I've told the wife that I'm going to start saving for a safari, all tax refunds and anything I can spare will go into the fund (it will take a lot of years but I'm determined, Saeed has created a monster) and to that end I've been looking at quite a few web sites. Can you PH's or anyone else tell me why Waterbuck are so expensive? Apart from impala they would be the most common animal I saw on Safari last year with Saeed.

quote:

Originally posted by Bakes:
I've told the wife that I'm going to start saving for a safari, all tax refunds and anything I can spare will go into the fund (it will take a lot of years but I'm determined, Saeed has created a monster) and to that end I've been looking at quite a few web sites. Can you PH's or anyone else tell me why Waterbuck are so expensive? Apart from impala they would be the most common animal I saw on Safari last year with Saeed.

It all depends on the area Tony.

In some areas, some animals are rather rare.

Defassa waterbuck more so at $2,000 plus.

Or may because it is the only animals with a target marked on it??

Saeed a few sites list them more expensive than kudu and eland. I would of thought they would be a more sort after animal than a water buck. If it comes down to rarity I can understand that. I was just interested in the pricing, seemed strange to me but perhaps the old water buck has a lot going for him

Supply and demand.

Demand: If nobody wanted them, they would be $100 each.

Supply: They are not common as Impala throughout all of Africa. You may have seen quite a few, but that isn't the case everywhere.

quote:

Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
Supply and demand.

Demand: If nobody wanted them, they would be $100 each.

Supply: They are not common as Impala throughout all of Africa. You may have seen quite a few, but that isn't the case everywhere.

There are other factors that might come into play but that comment is pretty much on the money.

The was a time when KZN wildlife were offering white rhino at R200 each including delivery AND game farmers were turning them down at that price.

In some other thread it was said that the "prices are what the market will tolerate". There is much truth in that.

Waterbuck occurs in many East and Southern African countries. It is essentially a grazer and is relatively easy to keep on a game farm: They are not very selective feeders and thrive under a variety of climatic conditions.

To evaluate "rarity" is difficult - but waterbuck is certainly not threatened by extinction. I have looked at the "venison cost", simply the Median Trophy Fee [in US $ from my database of South African Outfitter prices] divided by the adult male live mass in kg [From Prof. Bothma's book]. This gives a very rough - but good enough to compare over many species - estimate of cost of meat in US $ per pound venison.

Suni at $ 500 per pound tops them all!
Blue duiker follows at $ 367, then in decreasing cost Sharpes' Grysbok, Oribi, Klipspringer, Red Duiker, Cape Grysbok, Grey Rhebok, Sable and finally Roan at $ 37 and Bontebok at $ 30 per pound.

Just about all of the species that are regularly hunted by South African venison seekers (biltong-hunters) cost between $ 5 and $ 10 per pound, with waterbuck at $ 8.5 nearer to the top of that list. Kudu is close to that at $ 8.2 per pound.

The real source of meat used for biltong by South African hunters, i.e. Blue Wildebeest costs about $ 4 per pound. Giraffe at $ 2.9 per pound represents meat at some very good value for money!

Disclaimer: Please note that the actual costs are not to be used to price meat - this was just my attempt to explain the relative scarcity of various species for which I have enough good data.

Just for interest's sake: The Median of all 107 recently published on Internet asking trophy prices by South African outfitters for Waterbuck is $ 2200.

Enjoy your hunting.

It is probably also important to remember that pricing is not just a function of general rarity and demand but also of LOCAL rarity as well. For example, I believe Gemsbok these days is priced in BVC at $4000. Similarly, Gemsbok in Namibia will often be shot by clients as rations for the outfitter. I also remember when Sable was $2000 in Zimbabwe and $7000 in RSA. Plenty of present and historical variation in t-fee pricing. Daily rates too for that matter. I am sure many PHs in Zim are perplexed that they can't seem to charge what outfitters get in TZ for what is essentially the same buffalo hunt.

Bakes:

I have wondered this exact thing. I have only been to South Africa twice, but saw them everywhere. I did shoot a water buck this last summer when I went and really enjoyed the hunt.

I took my father with us and it was his first trip. The first few hours of the safari, he shot a waterbuck (which he did not plan on doing). The PH told him to shoot it, so he obeyed
He told them he just wanted a Euro mount. When I saw him, I informed him that the trophy fee was higher for water buck than kudu. He couldn't believe it. I think he now regrets not saving the cape!

I am glad I shot a water buck. However, I would much rather hunt eland and kudu!

Pretty simple really - It's purely what the market will bear. After 911, you could hunt relatively inexpensively through an outfitter and amazingly cheap if you know a few landowners. Heck many landowners were begging for folks to come shoot a few heads for their use and you could drop a trophy or five in the process for giggles...

Depending upon the level of hysteria over Ebola come the first of the year, you might find a very similar environment as we did post 911. Great for hunters, sucks for outfitters and PHs...

Bakes - perhaps you should reflect on the prices hunters here and across the ditch are charged for deer species - all of which are declared pests. In reality it makes $2000 quite a bargain !

Very true mate.

So far, I haven’t yet shot a waterbuck. Not that they be rare but a couple of PHs confirm that when the safari is hopeless, because of the season, the area or the poor shooting of the client, PHs turn to waterbuck because no need of any effort, waterbucks are living their life long at the same spot and could be sort of sitting ducks. It’s a big game more or less reserved to unlucky hunters.

Yeah, but the defassa don't come with a "target".

Seriously, agree with the above. Supply and demand. But, you can negotiate ahead of time. Have done the negotiations with the sticks up, but that's not recommended (not on waterbuck).

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
Yeah, but the defassa don't come with a "target".

Seriously, agree with the above. Supply and demand. But, you can negotiate ahead of time. Have done the negotiations with the sticks up, but that's not recommended (not on waterbuck).

There is no animals that does not have a target on it.

I shoot at every animal I see on National Geographic, and the amazing thing is I never miss

Saeed:

you too? My daughter watches all those green shows and watch them with her. Father/daughter time. But I'm doing the same thing.