The back of a saddleback Impala is much darker than the rest of the animal, giving this variety its name. This type of Impala is not considered a separate species or subspecies, but rather a colour variation that has been developed and is exclusively seen in South Africa.
Beautiful lyre-shaped horns frame the head of this antelope ram of medium size and elegance. Ewes are smaller and hornless compared to their male counterparts.
To satisfy its daily water needs, the saddleback impala prefers to live in grassy marshes, forests, and bushveld that are close to water sources. Depending on the season and its environment, it shifts from a grazer to a browser.
During the rainy season, males form bachelor and territorial groups, while females do the opposite. Saddleback impalas start mating in May, and their average pregnancy lasts between six and seven months. It is possible for labour and delivery to be postponed by up to 30 days if conditions are not optimal.
During the rut, which occurs between full moons, dominant men engage in intense fighting. These guys will congregate in tight, secure spaces throughout the mating season. If a female enters their territory, they will attempt to mate with her and drive away any other males that might be in the area.
After a few months, the lone faun will join a group, returning to its mother only to nurse or run away from danger. The male fauns in a herd are forced to leave when they achieve sexual maturity.
Herds of impala are known to venture out for food early in the morning, late in the afternoon, and even at night. Saddleback impalas can gallop at over 48 kilometres per hour and jump over 3 metres in height when startled.
There are a number of motivations for hunting saddleback impalas. These include things like camp food, leopard bait, and initiation for first-time hunters to Africa – not to mention their unique colouring which makes for an excellent trophy.
The saddleback impala is a common target for many different types of predators, including as lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and even pythons. Therefore, impalas have evolved to be highly alert and aware of their surroundings.
When the saddleback impala senses danger, it will stop moving and instead freeze its limbs and glance about while listening and searching. In response to any kind of disturbance, an impala will not bolt across the plains but rather seek out the nearest dense cover.
The best time to hunt saddleback impala is during the fall rut (which occurs in Africa around the month of May). This is when the largest rams congregate with the breeding herds.
Because of its keen sense of sight and hearing, the impala must be approached with great caution if you intend to try a stalk. Since saddleback impala herds are constantly on the lookout for threats, getting close enough for a shot is a difficult task.
Even more so, when alarmed, impalas like to cluster together, making it hard to identify out a single animal. During these periods, it is fairly uncommon for a bullet to pass through an animal before striking another.
Ambushes are another method of hunting saddleback impalas in Africa. They thrive when the sun’s rays are less intense, therefore they are most active before dawn and after sunset. If you want to hunt an impala, you should set up shop where it will have to pass through on its way to or from its feeding grounds.
For the most part, it is legal to hunt impala using 22 centerfire calibre guns; nevertheless, adopting a larger calibre will ensure that you don’t waste hours chasing a wounded animal. The .243 Winchester with a 95-grain SST bullet travelling at 3196 feet per second is a fantastic choice.
When hunting saddleback impala in Africa, a hit that isn’t quite perfect is nevertheless good enough to save shoe leather with any rifle used for plains game, from the 7mm up to the 30 calibres.
African impalas can die from a chest or shoulder shot. To strike the impala’s lungs, aim about a third of the way up its body and slightly behind it.
Hunt24 is renowned for its saddleback impala hunting and other traditional African antelope species. Our experienced hunters live and breathe impala hunting. Many of Hunt24’s impala hunts take place in the provinces of Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Zululand, and the Kalahari.
