36 inch Sable

Hello All! I am leaving for Limpopo in 4 weeks. I called my outfitter today to discuss a few details of the hunt and he asked me if I was still interested in shooting a Sable. He tells me he got a special price on 3 bulls all around the 36 inch mark and is willing to pass those savings on to his clients.

My questions for those who visit this board are:

Does anyone have any pictures of 36 inch sable (+/- an inch or so) you could post??

Would you guys consider a 36" sable a true trophy? Or is a sable not a trophy until he hits 40 inches the same way a kudu is not a trophy until he hits 50 inches?

The price on the Sable is very good in my opinion (compared this to some of the recent posts I have seen even on this board).

After taking a Nyala, waterbuck, and a few other animals of opportunity, I was consudering a run down to the Free State for Black Wildabeest, Red Lechwe, and a few Springbuck until he told me about the Sable.

Anyone got any thoughts out there?

A trophy is in the eye of the beholder. I agree try to find a pic of a bull that is 36 inches. It will better help your mind decide what you like. Me, I would love a sable of any length. This is a link to a post from Jacques at Hartsview that has some 36-40 is bulls. Hope it helps

Sable Hunt - 2011 Hartzview Hunting Safaris

Originally Posted by mstewart44

My questions for those who visit this board are:

Does anyone have any pictures of 36 inch sable (+/- an inch or so) you could post??

Would you guys consider a 36" sable a true trophy? Or is a sable not a trophy until he hits 40 inches the same way a kudu is not a trophy until he hits 50 inches?

Anyone got any thoughts out there?

41 7/8 in Rowland Ward. That is a monster. Above and beyond that is a dream.
You will not get these animals at a discount.

Lop 12 inches off that other photo you asked about. That beast is 11 years old.


Here you go 36 inch Sable.

As has been said, a trophy is in the eye of the beholder. My hunting partner took a 37" one last year in SA and it looked great. I got lucky on my first hunt, first hour of the first morning 12 yrs ago, with a 44"+ Sable (Zim)

Didnt know a kudu had to be 50.......

Someone is hunting much better than I am, Swartwitpens. Not sure if she has a white belly but the hair is.

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

41 7/8 in Rowland Ward. That is a monster. Above and beyond that is a dream.
You will not get these animals at a discount.

Lop 12 inches off that other photo you asked about. That beast is 11 years old.


Here you go 36 inch Sable.

Brickburn, thanks for the photo. Anyone else?

As for "the trophy is in the eye of the beholder" I get all that. I am only asking in a comparative sense. Even at a discount, the trophy fee is still a lot more than say, an impala. I am looking for some "expert opinions" from the people of this forum to see if a 36" sable is "trophy class" or not. the photo provided by Brickburn is helpful for me to evaluate if I want to spend that kind of money before I get on the plane.

Wolverine, I never said a kudu had to be 50, I am only making a reference. Thanks for adding value to my thread!!

Does anyone else have any more photos they could add??

Attachment 10399

this is my sons, its slightly bigger just over 38"

a 36 sable is a good sable

Originally Posted by mstewart44

Brickburn, thanks for the photo. Anyone else?

As for "the trophy is in the eye of the beholder" I get all that. I am only asking in a comparative sense. Even at a discount, the trophy fee is still a lot more than say, an impala. I am looking for some "expert opinions" from the people of this forum to see if a 36" sable is "trophy class" or not. the photo provided by Brickburn is helpful for me to evaluate if I want to spend that kind of money before I get on the plane.

Wolverine, I never said a kudu had to be 50, I am only making a reference. Thanks for adding value to my thread!!

Does anyone else have any more photos they could add??

The photo was from a search of the topic.

Ashley Sable Hunt Photos - Texas Hunt Lodge - Exotic Hunts - Texas Whitetail Hunts

40 inch is the Holy Grail so to speak. Not a lot of them available. They aren't cheap either. A 36 incher is a mature Sable and would look great on your wall. If its a good price then its really worth thinking about. Bruce

There is nothing wrong with a 36" sable...especially if it' old and for a excellent price. If I could get 36" for $6000 and a 41" for $15000, you can guess which one I'm taking.

Hello from South-Africa

I have been lucky enough to shoot a real old sable bull in Zim about 2 years ago and he was in the 36 inch range. What i think is important is that it must prefferably be a old mature animal with thick horns and character!! It looks great on my wall, and nobody has ever even asked how big he is because he just looks so stately and regal, it is not necessary to ask !

Many PH tend to be on the conservative side when estimating horns and are usually with in 1 inch.

If there are 3 shooter Sable Bulls at 36 you could estimate that they will go from 35 to 38 inches.

A trophy by any measures.

Depending on price i would say go for it...I would and not look back...

Look at it this way if you pass on this trip, it will cost you additional on any future safari.

Here's the 44.5" sable that my dad took last June. I wasn't with him when he took it, my brother was, but from what I hear he wasn't sure how big he was until he came completely out from the brush he was behind and everyone went "HOLY SH*T!"

Originally Posted by mstewart44

Brickburn, thanks for the photo. Anyone else?

As for "the trophy is in the eye of the beholder" I get all that. I am only asking in a comparative sense. Even at a discount, the trophy fee is still a lot more than say, an impala. I am looking for some "expert opinions" from the people of this forum to see if a 36" sable is "trophy class" or not. the photo provided by Brickburn is helpful for me to evaluate if I want to spend that kind of money before I get on the plane.

Wolverine, I never said a kudu had to be 50, I am only making a reference. Thanks for adding value to my thread!!

Does anyone else have any more photos they could add??

I am sorry if I offended you, didnt mean to. Its just that you stated that a kudu had to be 50 before it was a trophy.... In my opinion an old bull are a trophy anyway. I would shoot a old 45 incher before I shot a young 50. Its the same with sable, a old bull are a trophy anyway. If those 36 inchers are mature bulls I would definitly say its a trophy!

Here is a picture of one of the bulls he has on the property

Sable.png

Me thinks he will look nice on the wall!!

Wolverine, no worries. I have never considered taking a sable before so I have no point of reference to judge what is a trophy and what is not a trophy in the way of horn measurements. I have heard others say once you hit the 50" mark on a kudu, you really have a nice one! The only way to get in the SCI trophy record book is with horn measurements so that is what I was going on - horn length. Yes, to some, a four point white tail deer is a trophy and I get all that. For me to part ways with thousands of dollars for something that will sit on the wall, I want to know I am spending money on a true trophy, not a 34" sable with one broken horn. That just doesn't work for me personally.

The outfitter e-mailed me some pictures he had and I posted one of them above. Apparently, he was given photos of the animals before he bought the sable and he found them and e-mailed them to me. I think I am going to be happy with him provided we can find him.

Everyone have a good one and thanks for all the info.

I took a 37 incher in Zim in 1996. Take a look at my pictures on my profile and you will see it. Two days after taking it of course we saw one that was probably over 40"! Oh well!

Well it sure looks good on the pic. I bet it looks even better trough the scope out in the bush....