How to Raise Blackbuck Antelope

Raising blackbuck antelope requires a knowledge of their natural habitat, food requirements and breeding habits. Blackbucks are medium-sized antelopes, native to India and Pakistan. The males have corkscrew-shaped horns that slant above their heads and form a "V" and the females are hornless. Mature males are black on their necks and the upper half of their bodies while females and young males are tan. All blackbucks have white eye rings, chin patches, chest, belly and inner legs.

Things You'll Need

  • Brush removal equipment
  • Water system in each pasture
  • Well-maintained low fences
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clear enough brush from pastures to create alternating patches of trees/shrubs and grass. The patches of brush need to be large enough to allow the blackbuck to hide.

    • 2

      Make any needed repairs to fences. Blackbuck don't jump, so high fences are not necessary. Replace rotten and missing posts, restretch sagging wire and secure all wire tightly to posts because the antelopes will muscle through any weaknesses in fences.

    • 3

      Establish a cover of native short grass (less than 1-foot tall) and mid-grass (1-3 feet tall) species in the open areas. This is accomplished either by keeping grazing animals off the areas until grass cover is established naturally or by seeding native grass species. Blackbuck eat primarily grass, a small amount of woody plants and hardly any weeds.

    • 4

      Maintain collective stocking rates of blackbuck and any other grazing animals in the pasture so that only 50 percent of the grass height is removed. Continue this amount of grazing pressure throughout the year.

    • 5

      Install water systems in pastures that continually supply clear, cool water to the animals and maintain a predator control program. Predators of concern are wolves, coyote and feral hogs.

    • 6

      Cull blackbucks either through hunting or selling to other exotic game ranches when optimum stocking rates have been exceeded. Do not harvest females when they are pregnant. Blackbucks primarily breed in spring and fall, but they may breed anytime during the year. Females reach sexual maturity at eight months of age, but they normally don't breed until they're approximately two years of age. Males are able to breed at 18 months of age.