Both sexes are horned, the horns growing to between 96 - 102 cm, though the horns of the Angolan 'Giant' Sable reach up to 1.65 m. Sable antelope are very wary, particularly when they have young, but they will mix readily with Wildebeest, Zebra and Ostrich. They are formidable fighters and are seldom preyed upon, even by Lions. Sable live in herds of between 10 and 20 animals, occasionally up to 80. Herds generally consist of a master bull, breeding females, and a number of young and subadult animals.
Bulls often become solitary or form their own herds, as do females with calves.
They are mainly grazers, though their diet of grass is supplemented by leaves and small plants. They need to drink regularly and are therefore migratory during the dry season. Except when on the move, Sable are likely to be found, though not necessarily seen, in densely wooded areas. Sable are regarded by hunters to be one of the 'finest trophies in Africa'. Of late, however, it has been bored soldiers inflicting the heaviest casualties on the Sable population.