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WINGS OVER ARGENTINA
As recently as the l970's, international travel for big game hunting was relatively common, yet a trip to South America or Africa to hunt birds was unheard of. In contrast, the 1990's became the decade of international wing-shooting. And while some foreign hunts remain expensive, the volume of shooters going to Argentina or Mexico, for example, has helped keep the cost of a trip within reach of many Americans.
Among the destinations outside North America, Argentina is the undisputed leader when it comes to wing-shooting. More than two decades ago, the first reports of Argentina's excellent bird hunting began to filter into the United States. At first it was superb goose hunting that drew hunters to this South American jewel. Later, word of dove flights that blocked out the sun and topnotch waterfowling made sporting news. Then perdiz hunting over pointers was the rage and finally decoy pigeon shooting was perfected. Today there is an infrastructure to support wing-shooters including a number of outfitters well versed in meeting the needs and desires of visiting hunters. Current estimates indicate about 7,000 American hunters travel to Argentina each year specifically to hunt birds.
While Argentina is known for its fabulous dove hunting, it also provides excellent mixed bag shooting for pigeons, ducks and perdiz. Mixed bag shooting has grown in popularity to a point that many lodges are booked, often a year in advance. The reason is the timing of the seasons. Doves and pigeons can be hunted year long while the season for perdiz and ducks in most provinces is May through August - about 12 to 14 weeks per year.
Two of the best lodges in Argentina for mixed bag shooting are Malecue and Estancia Cortaderas. Ariel Semenov owns and operates Malalcue Lodge in Corrientes province. The lodge overlooks the Corrientes River and has six double occupancy bedrooms reach with a private bath. The lodge can accommodate 12 clients. The food is excellent with grass fed Argentine beef, along with fresh baked breads, salads and fine Argentine wine served in a private dining room. Malalcue has been in operation for 16 seasons and offer pigeons over decoys, pass shooting doves, decoying ducks and perdiz over pointing dogs.
In response to the additional demand for mixed bag shooting as well as world-class year-long dove hunting, Ariel Semenov and a group of investors embarked on the construction of a new lodge in 2005. Based on lessons learned while successfully operating Malalcue Lodge, Semenov built Estancia Cortaderas. Operated by a staff of trained professionals, the deluxe lodge is 60 miles north of Parana in Entre Rios Province and has a commanding view of the Parana River. It has eight bedrooms with private baths, a large living room with a fireplace, bar and dining room and a beautiful-covered veranda. The food is outstanding and includes quality beef and a good selection of wine. During the mixed bag season, the lodge can accommodate 12 clients and during the dove only season 16.
DUCKS
While ducks are found throughout Argentina, one of my best hunts ever was at Malalcue Lodge. After a 30 minute boat ride in the dark we arrived at a makeshift blind in the back waters of the Corrientes River. Once the decoys were set, the wait wasn’t long. Our guide Jose was the first to spot the birds - a group of 10 in the distance and he signaled my hunting buddy Vince and me to get down. The next few minutes seemed like hours as the flock winged closer. Their flight was powerful and direct until they were just outside the decoys - then they made a wide pass. A few notes from Jose’s duck call turned them into the wind and toward the decoys. The ducks looked huge as they settled in only 25 yards above the impostors below. Jose said, "Now," and I threw the over/under to my shoulder, caught up with a target, swung past a dark form and pulled the trigger. Vince and I each dropped a bird on our first shot then picked another looking for a double. Neither of us connected on the second shot.
Vince was first out of the blind and in a few minutes returned with a pair of rosy-billed pochards. Rosybills are technically diving ducks about the size of a mallard but behave more like puddle ducks. Males are dark birds sporting an unmistakable bright red bill with a swollen knob at the base. Rosybills are considered the finest eating of the South American ducks.
The region is famous for its gauchos, beef cattle and sheep. However, it is the habitat - a combination of wetlands and agricultural areas devoted to corn, wheat, sunflowers and soybeans that provide a wintering ground for up to a dozen species of waterfowl. Among the most common are rosybills, yellow-billed pintail, silver and speckled teal, white-faced whistling ducks and southern wigeon.
DOVE
Dove hunting is the cornerstone of the operation at Estancia Cortaderas with high volume shooting available year long. Doves are hunted in harvested grain fields and at roosts. On my most recent trip in July 2008, the top gun bagged 502 doves in a single afternoon. The bags averaged 200 to 250-dove per half day of shooting and it was easy to fire 20 boxes of shells. While doves can be brought back to the US, most of them are given to the local people who welcome an added source of protein or they are prepared and served at the lodge, often as hors d’oeuvres stuffed with a jalapeno and bacon wrapped.
The eared dove is a species endemic to South America, with hunting most popular in Bolivia, Uruguay and Argentina. This handsome bird is about the same size and has the same general appearance as our mourning dove. The only real difference is the eared dove has a square and rather short tail compared to the longer pointed tail of our mourning dove.
Eared doves are prolific and under optimum habitat conditions their numbers reach significant proportions. Conditions are perfect in Argentina - food is plentiful including vast acreages of wheat, corn, sorghum and sunflowers. Irrigation canals and impoundments provide water, and woodlots are used for nesting and roosting. This equates to an enormous population of doves numbering in the millions that are considered pests by local farmers. As a result there is no season or limits on doves in Argentina and the number of birds in the bag depends on the shooting ability of the hunter, the number of birds using the area and often how much money you are willing to spend on shells!
Most of our dove hunting was in the afternoon. However, during the course of the four-day hunt, we spent one full day dove shooting. That day most shots were relatively high, and at times the birds were boosted along by 10 to 15-mile per hour winds. This type of shooting requires a 12 gauge for most hunters or a 20 gauge in the hands of a well-seasoned shooter. For single barrel guns, modified is the best choke. For doubles, modified/ full are recommended.
During the midday break we enjoyed an Asada in the field where various meats were grilled over an open fire. Lunch was served on a long table set up under shade trees and included several cuts of beef plus lamb and chicken along with fresh breads, salad and roasted potatoes. After lunch hammocks were set up for a mid day snooze.
PIGEON
Decoy pigeon shooting is challenging and the bags can be high, often numbering a hundred birds or more. In Argentina, pigeons like doves are considered vermin and there are no seasons or limits.
One of my best pigeon shoots was at Malalcue Lodge. We hunted a corn field and soon after the decoys were set, the first pigeon landed in the decoys before we noticed it. When Vince stood up the pigeon sensed danger and launched itself skyward. He shouldered his shotgun and when the barrel was just ahead of the bird scrambling for altitude, pulled the trigger. To our amazement he missed! In less than a heart beat, he pulled the trigger a second time and with a puff of feathers anchored the first pigeon of the trip.
Before we could decide whether or not to retrieve the bird, a trio of high flyers came over the trees then made a sharp turn as they spotted the decoys. Like a brace of mallards being coaxed in by a veteran caller and a good decoy spread, the birds banked sharply then let the air slip through their wings in an effort to lose altitude. Committed to the decoys and 20 yards out, I took the bird on the right while Vince swung left. His shotgun blast made me flinch (at least that was my excuse) and I missed the shot. Vince connected adding another pigeon to the bag.
The morning continued at a frenzied pace with about 80 percent of the birds decoying and the remainder offering passing shots. The combination of decoy and pass shooting lead to a tremendous amount of variety with shots ranging from birds back pedaling over the decoys at 15 yards to high flyers passing overhead at 40 yards. By the time Ariel returned to pick us for lunch up we had 58 pigeons on the ground. The bag comprised about 25 percent spot-winged pigeons, a bird about the size of a domestic pigeon that's blue-gray in appearance with distinctive white spots on their wings. The remainder of the bag was the larger picazuro pigeon or Argentine wood pigeon.
PERDIZ
Perdiz round out the upland gamebirds in Argentina. Perdiz are actually a tinamou, a ground dwelling bird that occupies the same ecological niche as the gray partridge of Europe or the sharp-tailed grouse of North America. Like their cousins, they feed on seeds and green shoots and are consequently excellent table fare. In contrast to partridge that form coveys, tinamous travel alone or occasionally in pairs. They are found throughout South America and occupy a variety of habitats from the jungles of the Amazon to the temperate grasslands of Tierra del Fuego.
One of the better perdiz hunts I’ve experienced was at Estancia Cortaderas. The habitat is rolling grasslands interspersed with agricultural land and is perfect for perdiz.
The first morning we loaded the dogs and piled into the van just after the sun peaked above the distant mountains. We proceed to a pasture about 25 minutes from the Estancia and wasted no time putting a wired-haired pointer on the ground. The dog covered lots of territory and just 10 minutes into the hunt, froze solid on point. As my partner reached the dog, a single brown bombshell exploded from the sparse cover. He responded and the bird fell dead. A couple of minutes later the first perdiz of the day was retrieved and delivered to our guide. The bird was the color of a hen pheasant, larger than a quail and flew like a gray partridge.
After the first perdiz was in the bag, we knew better what to expect and headed off across the grass-covered hills. The pointer ranged wide and quartered beautifully. Every few minutes, the scent of a perdiz was located. Some birds evaded the dog, but most held and presented 20 to 35 yard shots which suited our 20 gauge doubles, choked improved and modified perfectly.
Unlike doves and pigeons that are considered agricultural pests, perdiz are revered as quality gamebirds by Argentine hunters and have a limit of eight birds and a season that opens in May and closes in August.
BOOKING TRIPS
Mr. John Bothwell (949-294-5719, email - john@argentinasbesthunting.com ) books hunts for both Malalcue Lodge and Estancia Cortaderas.
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