Hunting Waterbuck South Africa

About Waterbuck Hunting

Hunting waterbuck in South Africa is a world class experience. They are one of the larger antelope and an iconic plains game species. They form small family groups of up to 12 animals, bulls readily form bachelor herds. Waterbuck are bulk feeders and aren’t as selective as most antelope when grazing. They graze on long grass, making the shorter grass more assessible for other herbivores.

Waterbuck are water dependent but will graze further away from watering when drier conditions persist.

Judging a Trophy Waterbuck

Only the males of the species carry horns. The horns of a trophy waterbuck will hook forward near the tips. The  horns turn yellowish with age from 5 years old. When judging trophy waterbuck, look for a white/yellow horn color. From the side view, horns should have some curve from the mid-point to the tip. SCI minimum for waterbuck is 63 inches.

Waterbuck Hunting Tips

Waterbuck are active during the cooler parts of the day. Waterbuck hunting is done by spot and stalk and walk and stalk. A strong musky odor betrays their presence. This musky odor is due to sweat glands found throughout their body. The secretion serves to waterproof their coat but can also taint the meat if not careful during skinning.

A waterbuck trophy makes a beautiful shoulder or pedestal mount. Their coat is made up of coarse hair of different colors and is quite striking.

What does a Waterbuck Hunt cost

The cost of a waterbuck hunt is $2500 for a trophy waterbuck bull. Waterbuck are often included in a plains game hunting package. The Plains Game Hunting Package includes a trophy waterbuck and a kudu, nyala, gemsbok, zebra, impala and springbok. This waterbuck hunting package is a terrific introduction to African hunting.