WATERBUCK

[MATCHIES]

Hey guys.
how is the meat of the waterbuck?
I am looking at hunting one this year, but I do not want to sit with biltong that is not nice?

[Toxxyc]

Waterbuck is mostly a trophy animal, but the meat isn't shit either. Golden rule is to skin the animal with utmost care and lots of water. Before skinning, wash the skin properly. Remove the lower leg pieces first and then wash yourself properly. It's always good to have two people skin the animal - one to hold and pull on the skin and the other to handle the cutting. Don't let the skin touch the meat as it's where the stinky stuff comes from. Proper slaughtering won't yield problems, and the meat will probably be usable. I wouldn't make biltong though. Get safe and make wors or dry wors, with plenty of spice.

[Dimitri]

Like Toxxyc said, don't let the hair-side of the skin touch the meat. Also, anyone who touches the hair-side of the skin should wash their hands before touching any meat. That is why one skinner works only on the hair-side of the skin and another works only on the meat-side.

Any old trophy bull of any species is not exactly the best meat. But if you follow the rules your meat will be fine for biltong, wors, drywors, and patties.

I have shot only one waterbuck - a nice old trophy bull. I made a poitjie with the fillets and it was OK - not as good as some other species but not terrible. The rest of the carcass was made into biltong which was very nice.

If you get the skinning wrong you might not enjoy your meat - whatever you do with it.

[herman 375]

For biltong & dry wors it's absolutely fine with enough spicing.

[miklin]

The oil on skin and hair (which makes it waterproof) is what taints the meat so badly. Skilled skinner, and patience to do it properly is required...

[MATCHIES]

eish no thank then this will not be on my list for this year

[dritz]

if you just going for meat dont waste your money. its not the best meat for what you are paying for the animal. the Trophy is amazing but then turn the meat into Biltong and dry worse.
i have shot three in my time but unless its free i will never shoot another one.

[carlp]

Water buck cows = kudu cow in terms of meat quality.

As everyone said, skin it properly. Its great value for money. We usually have 3 BG slaughtering, wash the skin as said before, and the 2 BG only keeping the skin away from the the meat and then the other BG handling the knife.

Paid R2000 for a WB cow last year.

[Skaaphaas]

Why do you use badguys to slaughter and skin? ;)

[Toxxyc]

I'm interested in what that BG actually stand for, TBH.