Thomson's Gazelle

The Thomson's gazelle, the tommie of the Serengeti, is the smallest animal on this board and one of the quickest. A buck stands well under three feet at the shoulder, tan above and white below, with a bold black stripe running down each flank, a white ring around the eye and a tail that never stops flicking. The horns are ringed, nearly straight from the side and gently curved, and on a good buck they are long for an animal this size.

Tommies are built to run and to turn, and they do both the instant something feels wrong. Herds stay in the open where they can see, and they rarely hold still long enough to be judged at leisure. That makes this a hunt of patience: a blind on the right opening, or a slow approach off the truck and a steady rest when the moment comes.

Small animals punish a rushed shot more than large ones, so this is a hunt for a rifle you shoot well and a hunter willing to wait for broadside. It is also a good hunt to pair with a larger animal on the same trip, because the trophy fees add and the days on the ranch are shared. There is no season and no draw for exotics in Texas. A Texas hunting license is all you need.