The Sommerring’s Gazelle is a striking trophy found in numerous countries in the Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti. This African plains game gazelle prefers habitats of semi-arid grasslands, with hilly terrain and shrublands.

They live in small groups of up to nine members, but during the rainy season, these can temporarily increase up to 150 members. Groups consist of rams and ewes and their offspring, but rams can also live in solitude.

These herbivores enjoy a diet of acacia leaves, grasses and herbs, spending most of their day grazing. After a gestation period of roughly 198 days, the ewe gives birth to a single lamb. Twin births are rare.

Predators of the gazelle include the African Wild Dog, Lions, Leopards, and Hyenas, with large snakes and Birds of Prey also targeting the young lambs.

Their IUCN status is Vulnerable, with decreasing numbers.

AT A GLANCE

Name:
Nanger soemmerringii

Male Weight:
77-99 pounds

Male Shoulder height:
32-36 inches

Range:
Horn of Africa

Mating:
November/December

Gestation Period:
198 days

Life span:
Unknown

Size and Appearance

The Soemmerring’s Gazelle is a medium-sized African plains game gazelle with a fawn coat. It has distinctive black and white face markings, with a white patch on the underside of the throat and its rump. The underbelly and inner legs are also white, and the gazelle has a white tail with a black tip.

Both sexes have long, slender, and somewhat curved horns that reach 15-19 inches in length. The horns are black with a slight ringed texture.

Hunting Methods

This African hunting safari requires hunters to engage in a spot-and-stalk technique. The Soemmerring’s Gazelle is agile and vigilant, making them difficult to stalk undetected, especially since the terrain offers little to no cover.

Challenges and Rewards

Gazelle hunting in Africa comes with its challenges, in this case an exceptionally testing stalk, with little to no cover for the hunter. Shots are often taken at long range, requiring excellent shot placement for a humane and quick kill.

The rare trophy itself provides a great reward, with the hunter’s skills and patience evident in this successful African hunting safari.

Rifles and Requirements

This African plains game gazelle is fast and exceptionally alert, making it a challenge to stalk over the open terrain. Suggested calibers include a .270 and a .30-06 for an accurate and precise hunt over long range.