I was supposed to be sleeping in Africa tonight but alas the best laid plans...
I'm not sure if the call was meant as torture or consolation but my taxidermist called and said my 2nd waterbuck could be picked up today. They really are one of Africa's most beautiful plains game animals.

I couldn't agree more. Those are two beautiful waterbucks. Congratulations.

Very nice. Waterbuck always look like they have an attitude to me.

So how come you're not sleeping in Africa? Nice Waterbucks.

They look great on the wood background of your walls. Very nice looking animals, I'll be sure to go after one my first trip over.

Sevens

I'm not sleeping in Africa because my daughter has to have some major spine surgery in a couple of weeks and I couldn't handle being off of work for a month for her surgery and the safari too. Africa will be there next year...

First of all, I hope that your daughter's surgery goes well and that she has a speedy recovery.

Secondly, those are very nice waterbucks. I love the smell of waterbuck, so sweet smelling!

Thanks Rusty, We actually smelled the waterbuck on the left before we saw him - well him and his harem.

Bummer, but those things happen. Regarding the Waterbuck, did you eat any? I had been told by every PH I dealt with plus numerous other folks that it was not fit to eat. I hadn't shot one until my recently completed trip. As per usual, I informed my fine PH that we WOULD be eating some. He said "OK, but it's no good". He later admitted that he'd never had any. Well, time the meal is over--we were barbequeing and had a couple of other meats as well--it was agreed that not only was Waterbuck good, it was better than the Springbuck and the Kudu we had that meal--and they were damn good. At safaris end, my analysis, with PH concurance, was that the Waterbuck meat was the best, or at least as good as, we had over the 10 days.

No I didn't have any of the waterbuck. We were busy with eland, kudu, impala & the like. I wish I had tried the zebra but hey that's what 2nd trips are for - doing all the things you wish you had done on the first trip.

Yea, Zebra is the one I didn't try and wish I had. I may never get another chance as it's very doubtful I'll shoot another.

With all that nice yellow fat on the zebra, you smell like zebra the next day when you sweat!

Ok scratch eating zebra before hunting any big kittys

Those are beautiful animals. What "flavor" are they (where did they come from)? I've seen a few Waterbuck mounts that were beautiful, like yours, and a couple hundred that looked terrible. I just wonder if it's a difference in the coloration between the different kinds of waterbuck.

BTW, out of Kudu, Gemsbok, Eland, Springbok, Warthog, Giraffe, Hartebeast, and Zebra, the Zebra is the best African game meat I've had.

I shot them hunting with Bobby Hansen Safaris in the Northern Province along the Limpopo River. They are just common waterbuck. Bobby has a reputation for excellent waterbuck, bushbuck, kudu and nyala, although the nyala are hunted in Kwa-Zulu. Last year his clients took one bushbuck of 19" and one 18. My bushbuck was only 15+ and that's about his average bushbuck.

Waterbuck is very good provided you don't get any of the oil from the hair on the meat. That means careful skinning by person A and butchering by person B. When done right, it is excellent as you discovered.