bring enough calibre and a premium controlled-expansion bullet. A .300 Winchester Magnum, .300 Weatherby, .338 Winchester Magnum or 9.3×62 loaded with Barnes TSX, Swift A-Frame or Nosler Partition is ideal. A .30-06 with 180gr premium bullets is the practical minimum. Place the first shot on the shoulder — heart-lung — and be ready to follow up.

Add it to a plains game or buffalo safari

Sable and Roan are premium trophies. Many hunters add one to a plains game safari or a Cape buffalo hunt rather than travelling for them alone. Our flagship 10-day dangerous-game safari pairs a Cape buffalo bull with Sable, Roan and greater kudu at discounted trophy fees — the most complete way to experience what Marula does best. See the Cape Buffalo & Sable package.

Trophy quality through breeding and conservation

Consistent trophy quality is no accident — it comes from our own breeding programme. 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 breeding expertise shows in the animals on our ground. Carefully limited offtake funds the management and protection that keep these herds strong, so hunting a Marula Sable or Roan directly supports the conservation of two of Africa's most special antelope.

A typical day on a Sable or Roan hunt

Coffee and rusks before first light, then out on the truck to a vantage point where we glass the open lines and drainage cuts as the sun comes up. Both species move at dawn and dusk, then settle into thick cover through the middle of the day. Once we've cut sign or picked up a herd, we dismount and hunt on foot — sometimes for a hundred yards, sometimes for a few kilometres, reading the wind and looking for the herd bull. Brunch back at camp, a siesta through the heat, then out again for the afternoon. Evenings are spent around the fire with your PH and tracking team going over the day and planning the next.

The tracking team behind every roan hunt

Every sable and roan hunt at Marula is guided by a licensed Professional Hunter and a tracker who has spent years on this ground. Roan hunts especially rely on the trackers — they know where the small herds water, where they lie up in the heat, and how they move through the Bushveld between seasons. It is quiet, methodical hunting, and the tracking is a large part of the experience.

What's included

• ✓ Luxury lodge or tented-camp accommodation, exclusive-use
• ✓ All meals and beverages (in moderation)
• ✓ Licensed 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 CITES / hunting permits where applicable

Full USD trophy fees for every species on the Hunting overview & pricelist.

Sable & Roan hunting FAQs