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rgentina wingshooting is the sum of all
wonderful experience is as addictive as crack
If Argentina offered no more than its nonpareil
superlatives. Argentina has the best dove
cocaine; you have to return every year to get
wingshooting it would be a compelling destina-
shooting in the world, it has the best duck shoot-
your fix.
tion, but it offers so much more.
ing in the world, and it has the best goose shoot-
I have heard tales of shooters taking out second
Argentina has the best beef in the world, bar
ing in the world. It has excellent shooting for
mortgages on their homes or selling their wives
none. It is tender, succulent, grass-fed fare that
decoyed pigeons and for partridges over point-
and daughters to get their annual fix.
goes from the cow to the consumer in less than
ing dogs. Argentina wingshooting is, as the
When I started shooting in Argentina over thir-
a day. Argentina is hell on vegetarians but a
French say, hors de classe–in a class by itself. If
ty years ago, outfitter Chiche Bilo predicted that
delight to Atkins dieters. Buenos Aires has some
you are a serious wingshooter and you haven't
within ten years all the great shooting would be
of the finest steak houses in the world, temples
been to Argentina maybe you haven't fully lived.
finished. Thank God he was wrong. It has got-
of gastronomy such as the newly reopened La
I must warn you that when you do go to
ten steadily better. Fierce competition has raised
CabaĂąa and CabaĂąa las Lilas, to which gourmets
Argentina two things will happen: you will forev-
standards of outfitting; there are new, luxurious
and gourmands (whose god is their belly) faithful-
er be spoiled for any wingshooting in the United
lodges; roads are better; gun entry is easier; avail-
ly make their pilgrimages. To wash down all that
States, and you will have to keep going back and
ability of good shotshells is much greater; and
beef Argentina produces some of the best red
going back, because Argentina is the kind of
domestic air service is much better. Some
wines in the world, distinguished cabernets and
place where you can't go just once. The whole
species of game birds are more abundant.
merlots and malbecs from the high, snow-melt
A
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his glory. When the guns fell silent and the smoke cleared away we counted it one of the great days of our lives. Salta is perhaps the best-kept secret in the world of Argentina wingshooting, but it will not stay that way for long. New for 2005 will be a duck/dove combination shoot. Upon arrival in Buenos Aires shooters will be transported by mini-bus to Esquina, Corrientes, one of the top ducking areas in the country. Corrientes is a major rice-growing area with vast expanses of water and duck habitat along the Parana River. Shooters will stay in a very attractive, comfortable estancia home and enjoy excellent duck shooting for three days. Then they will travel by charter aircraft directly to Las Lajitas in Salta for three days dove shooting. Finally, they will fly back to Buenos Aires. They may optionally take a charter flight from Buenos Aires to Esquina at additional cost. (There is no commercial air service to Esquina.) This shoot will operate May-August. Rio Seco has a supply of well-maintained Beretta and Benelli semi-automatic shotguns for rent to shooters who do not wish to bring their own guns.
GET FURTHER INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS AT: TEL. 54-11-4311-1222 /
INFO@RIOSECOLODGE.COM
WWW.RIOSECOLODGE.COM
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Thousands of Magellan geese swarm in the beautiful Esquel Valley of Chubut Province, near the Welsh settlement of Trevelin.
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Santa Fe corresponds economically and geographically to Nebraska
Santa Fe has a superb infrastructure for the visiting shooter, including
and Kansas in the United States. It is a totally flat province in northeastern
excellent highways, bridges, and tunnels under major rivers. However, there is
Argentina which is a major producer of corn, soybeans, sorghum, and cattle.
no reason to visit Santa Fe except for the birdshooting unless you like to
Its eastern boundary is the mighty Parana River, which has many outlying
watch soybeans grow and cattle graze. The landscape is flat and featureless
lagoons and marshes and tributary streams. All that water coupled with the
and uninspiring. As Gertrude Stein wrote of Oakland, California: "There's no
extensive grain and seed-growing agriculture means that Santa Fe has vast
there there."
expanses of top-quality duck habitat. Santa Fe has a Mediterranean climate,
Shooters reach Marcelo Sodiro's La Primavera Lodge by flying from
with hot, humid air and persistent hot northern winds in summer and blasts
Aeroparque in Buenos Aires to the city of Sante Fe. They are met on arrival
of polar air invading the region in the winter. The most pleasant months for
and driven to the lodge, about three hours away.
visiting are May - August.
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It is easy to understand why Marcelo Sodiro, owner and operator of
shooting perdiz over staunch and disciplined pointing dogs. Large grainfields
South American Adventure Safaris, won the Outfitter of the Year Award from
adjacent to brush and trees provide excellent habitat for pigeons. Immense
Safari Club International in 2003. He is meticulous in
marshes and lagoons shelter large populations of
his attention to detail and dedicated to excellence in
ducks. All together, Marcelo has exclusive access to
all aspects of his operation. He leaves nothing to
over a half million acres of land for wingshooting.
chance. His staff is just as dedicated to him as he is
He permits unlimited shooting for doves and
to his clients. He is an affable and agreeable fellow
pigeons, but limits shooters to 25 ducks and 8 perdiz
that his clients take an immediate liking to.
per day. There is additionally a non-game species,
Marcelo built his reputation initially as a big-
namely parakeets, that provide very challenging sho-
game guide and outfitter. He has guided many of
oting. They are noxious pests, so shooters are encou-
the luminaries of the big-game hunting world in
raged to shoot all they want.
Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Namibia.
Species of ducks available are rosy-billed
Out of his very comfortable lodge, La
pochard, red shoveller, white-faced tree duck, white-
Primavera, near the town of Rafaela, Marcelo offers
cheeked pintail, cinnamon teal, Brazilian teal, spot-
excellent shooting for doves, ducks, perdiz, and pige-
wing teal, and black-headed duck. Indeed, it is not
ons. He has three dove roosts within 25 minutes drive from the lodge where
uncommon to harvest ten or more species in a morning shoot. This shoot is
shooters can enjoy unlimited shooting. He has access to vast grasslands for
an excellent shoot for the collector of species.
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Franz Kinsky blasting away at swarms of doves.
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View of the main lodge and the sleeping quarters at La Primavera, Marcelo Sodiro's very comfortable hostelry.
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All of Marcelo's duck shoots are "natural," i.e.,
to provide a solid floor for the shooter to stand on, and
ting to the dining table. The chefs prepare a wide range
non-baited shoots. He says that he has never felt a need
a shooting stool. After each shoot the birdboys clean
of Argentine and international specialties of top quality.
to bait in order to provide excellent duck shooting.
shooters' boots and thoroughly clean and oil their guns.
All groups of shooters will enjoy an asado, or tra-
Marcelo's birdboys are the best-equipped and
To a great extent birdboys are responsible for the shoo-
ditional Argentine mid-day cook-out of many cuts of
best-trained in the business. Each birdboy has a comple-
ters' success and contentment, so it is understandable
beef, chicken, and sausages over an open fire out in the
te field kit that includes flashlight, first-aid kit, insect
why Marcelo calls them his "professional bird assis-
shooting area.
repellent, sun block, hot drinks in cold weather, and
tants" rather than simply "birdboys," because they are
cold drinks in hot weather. He can do minor gun repairs
much more than birdboys.
I will tell you about one memorable day of shooting with Marcel Sodiro.
in the field. On the duck shoots each birdboy carries a
Shooters are accommodated in a clean, comfor-
I shot once again with my long-time worldwide
steel grid that he puts down inside the blind on the mud
table lodge called La Primavera. It has a separate buil-
shooting companion, Skip "The Hawg" Hoagland, and
ding with four large double rooms with private bathro-
his wife, Cathy. On this particular morning we enjoyed
oms, plenty of hot water, air conditioning, and natural
a high-intensity decoyed pigeon shoot.
gas heating. The main lodge has a large dining/social
Marcelo Sodiro and his birdboys constructed
area and bar, where shooters relax by fireside in the eve-
blinds along a fence that separated a field of harvested
nings and enjoy aperitivos such as smoked red stag, oli-
corn from dense brush. In the cornfield they set up a
ves, cubes of cheddar cheese, and salami before migra-
battery-powered carousel on which they mounted pige-
Front view of the main lodge at La Primavera, which houses the dining room and the large social room/bar area.
on decoys, and put more decoys on the ground and in the nearby treetops.
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Exterior view of the very comfortable La Primavera Lodge where shooters stay when shooting with Marcelo Sodiro.
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Serge Dompierre blasting away blithely at endless streams of doves over the sunflower fields of Los Cha単ares.
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The province of Cordoba is a gigantic dove factory and the dove-shoo-
ding poisoning, burning of the roosts, and the use of acetylene noise-makers.
Doves swarm in pestilential congregations in
Later they came to regard the vast swarms of birds as a blessing of the most
Cordoba. Nobody knows how many there are; nobody can even venture a
golden sort, as annually thousands of shooters bringing millions of dollars
close guess. I have heard estimates ranging from 20 million up to 50 million.
arrived to shoot them
ting capitol of the world.
Such a preternatural abundance of birds has been made possible by a propi-
Annually about 6.000 (this is just a well-informed estimate-the number
tious concatenation of circumstances: a mild climate all year round, making
may be much higher) foreign shooters come to Cordoba to enjoy some of the
possible two or three hatches a year; vast expanses of land planted in corn,
finest wingshooting sport in the world. (In fact, dove shooting in Cordoba
wheat, sorghum, soybeans, and sunflowers; lots of excellent nesting and roos-
rates as one of the finest bird shoots in the world, right along with driven par-
ting habitat; very few predators; ample surface water; and a total absence of
tridges in Spain and driven pheasants in Denmark and Hungary.) Dove shoo-
shooting pressure from local shooters.
ting in Cordoba is big business. In recent years many operators with little more
Before large numbers of foreign shooters started to arrive in Cordoba, farmers and ranchers considered the doves a plague of the most onerous sort. They tried every measure to kill doves or drive them off their property, inclu-
than dreams of quick riches have gotten into the business. Competition for the best fields and for shooters has become fierce. All this competition has had two effects. First, it has for the most part
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SILVER PIGEON III
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In a very crowded, competitive field, Estancia Los Chañares stands
and probably the largest in Argentina. The entire roost consists of cha-
out as the ne plus ultra of dove-shooting lodges in Cordoba. There a
nares, which are large trees with extensive limbs and densely interlocking
shooter can easily fire two cases of shells per day,
branches that provide excellent roosting habitat
he will average three cases per day, and on excep-
because they conceal the doves from raptors and
tional days he will fire four or more cases. My
protect them against cold winds. The roost is
good friend, George Hage–commonly known as
protected as a sanctuary; absolutely no shooting
"The Butcher of Beirut"–fired 93 boxes in one
is permitted there. Nor is any shooting permit-
afternoon to set a new record for Los Chañares.
ted near waterholes.
That was in July, 2003. His record has been broken several times since then.
Serge Dompierre puts out about a ton of food (wheat, corn, sorghum) every day for the
The reasons for such an abundance of
birds. He puts it on bare ground, which is where
birds are manifold. Owner/manager Serge
the birds like to eat, because there they can see
Dompierre, a successful Canadian businessman,
any predators coming. So many birds come in to
has done everything possible to maximize the
eat that when he goes out the following day not
numbers of doves on his property. In the first
a single grain can be found.
place, out of the nearly 2000 hectares of land approximately 500 hecta-
Serge plants many food plots with wheat, sorghum, corn, Japanese
res (about 1250 acres) constitute a roost–the largest roost in Cordoba,
millet, and sunflowers. (He is convinced that the frequency of breeding
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Aerial view of Los Cha単ares, with swimming pool to the left and dove fields in the distance.
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The province of Buenos Aires is a vast plain with some of the richest
fewer potholes. Either way, the visiting shooter wins out. Recent years enjo-
soil in the world. It constitutes most of what is known as the pampas. It
yed abundant rainfall until 2004, when rain did not come until almost the
produces much of the agricultural wealth of the country, with large expan-
end of the duck season.
ses cultivated in corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, and sunflowers. Extensive grasslands provide pasture for hundreds of thousands of cattle and winte-
Buenos Aires Province enjoys a moderate climate, with short, mild winters and long, hot summers.
ring grounds for large numbers of geese. This is the land of which V.S.
Los Gauchos Outfitters, La Sistina, Estancia San Jose and Estancia La
Naipaul wrote in THE WRITER AND THE WORLD (indispensable rea-
Mariana are located in Buenos Aires Province. Normally shooters reach
ding for an understanding of Argentina): "The land was empty and very flat
these places by flying to Bahia Blanca and then traveling overland 1-2 hours.
and very rich; it was inexhaustible; and it was infinitely forgiving."
Occasionally Four Seasons Adventures will drive its clients all the way from
The agriculture, coupled with an infinite number of potholes and sloughs and marshes, make for extensive duck habitat. These bodies of water depend entirely upon rainfall. In wet years water levels are high and ducks pullulate; in dry years water levels drop, and some potholes even dry up. Some ducks move elsewhere but those that remain are concentrated on
Buenos Aires, a trip of 4-5 hours. It is comfortable and easy to drive in Buenos Aires Province because it has a dense network of excellent hard-surfaced roads. The duck season runs May through early August; the goose season runs from early June through July, with June being the better month.
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Tom Williams in action on a misty morning--the kind of morning that is dear to duck shooters' hearts.
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La Sistina Lodge is unique in several ways. First, it is located on an
either ducks on the island or geese off the island. Then, after lunch and a
island. Specifically, on La Sistina island in the Del Monte lagoon near the
siesta, shooters enjoy a specialty hunt that La Sistina is famous for. This is
town of Guamini. Second, it has a greater variety
essentially a march across the land, with shooters
of game than any other lodge in this book. It has
spaced about 15 yards apart, and a dog or two out
two species of partridges, pheasants, hares, ducks,
in front. Anything that moves is fair game. There
and pigeons. It also offers geese nearby. For sho-
is virtually non-stop action for up to two hours.
oters who would like to add big game, there are
In the evenings shooters take up stands
moufflon and fallow deer, and herds of black-
around a copse of tall eucalyptus trees that serve
buck antelope bound across the island in long,
as a pigeon roost, and intercept high birds as they
graceful arcs. La Sistina is an outstanding choice
float in to the uppermost branches.
for a mixed-bag shoot. Third, since the island is
At night, lodge manager/huntmaster Julio
small-only 700-800 hectares, depending on water
James takes shooters out to shoot hares with
levels–all the game is close to the lodge, some of
rifles and spotlights.
it within easy walking distance. Fourth, since there is so much game on such a small island, La Sistina offers a greater density of game than the other lodges. The usual program calls for a waterfowl shoot in the morning,
One can pack in a lot of shooting in a short time at La Sistina. Like Los Laureles, La Sistina is part of a vast conglomerate, which includes three hunting lodges and several wineries. As such, it sets very
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Skip "The Hawg" Hoagland all set for action on ducks on a foggy morning.
A hard-working birdboy hauls in a very good morning's worth of ducks along the shore of Lake Guamini.