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Hunting >> Hunting in Africa & hunting dangerous game

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larcher
.416 member

Reged: 11/01/05
Posts: 2655
Loc: Saverne, Alsace, France

Is waterbuck a sitting duck
#256354 - 07/11/14 06:56 AM

So far I haven't got a waterbuck trophy.
In at least 2 countries, I have been told that in fact, PHs keep waterbuck for unlucky hunters.
Should a hunt be bewitched,ie because of the season, the weather, overhunting, full moon, poor hunter's shooting ability........... in the last resort, the ace that the PH can pull out of his sleeve is the waterbuck.
The waterbuck is nailed in a restricted wet area and sort of a sitting duck?

Your opinion?

--------------------
"I don't want to create an encyclopedic atmosphere here when we might be having a beer instead" P H Capstick in "Safari the last adventure."

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xausa
.400 member

Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 2037
Loc: Tennessee, USA

Re: Is waterbuck a sitting duck [Re: larcher]
#256358 - 07/11/14 07:26 AM

I got two waterbuck my first time out, common and DeFassa. The don't appear to be herd animals and they don't frequent open plains, so they may be easier to stalk than wildebeest, for example. Mine were, anyway.

Both mine were solitary bulls. They take a lot of killing and I was told the meat was impossible to eat because of the fat, which solidifies as soon as it starts to cool. The local staff were happy to get them, however.

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39196
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: Is waterbuck a sitting duck [Re: xausa]
#256491 - 10/11/14 08:11 AM

I've taken one waterbuck, in the Gwayi Valley in 2002. It was on "my list" and the PH looked for one along one of the rivers - Shangaani ? - on the first morning. We took a decent one on the first morning, if I remember rightly.

Regarding the meat being "inedible", Pierre the PH said this is not so. He showed me how they shampoo the hair of the waterbuck thoroughly first, before skinning, as the wax on the skin if touched and then the meat touched will give it the off flavour. He said it is fine if washed first, then skinned.

In 1988 I had a great time walking on an island in Lake Naivasha in Kenya where the game is tamish, and there were many waterbuck there. Lots of other non dangerous game on the island.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Kano
.300 member

Reged: 09/07/03
Posts: 166
Loc: East Africa

Re: Is waterbuck a sitting duck [Re: xausa]
#256492 - 10/11/14 08:16 AM

Waterbuck do have preferred areas and are geographically more predictable than many other species, but they are not easier to approach than other antelopes.

Actually, in some areas they spot hunters before most other species, and are at times a darn nuisance because tney alert other game.

As for the meat, it is quite coarse compared to hartebeest or eland, but its bad reputation stems from the oil on its fur (which is actually more "quill" than hair, I've been told by people who checked it under a microscope). That oil has a pungent odor, so strong that you can easily smell a waterbuck's passage for quite some time after it has gone. If the skinner does not know how to skin that particular animal, taking great care to not allow contact between meat and outer skin, then the whole carcass takes that smell and taste.

But if it is skinned as it should, and prepared by a good cook, there is nothing wrong with it.

--------------------
Philip

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zimhunter
.333 member

Reged: 05/02/04
Posts: 388
Loc: Southern Arizona

Re: Is waterbuck a sitting duck [Re: Kano]
#260134 - 08/02/15 03:31 PM

Killed a very nice Waterbuck but had to really work for itseveral days of searching and tracking along waterways and then when crossing a typical Zimbabwe ranch bridge (the water runs over the bridge steadily )
we saw a single Waterbuck which I got out got in position and proceded to take the rather long (probably 200yds) shot with my 375H&H. One shot and down. Did not try to eat any of it,it was given to the staff who really appreciated it. I made lots of staff friends by shooting game and giving to them. The outfitter was happy to let me do it.

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member

Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....

Re: Is waterbuck a sitting duck [Re: zimhunter]
#260200 - 10/02/15 03:18 AM

Hunting is hunting. Sometimes the hunts are easy, other times, not. It took me 6 full days of hunting, focused solely on Waterbuck before I got mine....a very nice 29 incher. Three straight days of strong, cold winds put the screws to us on those days. We ate the meat from my Waterbuck, and everyone enjoyed it. The P.H. made certain that it was carefully skinned as well, making sure that no hair came into contact with the flesh, and used separate skinning knives so as not to contaminate the flesh.

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