East African Defassa Waterbuck hunting

A water dependent species never found far from permanent water. This large antelope is widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa. All thirteen subspecies are primarily grouped into two species, the Common Waterbuck found in Southern and East Africa and the Defassa Waterbuck found in Western and Central Africa. The Defassa Waterbuck is available for hunting in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and northern Zambia.

Due to the water dependency, Defassa Waterbuck are generally hunted along river banks, floodplains, around water points and they also favour the adjoining dry hilly country. Typically, the spot and stalk method of hunting is used to approach these animals. They may also give themselves away when walking in rocky country as they are very heavy on their hooves, often kicking stones as they move. When caught out along a riverbed they will flee for the nearest treeline for cover. They are not affected by the heat of the day like most animals that need shade from the midday sun and can therefore be found at any time of the day. Trophy males may be found sunning themselves on a cold winter’s morning and in summer can spend the whole day hidden in a shady spot. In some instances the bulls may be very aggressive towards each other so only one bull is likely to be found in a herd, so keep moving and keep looking once the animals have been disturbed. We recommend the use of a heavy grain bullet and beware, these animals may even charge when wounded.