Summary
If you are Roan Antelope Hunting, prepare for a true roan hunting adventure—an experience that combines the thrill, challenge, and skill of pursuing one of Africa’s most iconic big game species. Do not be under-gunned; the roan is a heavy, tough, aggressive, and potentially dangerous game hunt.
The herd bulls can be pretty cocky and not all that hard to approach.
Be cautious and ready on this African hunt; he may be bold enough to take you on in a charge.
Roan hunting has no seasonal restrictions in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
Bowker Hunting offers African Roan hunting year-round. In Namibia, hunting is closed in January and February.
Hunters will based at Hopewell Lodge in South Africa for your Roan hunt.
Hunt African Roan in various habitats, including woodlands, plains, and savanna.
Across Africa, hunters can pursue a diverse range of roan antelope subspecies and habitats, from lush savannas to rugged semi-desert areas.
Join us for memorable African hunting safaris.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Hunting Roan Antelope
Hunting Roan Antelope is considered one of the most prestigious and rewarding experiences for big-game hunters across Africa. With their striking appearance, powerful build, and distinctive reddish-brown coats, roan antelopes are a true symbol of the African wilderness.
Hunting roan antelope is not just about the pursuit—it’s about embracing an unforgettable adventure that tests your patience, skill, and determination. These elusive antelope are known for their quick reactions and keen senses, making every roan hunt a thrilling challenge.
Roan Antelope hunts are characterized as moderate to challenging due to their agility and alertness. Roan antelopes inhabit some of the most remote and diverse landscapes in Africa, from open savannas to dense woodlands, requiring hunters to adapt and persevere.
Whether you are a seasoned hunter or new to African hunts, pursuing the roan antelope offers a unique opportunity to connect with nature, experience the wild, and create lasting memories. The combination of the roan’s majestic size, elusive nature, and the beauty of the hunt makes hunting roan antelope a truly rewarding experience for those seeking the ultimate African adventure.
Roan Antelope Hunting Trophy Fees -2025
The average price of a trophy game Roan Antelope hunt is $7000. Roan can be added to any of our South African safari hunt packages.
Our Roan price for 2025 is $7000.
The Roan Antelope trophy hunting package includes a licensed hunting guide, a hunting license, and all permits.
The cost of hunting roan antelope in Africa varies depending on the country, outfitter, and package options. In South Africa, the average price for a roan antelope trophy hunt is $7,000, and this can be added to any safari hunt package for a customized experience. For 2025, the set price for a roan antelope hunt in South Africa remains at $7,000, which includes a licensed hunting guide, all necessary permits, and a hunting license.
In Zambia, the hunting season runs from May until the end of November. Hunters can expect daily rates of around $1,500 for a 10-day roan hunt, with trophy fees also averaging $7,000.
Namibia offer daily rates between $350 and $450, with trophy fees ranging from $4,400 to $10,000, depending on the region and the quality of the roan antelope trophy.
Overall, the cost to hunt roan antelope typically falls between $5,000 and $10,000, with flexible options to suit different hunting preferences and budgets. These hunts provide access to some of Africa’s best hunting grounds and the chance to pursue one of the continent’s most sought-after antelope.
Hunting Roan Antelope – 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. For those seeking an added challenge, bow hunting is also an option, requiring closer proximity and greater stealth.
After taking careful aim, it is important to consider a full frontal shot or a side-on presentation, targeting the area just above the front leg or one third up the leg for a humane kill.
Accurate shot placement is crucial to ensure the animal goes bullet dead and to avoid unnecessary suffering. Avoid head and neck shots, which are high-risk when hunting Roan.
Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) 52 inches, weigh about 600 pounds, 25 inches. The Southern Roan is the most common subspecies hunted in Southern Africa. Roan antelope are easily recognized by their majestic backward curving horns, which add to their impressive appearance. The Roan Antelope can stand about 1.4 to 1.5 meters tall at the shoulder.
The Safari Club International minimum score for a is 67. This is measured by adding the length of each horn as well as the circumference of the bases.
Shot placement and rifle caliber are essential for Roan hunts, as roans are large, challenging, and tenacious game animals and a difficult hunting quarry.
When hunting in tall grass, stalking becomes more challenging and finding clear shot opportunities requires patience and skill. Approaching Roan Antelope requires a strategic approach considering wind direction and terrain.
Powerful and dangerous antelope, some contests can end in a fatality if neither bull chooses to give up. Roan-like sable is not an indigenous game to the Eastern Cape but has been introduced for hunting.
Hunters can be injured if they are too close to the backward sweep of the roan’s horns while game hunting Roan. South Africa provides cheap hunting safari packages.
Trophy Judgement and Rifle Caliber for Hunts
The herd bulls can be pretty cocky and not all that hard to approach. Be cautious when hunting Roan; he may be bold enough to take you on in a charge.
Like sable, we would recommend the 300 magnums for roan hunting.
Look for his spoor around the water holes and catch him at first light while he is feeding in the open while hunting. These animals tend to be most active and are often found drinking during the late afternoon, especially when water is scarce.
Hunters should focus on waterholes during the early morning and late afternoon to increase their chances of encountering Roan Antelope. Tracking Roan Antelope involves patience and knowledge of their feeding and movement patterns.
Predominantly grazers, the roan game prefers savannas with wide, open, grassy areas where they tend to scatter and feed. Roan Antelope prefer savannas and open grassy areas for feeding and are found near water sources. Roan Antelope are primarily grazers, but they may also browse on shrubs when grasses are scarce.
Like most antelope hunting, Hunt Roan in the early mornings and late evenings. Roan Antelopes are most active during the cooler parts of the day, particularly early mornings and late afternoons. These animals are diurnal.
Ringed horns of the roan antelope reach a meter long but are shorter in females. They arch backward slightly in both males and females.
Sometimes confused with sable antelope where their ranges overlap, as roan look similar to a sable.
Sable antelope males are much darker than a roan game and have longer horns.
Found in woodland and grassland savanna, roan feed on mid-length grasses.
Roan form harem groups of 6 to 18 animals with a dominant male, who establishes control over the group and territory. Roan Antelope are known to live in stable herds typically comprising five to fifteen individuals, led by a dominant male.
They fight among themselves to dominate their herd, brandishing their horns while both animals are on their knees. During these confrontations, the bull chooses whether to yield or escalate the fight, often using a powerful backward sweep of the horns to challenge or defend against other bulls.
The Difference Between a Male and Female for your Roan hunt
Both the roan antelope males and females have horns. The male’s horns are longer and heavier. Both males and females of the Roan Antelope species have horns, though the horns of males are generally longer and thicker than those of females.
Interesting Facts about Roan for African Game Hunting
- A grazer and browser whose preferred habitat includes lightly wooded savanna, it also frequents floodplains and grasslands. Some subspecies are also found in dense forests as well as open savannas.
- The roan is sociable and territorial; females live in herds of 15 – 25 with their offspring.
- Males defend territories and accompany female herds that range widely, enjoying a monopoly while being the dominant bull.
- The dominant bull forces the young males to leave. The bachelors associate together in small bachelor herds until they mature at six years of age. Roan antelope are often found in small herds, especially outside of the breeding season.
- Females breed at two years and thereafter produce young at roughly 10.5-month intervals (gestation 9 – 9.5 months).
- After a 2 – 3 week hiding stage, calves join the maternal herd, associating with other juveniles in creches.
- Resting juvenile subgroups are often left behind when the rest of the herd moves, making them vulnerable prey for leopards.
- Roan can kill hunting lions that fail to overpower them immediately. With an aggressive temperament, their curved horns and a sideways stabbing technique make the roan antelope formidable.
- Roan hunting is now much more affordable than in days gone by. Roan can now be added to our seven animal hunting packages, including trophies such as nyala, zebra, and black wildebeest, with the opportunity to hunt other species alongside roan antelope.
Many hunts take place in protected areas to ensure sustainable populations and support conservation efforts.
About Roan Antelope in Africa for Hunters
Roan hunting – one of the largest antelope species, only the Eland is larger. Roan Antelope are one of the largest species of antelope in Africa, second only to Eland and large Kudu bulls. Male Kudu can exceed them in weight.
They measure 75 – 94 inches from the head to the base of the tail, and the tail measures 15 – 19 inches.
The body mass of males is 550 – 650 pounds, and the females are 500 – 600 pounds. The shoulder of this species is typically around 51 – 55 inches. Roan Antelope possess a robust body structure and can weigh between 250 to 300 kilograms (550 to 660 pounds).
Named for their roan color (a reddish-brown), they have lighter underbellies, white eyebrows and cheeks, and black faces, lighter in females. Roan Antelopes have a distinctive coloration that varies from reddish-brown to grayish hues, which helps with their camouflage in their natural habitat.
They have short, erect manes, very light beards, and prominent red nostrils.
Ringed horns of the roan antelope reach a meter long but are shorter in females. They arch backward slightly in both males and females.
Sometimes confused with sable antelope where their ranges overlap, as roan look similar to sable antelope.
Sable antelope males are much darker than roan and have shorter horns.
Among the main subspecies are the Angolan Roan, found primarily in northern Angola and neighboring regions, recognized for its robust build and distinct coloration; the East African Roan, which inhabits countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda, and is noted for its unique appearance and adaptation to East African habitats; and the Western Roan, which ranges across West and
Central Africa, including remote and dense environments in Senegal, Cameroon, Chad, and the Central African Republic, making it particularly elusive and challenging to hunt.
Found in woodland and grassland savanna, roan feed on mid-length grasses.
Roan form harem groups of 6 to 18 animals with a dominant male.
They fight among themselves to dominate their herd, brandishing their horns while both animals are on their knees.
Roan Antelope Conservation
Conservation of the roan antelope is essential to ensure healthy populations and the sustainability of hunting practices across Africa. While the roan antelope is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, their numbers are declining in certain regions due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.
Effective conservation strategies, such as habitat protection, anti-poaching patrols, and community-based initiatives, play a vital role in preserving roan antelope populations. Responsible hunting contributes directly to these efforts, as hunting revenue often supports local communities and funds conservation programs. In countries like South Africa and Namibia, regulated roan hunts are conducted in areas with robust, sustainable populations, ensuring that hunting does not negatively impact the species.
By choosing ethical and sustainable hunting practices, hunters help maintain the balance of Africa’s ecosystems and support the long-term survival of roan antelopes. Through collaboration between hunters, outfitters, and conservationists, the future of the roan antelope and Africa’s rich wildlife heritage can be secured for generations to come.