As everybody mentioned it is the National Animal of South-Africa.Our national rugby team named also the Springboks.
They occur mainly in central and western South-Africa.They prefer open plains with little or no trees.Usually the trees in those areas will be acacia karoo.When shot they the hair on their backs open(rise) and has a very pleasant odour to it.When the hair open we call it "pronk" in Afrikaans.This opened patch of white hair can also be seen when they jump while running.They have a very unique way of jumping and this is also where the get their name from "spring" wich means jump in Afrikaans.And of course buck is "bok" wich brings you to Springbok.In central South-Africa(Orange Free State Province)They are smaller in body size as well and the more you go west the bigger they get.A lot of them are free roaming animals because sheep and cattle fences don't keep them in.Their numbers are also growing due to the culling of thei natural predators the Black Backed Jackel and the Rooikat(Caracal).These predators are a big problem for sheep and goat farmers in South-Africa and they have been declared as pests.
The Springbok can weigh anything from 20kg-35kg on average the males being the bigger ones.They obviously fall in the soft skinned range and .223/22-250/.243 are the most popular calibres used in South-Africa to hunt them.Usually it will be very long distance shots to a very small target.Walk and stalk hunting makes it very difficult to hunt them because of their natural habitat wich is open country as I mentioned earlier.What usually happen is you go out while is still dark and get a good spot wich is a bit elevat or on the edge of a ridge wich gives you a wide view.You wait and hope that they graze towrds you or in your shooting distance.They are very alert and you must make sure to be very quiet and still.Their meat make some of the best venison biltong and I had a leg roasted for Christmas lunch

with my family wich was very very good.I still have the other leg in the fridge if any one of you gyus want to come over for a Sunday afternoon lunch.