Male blackbucks are a rich dark brown, becoming darker with age. The blackbuck has long been prized for its meat and as a trophy. Once the most abundant hoofed mammal in India, the blackbuck has been greatly reduced in numbers through excessive hunting and loss of habitat due to agricultural development. The blackbuck can run very fast, usually outrunning greyhounds, but is vulnerable to the cheetah. This agile animal usually bounds high in the air a few times before settling into a gallop or run.
Herds are essentially harems, with a single adult male and a number of adult females and young.
There are also be bachelor herds of adult males. Males are territorial, at least during mating season, and will drive young males from the herd. Dominance is established by display of the horns and threatening gestures. Although the horns are potentially dangerous weapons, actual fighting is rare. When danger approaches, the alert females are usually the first to warn the herd.