Judging Waterbuck

[Soutie18]

Not a lengthy boy @ 23 inches but massive bases and secondary growth and thick weighted horns ,bases almost touches this was only reason i took him.

 

[Deleted member 40394]

Didn’t get a circumference measurement yet but 29.5” from my hunt in July.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Not a lengthy boy @ 23 inches but massive bases and secondary growth and thick weighted horns ,bases almost touches this was only reason i took him.

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Secondary growth? Sorry to say sir, but this is still a very soft bull. Pulpy. Rings are still very far apart and not compressed at the bases.

 

[Sarg]

I was hunting Bushbuck along the Limpopo & on the fence around where I was staying was this head, shot by a Biltong hunter who didn't want to pay the Trophy fee, so some crazy bugger hung it on the fence !

It was 36in long on the long horn !!

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

I know thatplace
Im good friends with operator there
Some of the biggest waterbuck ive ever seen in that area
Contact me and i will take you for bushbuck amd waterbuck there
Massive trophies

 

[Hunter-Habib]

My best waterbuck. Nothing worth bragging about.

 

[jasyblood]

I was hunting Bushbuck along the Limpopo & on the fence around where I was staying was this head, shot by a Biltong hunter who didn't want to pay the Trophy fee, so some crazy bugger hung it on the fence !

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It was 36in long on the long horn !!

I've hunted this property before as well. BIG Waterbuck there! I shot a 30" waterbuck, very nice old bushbuck ram and crocodile there in 2017. Dang, it doesn't seem like it was that long ago.

 

[Sarg]

Wow @jasyblood that is a very very nice Bull, I saw a few nice ones there & one like yours on the Botos side.

Your bull is most definitely a shooter !

 

[jasyblood]

Wow @jasyblood that is a very very nice Bull, I saw a few nice ones there & one like yours on the Botos side.

Your bull is most definitely a shooter !

Early in the morning on the same day I shot this bull, there was bull crossing over from Bots that was bigger than the one I ultimately shot. It spotted us before it got to the SA side and headed back to Botswana.

 

[Deepfork]

August 2022 in Limpopo. My PH measured length on both sides at 30.5, didn't measure the bases dangit! Have to wait on the taxidermy for that. Spot and stalk to within 75 yards

 

[303cknman]

My first African hunt and especially inexperienced with waterbuck. I didn’t plan to shoot one. However, I was afraid my PH might shoot me if I didn’t take this big boy 33”. It was the talk of the camp the rest of the week. Perhaps they’re just good salesmen ensuring my return? Either way, I’ll be back! I’ll get bases measured when it comes back from taxidermy.

 

[Ridge Runner]

My waterbuck from this year.

 

[fourfive8]

OP question on field judging them. For me judging them is somewhat similar to judging oryx. Good oryx- if horns are about three face/head lengths. Good waterbuck- if horns are about two face/head lengths. Also for waterbuck, usually the more forward curve the better.

I guess in order to post here have to include at least one obligatory hi mom pic.

 

[Deepfork]

August 2022 in Limpopo. My PH measured length on both sides at 30.5, didn't measure the bases dangit! Have to wait on the taxidermy for that. Spot and stalk to within 75 yards
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Forgot about this thread by the time I got my crate but it popped back up. Bases are both a tick over 10 inches, he scores 80.5 on my wall!