Waterbuck

Waterbuck

  • Average weight male: 250 kg
  • Average weight female: 180 kg
  • Shoulder height male: 130 cm
  • Shoulder height female: 100 cm
  • Mating season: All year

The waterbuck is one of the larger antelope species and just as his name implies, he is never found very far from water. Waterbuck is primarily a grazer and found in small herds of about 12 animals. Only the bulls carry horns, with both sexes being characterized by the large white ring on the rump.

These animals are shunned by predators where game is plentiful due to their tough, stringy, and foul-smelling meat. Sweat glands located all over the body, but concentrated on the flanks provide a rather foul-smelling secretion, which waterproofs the coat but taints the flesh. Territorial by nature, bulls demonstrate their dominance by swinging their necks from side to side. If this fails to deter the intruder, fierce combat can ensue, which usually results in the death of one of the participants.

When hunting waterbuck, good binoculars will be essential, as they can be spotted from quite some distance on the open grasslands and flood plains where they are most often found. Excellent eyesight and hearing.

If presented with the broadside while hunting waterbuck, choose the high heart/lung shot, straight up the foreleg, one-third into the body and your bull should not go far.

The shoulder mount is the best way to display your trophy, so avoid the neck shot, as it may ruin the cape. If while hunting Waterbuck you are presented with the frontal shot, place it squarely in the middle of the chest, right at the base of the neck.

Hunting waterbuck can be a real adventure and retrieval can sometimes be as challenging as the stalk itself – you may have to get your feet wet!

Recommended calibers: .270, 7mm, .308, 30-06 og større.