Why the high trophy fee for Waterbucks?

It is one thing that has puzzled me for some time and that is the trophy fees for Waterbucks at all places.
To me it seems high to very high compared with many other species.
Are there in general so few of them and that is the reason for the rather high fee?
Or are they such a popular trophy that people are willing to pay that fee to shoot one?

In many places are they costing about the same as a Nyala.
I am probably wrong, but I thought there are many more Waterbucks around than Nyalas and I personally much more want to hunt and shoot a Nyala than a Waterbuck

Locals don't like shooting waterbuck that much as it's meat is not the best . So I only have waterbuck for international clients .

There are a lot of people breading nyala and the price of Nyala should be the same in 5 years from now . 5 years ago Kudu bulls were a lot cheaper than Nyala . The bulls almost cost the same now . Some areas charge less for the Kudu though . So no fixed rules

What do you consider high?

Your venting and ranting plus providing no details on your cost for waterbuck.

Well this will give you the chance to look around and find a location to go to that has great waterbuck for a price you are willing to pay.

Originally Posted by Norwegianwoods

It is one thing that has puzzled me for some time and that is the trophy fees for Waterbucks at all places.
To me it seems high to very high compared with many other species.
Are there in general so few of them and that is the reason for the rather high fee?
Or are they such a popular trophy that people are willing to pay that fee to shoot one?

In many places are they costing about the same as a Nyala.
I am probably wrong, but I thought there are many more Waterbucks around than Nyalas and I personally much more want to hunt and shoot a Nyala than a Waterbuck

I am sorry if my thread come out as venting and ranting.
Not my intention at all

If shooting a game animal costs more than I am willing or able to pay, I don't complain about the price, I just choose not to shoot it

From what I can see many places will shooting a Waterbuck in general costs 2200-3000US$ with a few a bit cheaper.
That is about the same price as the same places charge for shooting Eland, Nyala and Lechwe.

I thought there are more Waterbucks around than these and I thought that the 3 others are more popular trophies, but that is probably colored by the fact that I rather hunt them before a Waterbuck myself

I just asked the question because I wanted to learn something

Got to say that is a little hight for Eland and Waterbuck. I paid $1100 for Eland and my mate took a waterbuck for about $1800. Kudu were $1000.

Check out Koedoebergs sight...Look at his prices. I have yet to find a cheaper price on Waterbuck, debating on taking one the next time I hunt with Willem.

There is a special right now on Bubye in Zim with waterbuck at $1650.00. Good prices on other game along with a very good day rate in one of the finest areas in Africa.

Personally I feel they are one of the most regal of all trophies.

I din't view the question as ranting or venting - I myself had the same question. Thanks for asking - just trying to learn a long the way.

Thanks for speaking up! I did not know about the quality of the meat or what causes one plains game species to cost more than another.

Responses were very informative.

The Rand has weakened to over 8 . So you should get prices $2000 .

Thanks for the support 35 Bore

35 Bore, you forgot to mention that you in fact shot a Warthog the size of a Waterbuck in June hey!
I'm sure there's a Waterbuck at Koedoeberg with your name on it, they do make a great trophy.
Cheers and "buy a donkey"
Petrie.

Hi Norwegianwoods

I believe the answer to your questions comes down to two things supply and demand and then also the time it takes for a waterbuck bull to reach it's full trophy potential (8 years or longer).

The other thing that has to be taken in to consideration is the fact that waterbuck are very aggressive and in quite a number of instances they will fight with other bulls to the death, resulting in some bulls never reaching maturity?

All of these factors play a role in establishing a price on Waterbuck.

Best Regards
Louis van Bergen

Must be the african heat getting to some Norwegianwoods! Don't sweat it!

Good Waterbuck 30"+ are very hard to find! In some places they put a high price on them coz they don't really want them shot - perhaps they don't have many?! - in some places they have good trophy quality and have put effort into the size of them so they charge more! Do yourself a favour and enquire more about them!

About the meat!!! The hair (outer skin) has an noxious oil on it that contaminates the meat if the skinners don't know what they're doing! That the meat is rejected by the cooks is of course to the advantage of the skinners and other staff! They'll certainly eat it!
It is excellent meat as the animal is fairly sedentary!
The skinning needs to be done with the skin rolled back on itself with the fur inside so as to avoid the contamination! And of course the skinners not touching the fur and then the meat! It just needs supervision is all!

Thank you for your replies.
And I learned something

At the place I hunted this year it was very many Waterbucks and it made me wonder about the trophy price on them, but I felt it would be rude of me to ask him why the price was at that level.
That said, most of them of course were females and young bulls, but they were all over the place. Making the stalking of other animals very difficult at times.
One day my PH and I came across a really big bull when stalking Impala and he asked me if I wanted him, but I was much more eager to get an Impala than that Waterbuck, and I still feel the same today
I hope that bull will make someone more eager to shoot a Waterbuck than me very happy one day
Before I went to SA to hunt I just thought that it would be nice to shoot an Impala, but after hunting them and finally shooting one, I fell in love with them:P
I for sure want to hunt more Impalas.

The PH also told me the same as you say Ole Bally. The meat was very nice if the skinner knew his job, but tasted very bad if not

Hello Norwegianwoods,

Thanks for your question, I've had the same one in my mind. I've heard of the waterbucks' proclivity for fighting/injuring/even killing each other (A PH told me how non-dominant waterbucks will attempt to hide in the thickest of thornbushes to avoid being gored)...I'm guessing they'd be tough to control in a breeding facility so that may speak to higher fees on many game ranches...but they are also priced higher than most other antelopes on larger concessions (where I don't think they're bred & released?)

Bloody good question.

I appreciate you asking this question, too, it did not seem a rant in the least to me. I always wondered about the high cost of waterbuck, though they are very interesting animals. I declined several good bulls and don't regret it, same for eland. My hunting partner shot a nice waterbuck, he wanted to take one of everything.

By the way, my outfitter also indicated that carefully skinned, the waterbuck meat is very good.

I would not consider it a rant either, but, as spiral horn suggested, i would base it more on supply and demand. Seems that trophy Waterbuck are a hard commodity to come by. Since this topic arose, I have done some looking on the internet, and found that (in comparison to other African game) and (in the past) the waterbuck is really not an animal that is sought after by a lot of foreign hunters, but, seems that within the last 10 or so years has become a hot commodity however to have on your property. I love the way the animals look, and we found one decaying on my hunt in June, looking for nkjonas' Eland he had shot. These things are majestic in every since of the word, and larger animals than I had thought. It all comes back to the fact that people want one and the Afrikaans have them, so why not charge a price that is fitting to the demand.

Cape hunter, I don't think my Warthog was quite as big as the Waterbuck we found...lol... He was a big s.o.b. though.

In most of the areas in Africa that I've hunted there have always been plenty of Waterbuck. My first African animal taken was a Waterbuck and I've no plans on taking another at the going rate.
Now with Eland, well that's a different story. Darn great hunt!

I have no problem with the price....as long as it isn't over $2400 US dollars. To me they are priced antelope, elegant and beautiful. To get one over 28 inches, takes a lot of time hunting or good luck. For me personally, I think they are notch just below kudu, as far as must have in Southern Africa. To me, the waterbucks shot in the 24 + inch range...the trophy fee is usually too much, but it's a law of supply and demand. But the price for a heavy 28 + incher is well in line of the other game.

Yes, I think the bushbuck and nyala are pretty...and to get one with really long horns takes time and hunting the right area were habitat is favorable for them. And they are a way different hunt, than hunting waterbuck. Waterbuck can fill a whole pick up truck back up. A bushbuck or nyala are a lot smaller. Make a error in judgement, when shooting a waterbuck and you will never find him. A bushbuck or nyala can be shot with a 270 Win and they are not going anywhere fast.

I think waterbuck are pretty adaptive to their environment, where the nyala can't be transplanted everywhere.

When you have a QUESTION on your mind, do not HESITATE to ask it - any time - before, during, or after your safari. Communication is a huge part of the (sucsess) of a safari!

Originally Posted by Norwegianwoods

It is one thing that has puzzled me for some time and that is the trophy fees for Waterbucks at all places.
To me it seems high to very high compared with many other species.
Are there in general so few of them and that is the reason for the rather high fee?
Or are they such a popular trophy that people are willing to pay that fee to shoot one?

In many places are they costing about the same as a Nyala.
I am probably wrong, but I thought there are many more Waterbucks around than Nyalas and I personally much more want to hunt and shoot a Nyala than a Waterbuck