Oribi are small grassland antelope and resemble a lender, tall gazelle. The Oribi has a long neck and slender legs and is immediately recognisable by its black fluffy tail. The coat of an Oribi is a golden brown colour with a white underbelly. Their hind quarters also seem to be higher than their fore quarters when mature, allowing them to be able to run and move around easily in long grass.
Oribi can be hunted in all African Countries except Botswana and Namibia, where they are protected. The populations of oribi are very small in the areas where they do occur, so getting a licence to hunt one of these animals is quite tricky.
Male oribi carry a small set of horns, their horns are straight and pointy and reach an average length of 3 inches. The ears of a mature male oribi are roughly 4.5 inches in length when standing straight up. So any good male will have horns which protrude past the tip of the ear. Female oribi reach the same body size as the male; they weigh in the region of 30 pounds and reach 22 inches at the shoulder.
Oribi occurs in grassland areas and regions where it is open with scattered bush. They are highly water dependent and inhabit areas where there is a permanent water source. Oribi feed on new grass shoots and green growth; they are highly selective feeders and thus only occur in very specific areas. Outfitters strictly manage areas where oribi occur because these animals are highly specific to the habitat in which they can survive. Outfitters will preserve habitats and strictly hunt populations to ensure the best possible gene pool and breeder animals remain. The oribi is a special animal and safe guarded by those who enjoy hunting them.
Methods used to hunt oribi are similar to those of an impala. Walking and stalking in areas that the animals are known to occur will be the most successful. These small antelope are generally hunted when the opportunity arises while out in the field hunting another specie.as with other antelope the most successful times will be early morning and late afternoon when they are actively feeding. As the day warms up, oribi bed down in long grass where they rest. If they are bumped in grassland areas while sleeping they generally run a short distance, stop and look back which may offer the hunter a good opportunity at a shot. Another method which may be used is to sit and wait at a water point. This is usually done by bow hunters and it may be a good idea to wait at a nearby watering hole close to where a really good trophy oribi has been spotted. This method may be frowned upon by some hunters but often in areas it is just simply impossible to get within bow range of a certain animal, and beside while waiting at a water point there may be some other good species which come in too.
Look for a male with horns that protrude past the tip of the ear, and he should have thick bases and pointy horns. With age the make oribi will work their horns off which may make them short and thick and obviously not score well but may hold some good character. Shot placement is the same as for other plains game antelope. PHs will often suggest shooting an oribi with a solid bullet especially if a large calibre rifle is being carried while hunting buffalo or similar game. The solid bullet passes straight through which has minimal damage on the delicate coat, it will also effectively kill these small animals.
If you are looking for a great Oribi hunt, give us a call or fill out the form below and let us help you find the perfect oribi hunt for you.
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