Waterbuck

Hi

Is a waterbuck which has horns of 25" good or bad?
And could anybody post pics of waterbuck over 30"

Thanks
Dox

My honest answer is it could be alright if it was a older male and had big bases and a lot of mass in the horns....and I'm referring to the common waterbuck found in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. I'm sure everyone would like a waterbuck in the 30 inch range...but they are few and in between. I think if you look under pictures of member photos on this website, you will find some really truly monsters.

I have a 28 3/4 in and 29 1/2 under my profile picture and I couldn't be more happy with them. I honestly can't wait to get the mounts back from Africa.

If you have not already, go check out the article on Judging Waterbuck by clicking here.

Here's a wide horned one from Namibia. Waterbuck was not on my list. Hopefully some of the experts here can provide an estimate for you:

It depends upon the type of waterbuck, and how thick the horns might be.

A 25-inch "ringed" or "common" waterbuck, such as the photo Speedbump posted, from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique or Namibia might rank at the bottom of its category in SCI's record book.

A 25-inch Crawshay defassa waterbuck from Zambia might be gold medal.

Bill Quimby

I think speedbumps waterbuck picture is a fine waterbuck. Since I love the waterbuck, he probably would have ended up on the wall.....I would have shot...especially with the unique horn shape. I'm not sure how bigger that waterbuck would have been grown? But if I didn't have a waterbuck...and didn't see too many on my hunt...I would have shot...honest answer. And I agree with Bill, he is in the Bronze metal range...probably 23-25 inches. The left looks smaller than the right.

I'd like to hear everyone else's honest answer.

I shot a common ringed waterbuck
Horn Length: 25.5"
Base:10"

...I would say that picture is about 25". I would probably have taken that animal as I love the wide spread of the horns. Enysse is correct the 2 he took are very nice animals! I chased Waterbuck for a week on my last safari looking for one that size and never found one! Sometimes ones expectations are higher than they should be, and I truly wish I would have taken a little smaller one to have one. Being that Waterbuck is about my favorite animal I have alot of dreaming ahead until my next safari to pursue him again!!

Dox it sounds like you have a nice waterbuck! I want to say my waterbuck had 10.5 inch bases.

I am into mass measurements. Generally speaking antelope get more mass on their horns as they grow more mature. We see the same things in whitetail deer, elk and caribou over in North America. I took a lovely kudu that had a 53.5 inch horn and a 55 1/2 inch horn with 10.5 in. and 10 3/4 in. base measurements. A guy hunting in camp at the same time took a 59 1/2-60 inch kudu and the animal had lovely curls and 11.5 inch bases. Obviously a older animal....he also had a very gray cape.

I always remember what Vance Corrigan told me....habitat makes or breaks wildlife quality. If you have cover, food, water, space and arrangement you will have animals that are in top shape and have a chance to grow big horns and big bodys (delicious meat).

Any mature waterbuck is a good trophy, but since you asked, here is a 31" Waterbuck taken by a friend of mine, Sterling Burnett, on the Crocodile River in Limpopo province with Limcroma Safaris:


And here is a 33 inch bull taken by another friend of mine further East in Limpopo with Chris Troskie Safaris:


I now have a bad case of Waterbuck envy and want a 30+ incher for myself!

CRS, in regard to the pic of your friend with the 33 inch waterbuck. Just curious if you know what caliber the old Savage rifle was chambered for? I have been entertaining the idea of taking a Savage 99 in .300 Savage on a plains game safari. It's a sentimental thing for me. It was my fathers ranch rifle. I also harvested my first Collared Peccary, Sonoran mule deer, Rocky Mtn. mule deer, and Coues whitetail with it in that order starting in 1974.

Originally Posted by ThomasBeaham

CRS, in regard to the pic of your friend with the 33 inch waterbuck. Just curious if you know what caliber the old Savage rifle was chambered for? I have been entertaining the idea of taking a Savage 99 in .300 Savage on a plains game safari. It's a sentimental thing for me. It was my fathers ranch rifle. I also harvested my first Collared Peccary, Sonoran mule deer, Rocky Mtn. mule deer, and Coues whitetail with it in that order starting in 1974.

Thomas,
That is a .308 Winchester that Omar used and it was loaned to him by Joe Riekers, an outfitter from Dallas. However, your 300 Savage should do nicely with controlled expansion 180 grain bullets.
CRS

CRS,I may need those thicker reading glasses after all Thanks for the vote of confidence though for the .300 Savage. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to harvest my first Waterbuck with it too. Thomas

Hi there guys I would answer this question simply as the beauty of a trophy is in the eye of the beholder.

Originally Posted by ThomasBeaham

CRS,I may need those thicker reading glasses after all Thanks for the vote of confidence though for the .300 Savage. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to harvest my first Waterbuck with it too. Thomas

The rifle is an old Savage Model 99 chambered in .308 Winchester.

Spiral Horn you said a mouthful & I fully agree with you! CRS those 2 30+ waterbuck are magnificent animals!! Thanks for showing them to us!!

Here is a 30 3/4 water buck I took in Namibia in May. This was my second safari to Namibia and water buck was No. 1 on my trophy list this time--I think they are great looking animals. Paul Brisso

Dox, that indeed is a nice waterbuck that you shot. And as others have said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Here is a pic of the waterbuck I shot just last Thursday. I didn't know what it measured until the whole hunt was over. This bull was one of 3 in the group. My PH and I discussed all of them for 10 minutes before deciding to take this one. It has great mass throughout along with good whiteness and then also little nicks and scratches from sparring. It ended up measuring 28" and 28 1/2" with 8" bases. It barely made SCI minimum. I could care less though as I love the way it looks and it will look great on my wall. The waterbuck is next in line to me right behind the kudu.

Paul and CRS those are awesome waterbuck pictures!! And you are so right Heeler...the waterbuck to me is second behind the kudu. And your waterbuck Heeler is a beauty! Just see those great pictures gets the heart pumping. I also liked Louis's pictures.

Hi

Could you please post pictures of waterbucks with horns over 33 inches

Dox