How would you rate the beauty of this animal as a trophy on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being a Nyala and a 1 being a warthog?

I have more than once had a nice specimen in my sights and tried to squeeeeez the trigger but decided against it. There was just no attraction there. I would rather shoot a mediocre impala than a very nice waterbuck. Some day there will probably be one hanging on the wall but there are a lot of animals ahead of it on my wish list.

What are your thoughts on this animal?

I dunno, Muletrain! A big Waterbuck bull may not be "pretty", but they are impressive and can soak up lead! I've shot two and won't hesitate to shoot another if I can find one bigger than the magical 30" mark.


They can be like any other African animal, easy to hunt one day and impossible the next! But my hunts for older bulls usually found me in the thick of things and the shots were challenging! Both of my bulls took two shots to finish off!

I remember that a good waterbuck was high on my list, if ever I hunted Africa. Kudu, Sable, Oryx and then Waterbuck, were my "top four". Whenever I read that they are not highly favored trophys, I'm a bit surprised.

A waterbuck is certainly high on my list when I go next year.

Doug

I think they are splendid trophies and although I have only taken one I would take another if I get the chance to UPGRADE.Heck I can always use another inch or 2.lol....eyedoc

My wife got hers this year after not getting a shot in 2000. It took several days of hard hunting this year as well. I have had many bulls that I could have easily taken, and I didn't shoot.

I hope to whack one with my 375 JDJ Contender next year.

I like them, they look really nice on the wall..I have one that I believe would go no. 3 or there abouts on Roland Ward if I were to enter him...I think he is on my web page..

The two posted on this thread,sure are exceptional Waterbucks, and exceptional people posing with them!

Muletrain, I am like you. The Waterbuck is way down on my list. Not to say its not on my list bacause it is, but it will be one of my later entries on the wall.
Now, from a taxidermist stand point. I have had more trouble mounting those dad-gum critters than all the others I have mounted put together!! Seems like everyone of them has differnet proportions than the other. Every form has had alterations!
Now that I think of it.......???...... maybe thats why they are so far down the list???

Personally, I like em. We hunted the second one for 4 days before I got a decent shot at him just over 200 yards - very clever animal. His ladies were finally his undoing though. Both of these were between 29 and 30". The 375 JDJ rocks...

I think waterbuck are nice trophies.



Regards,

Terry

I did not think that I would want one until I saw one up close when bow hunting in Namibia in 2001. I never got a good broadside shot so I went home without one.

When I went to Zimbabwe in 2002, I hoped that I would run across another good waterbuck but it never happened.

I love the waterbuck. Hunted them on three trips and they gave me the fits each time. Didn't help to see pictures of old guys in white shirts next to dead Waterbuck in all the hunting mags and books. Finally connected in the Western Cape this year. Three .270 150 Nosler Partitions later.......



[ 07-21-2003, 07:30: Message edited by: KuduKing ]

[ 07-21-2003, 07:26: Message edited by: KuduKing ]

My wife has a beautiful Matetsi waterbuck ... but although I have seen lots of them .. I still have not whacked one .. Probably if they were the same price as a mediocre impala I would have taken one long ago .. Come to think of it .. I'd be tempted to shoot through a mediocre impala if a good waterbuck bull was behind it .. What's another $150 topped onto $1,000 + U.S. normally ... ??? I love their very cool almost strut ... I think that they are great trophies .. Don't panic, though .. I'd gently tell the little impala to shoo, first ...

/

Muletrain,

I'm with you..they are on my list but WAY down there. There are too many other 'cooler' animals I would rather have first. I guess I need to start saving so that I can get the other animals out of the way to shoot a waterbuck!

He'll be #2 on my list ( after buffalo) for my 05 Safari. I saw lots of them in 01 with John Sharp, but never a real big one. Although not in the same class as the sable, kudu, etc, they are still quite impressive. jorge

On my next Safari the Eland and Waterbuck will be at the top next to Buffalo. I think the Waterbuck is a very classy animal and the only one I saw in the wild was a mediocre trophy so I passed on him.

If Nyala is a 10 than a Kudu is certainly a 12 and a sable must be a 15. I went to Africa with waterbuck high on my list and as I hunted them my respect and desire rose. The bull I shot absorbed two 300 grain Partitions. One from about 100 yards and the other from under 10 yards as a finisher. The skinners gave them both back to me since they were just under the skin on the off side. Talk about tough! He also makes a beautiful mount and I receive many comments about him from folks who are not familiar with African game.

So to answer your question Muletrain, I'd rate him a 10 and I'd pass on the impala unless I was just looking for leopard bait

What is not to like? I love waterbuck. They always look like they have an attitude to me. Ill take another one this year if I get the oportunity on a good one.


[ 07-21-2003, 20:59: Message edited by: Mike Smith ]

They're not on the list for next year but maybe the safari after that. I think they're gorgeous and if you can keep the hair out of the carcass, my outfitter thinks they're as good eating as kudu . . . though not quite on a par with eland. But then, what is?

Waterbuck make a great wall mount and a rug!
Jeff

To all of you who contributed pictures of your waterbucks, thank you and congratulations.

I've got to consider if my wife likes them first, otherwise I'll have no place to hang it! She is not a fan,they're not as "pretty" as some other antelope, she wants a lechwe instead. I told her if we see one(waterbuck) over 28" I'm going for it, can't walk away from one you might not see again.

I couldn't resist adding one more photo.

-Bob F.

Hunter: Kate D'Aunno
PH: Pieter Diedericks
Location: Northern Province, South Africa / Mabelingwane Safaris
Date: June 2, 2000
Rifle: Ruger M77 in .338 Win Mag / 250 gr Nosler Partition

Beautiful animals and great pics. Gave me a light case of PSD�. I�ll be going for waterbuck next year, boha saw one that was +30 in, maybe 33. Just hoping I get to it before he does...

Has anybody eaten waterbuck? I�ve read that they�re really foul tasting.

Here's a little 29 incher, that my wife took in 2001. We hunted an area hard for three days, after a bull that we guessed at 32 inches. He was just massive. On the last day to hunt this area, we had already given up on a Waterbuck and were working our way back to camp. I wanted to swing by an area where I had seen a real bruiser of a Steinbok a few times. When we rounded the bend, there stood this Waterbuck, and my wife made a perfect shot. I really like this photo as it shows the last rays of sunset and the happy smile of my wife.

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