Gemsbok, Nyala, Waterbuck - Which one by itself?

migrabill · Mar 24, 2026

I pose this question to those more experienced than I in terms of how the finished taxidermy would look. Let's say you had a Gemsbok, a Nyala, and a Waterbuck. For space considerations you were able to put one on an African Shield Floor Pedestal by itself, and the other 2 had to go in a 2 in 1 Floor Pedestal. Which animal would you put on the shield?

FlyGuy · Mar 24, 2026

I would put the gemsbok on the shield.
Gemsbok don’t naturally occur in the same area as waterbuck and nyala, so a good reason to have him separate from the others.

migrabill · Mar 24, 2026

FlyGuy said:
I would put the gemsbok on the shield.
Gemsbok don’t naturally occur in the same area as waterbuck and nyala, so a good reason to have him separate from the others.

That's a really smart way of looking at it. Thanks!

Hunt anything · Mar 24, 2026

FlyGuy said:
I would put the gemsbok on the shield.
Gemsbok don’t naturally occur in the same area as waterbuck and nyala, so a good reason to have him separate from the others.

That’s exactly what I would do, I have a double pedestal with a Chobe bushbuck and an nyala from Mozambique that were taken within a couple of hundred yards of each other.

Rare Breed · Mar 24, 2026

migrabill said:
I pose this question to those more experienced than I in terms of how the finished taxidermy would look. Let's say you had a Gemsbok, a Nyala, and a Waterbuck. For space considerations you were able to put one on an African Shield Floor Pedestal by itself, and the other 2 had to go in a 2 in 1 Floor Pedestal. Which animal would you put on the shield?

Also if it helps given Gemsbok horn height I would put him on shield and Waterbuck and Nyala together separate given more common type horns versus Gemsbok nothing but my opinion

NIGHTHAWK · Mar 24, 2026

I have life-size Nyala and Waterbuck. Love them both!

Gemsbok - 1 Traditional shoulder mount on the wall. I also have 1 pedestal mount that I really like.

I guess it depends on how much room you have or what your goals are.

I like the shields, but it would be tough for me to decide.

MontanaPat · Mar 24, 2026

I don’t disagree with the comments above but here is one thing to consider when putting a Nyala on a pedestal. Nyala have a beautiful mane of long hair along their neck, so when you put them on a pedestal make sure that you don’t have a bunch of habitat covering the lower neck region. Or another way of saying would be if combining a Nyala with a waterbuck on a single pedestal, place the Nyala in a higher position than the waterbuck so it is above any grassy habitat on the base.

FlyGuy · Mar 25, 2026

MontanaPat said:
I don’t disagree with the comments above but here is one thing to consider when putting a Nyala on a pedestal. Nyala have a beautiful mane of long hair along their neck, so when you put them on a pedestal make sure that you don’t have a bunch of habitat covering the lower neck region. Or another way of saying would be if combining a Nyala with a waterbuck on a single pedestal, place the Nyala in a higher position than the waterbuck so it is above any grassy habitat on the base.

Given enough space, a full or half mount Nyala is the way to go.
Besides the beautiful mane, their yellow “socks” are also special.

Bob Nelson 35Whelen · Mar 25, 2026

migrabill said:
I pose this question to those more experienced than I in terms of how the finished taxidermy would look. Let's say you had a Gemsbok, a Nyala, and a Waterbuck. For space considerations you were able to put one on an African Shield Floor Pedestal by itself, and the other 2 had to go in a 2 in 1 Floor Pedestal. Which animal would you put on the shield?

@migrabill
I have nice kudu and impala mounts but the one I really regret not getting is my gemsbok mounted.
To me they are a truly magnet animal and mine with 38" heavy horns would have been great. They just seem to exude elegance and beauty that others seen to lack but that's met
Bob

Bob Nelson 35Whelen · Mar 25, 2026

NIGHTHAWK said:
I have life-size Nyala and Waterbuck. Love them both!

Gemsbok - 1 Traditional shoulder mount on the wall. I also have 1 pedestal mount that I really like.

I guess it depends on how much room you have or what your goals are.

I like the shields, but it would be tough for me to decide.

@NIGHTHAWK
The only problem with gemsbok ( and kudu) is depending on the horn length you would need ceiling heights of more than the usual 2.4 metres (8'). You really need a 3 meter (10'). My gemsbok went 38" so I would have had to mount it fairly low in my wall. Fine for a skull mount but a shoulder mount would have been a bit of an issue
Bob

Hunt anything · Mar 25, 2026

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:
@NIGHTHAWK
The only problem with gemsbok ( and kudu) is depending on the horn length you would need ceiling heights of more than the usual 2.4 metres (8'). You really need a 3 meter (10'). My gemsbok went 38" so I would have had to mount it fairly low in my wall. Fine for a skull mount but a shoulder mount would have been a bit of an issue
Bob

My gemsbok is at one end of my room that has a vaulted ceiling that’s 12’, and all that I can think about is what can I have mounted to utilize the wall space behind his horns.
Have I ever mentioned I have a taxidermy problem??

Mtn_Infantry · Mar 25, 2026

I’d do the Gemsbok on the shield or as a standard shoulder mount. Nyala and Waterbuck together since they often occur naturally together. I’d be hard pressed to not do the Nyala in some way that shows off both the mane and boots. I personally have my Nyala as a life size mount, but have seen some cool half body/1/3 body type mount’s.

Rare Breed · Mar 25, 2026

Hunt anything said:
My gemsbok is at one end of my room that has a vaulted ceiling that’s 12’, and all that I can think about is what can I have mounted to utilize the wall space behind his horns.
Have I ever mentioned I have a taxidermy problem??

All my mounts lucky me are on an extremely high vaulted ceiling

Ridge Runner · Mar 25, 2026

Hunt anything said:
My gemsbok is at one end of my room that has a vaulted ceiling that’s 12’, and all that I can think about is what can I have mounted to utilize the wall space behind his horns.
Have I ever mentioned I have a taxidermy problem??

I'm going with.....Shoot 2 more gemsboks. Have them right and left pedestal mounts. Center the standard shoulder mounted gemsbok, then place the wall pedestal mounts 1 above and 1 below the shoulder mount.

Now for the left and right of the shoulder mounted gemsbok.....tuff choice....1 each right and left wall pedestal mounts of: (your choice)

If wall area space allows:
2 eland,
2 waterbuck
2 zebras
2 lechwe
2 hartebeast

If not enough wall area space:
2 impala
2 bushbuck

Right and left photo, of proper size ie. 18" x 24" full standing profile of a gemsbok.

Ontario Hunter · Mar 25, 2026

I don't think waterbuck make an especially attractive mount no matter what is done with them. Even as a euro mount ... then the nose must be tipped up significantly or the horns stick straight out into the room. Gemsbuck are quite colorful and capes are typically "robust." One problem with nyala is they like the thick stuff where ticks proliferate. Capes are often damaged from hair loss due to rubbing. I have the cape from my nyala but I doubt we will be able to use it. Maybe, as the hair loss is high. I actually wanted a back skin but it was missing quite a bit of hair down the spine. So I saved the cape instead and hoped we can do something with it. Red lechwe make a pretty mount for an animal that is relatively less colorful.

SCHUNTER73 · Mar 25, 2026

Either way, send pics. I don’t see a wrong answer.

migrabill · Mar 25, 2026

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:
@NIGHTHAWK
The only problem with gemsbok ( and kudu) is depending on the horn length you would need ceiling heights of more than the usual 2.4 metres (8'). You really need a 3 meter (10'). My gemsbok went 38" so I would have had to mount it fairly low in my wall. Fine for a skull mount but a shoulder mount would have been a bit of an issue
Bob

That is why I am going floor pedestals.

NIGHTHAWK · Mar 25, 2026

Just bolt it onto an end table like I did…

It was meant to be temporary! About 10 years ago…

Badjer · Mar 25, 2026

FlyGuy said:
I would put the gemsbok on the shield.
Gemsbok don’t naturally occur in the same area as waterbuck and nyala, so a good reason to have him separate from the others.

I have gemsbok (left turn) and blue wildebeest (right turn) with a springbok in the center top on one pedestal. (Open plains animals) and nyala, bushbuck on a wood tree like pedestal with a full body duiker standing on the base. (heavy cover animals) So I vote with FlyGuy.

Sabre · Mar 26, 2026

I think as long as you don't go with the waterbuck by itself on the shield you will be ok.

Me personally, I would put the nyala by itself because I think it is prettiest. And also, another reason, for me, is the other two are both ringed horn antelope, so to me, aesthetically and categorically, they go together for that reason.

Gemsbok, Nyala, Waterbuck - Which one by itself?

migrabill

FlyGuy

migrabill

Hunt anything

Rare Breed

NIGHTHAWK

MontanaPat

FlyGuy

Bob Nelson 35Whelen

Bob Nelson 35Whelen

Hunt anything

Mtn_Infantry

Rare Breed

Ridge Runner

Ontario Hunter

SCHUNTER73

migrabill

NIGHTHAWK

Badjer

Sabre

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