Blog | Argentina Big Hunting

Argentina perdiz…a one bird covey flush

BY JIM NIEMIEC

Western Outdoor News Staff Writer

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA – Bird hunters head off annually to Safari Club International’s Hunters’ Convention in Las Vegas to talk to outfitters about the many different upland game bird and waterfowl hunting opportunities available world wide. Prime bird hunting destinations from Canada, Mexico, South Africa, New Zealand and South America are well represented at this show and with good exchange rates now available, wing shooters are booking many distant hunts. This Western Outdoor News hunting editor spent three days at this year’s SCI event in search of the best multiple species bird hunting destination and ended up booking a hunt with Dr. Patricio Geijo, owner/outfitter for Argentina Big Hunting.

Argentina offers by far the best dove hunting in the world, but this hunter’s quest was to concentrate on other bird species that are not found in any other part of the world. The highly prized perdiz upland game bird and a variety of unique and very colorful waterfowl, not found in any North American flyway, would be the focus of this hunt, but still allowing time to hunt for eared dove under massive flyways.

Geijo assured us that package hunts he offers are complete from the time of arrival in Buenos Aires, inclusive of all during the hunt and a safe return back to Argentina’s national airport. The flight from LAX to Buena Aries, on board an Aeromexico 777-200/300, was reasonable, on time and very comfortable.

Upon arrival at the hunt lodge, which is on a rancho given in the 1840’s by the King of Spain as a gift to one of his generals after numerous successful battles against native Argentineans’ the estancia was built in 1850 by the general for one of his 4 daughters.   After settling in a traditional afternoon dove hunt was on tap. A fine selection of Berretta and Benelli shotguns are available and each hunter is assigned a bird boy. All hunting arrangements are either made by Dr. Geijo or his Hunt Master Lisamdro Piaseschi, both of whom are fluent in English.

After 10 boxes of 20 ga. ammo there was a pile of eared dove on the ground and it was time to return to the lodge to talk about the next day’s hunt for perdiz. This hunter had no idea what to expect other than to be prepared to walk grass pastures and work closely behind a good gun dog. It had rained a total of 14 inches prior to our arrival and the black mud was ankle deep in places which necessitated wearing knee high rubber hunting boots. It had rained so hard that all nearby rivers were blown out and our hopes of fishing for Golden Dorado on Rio Uruguay were unfortunately washed away with heavy runoff from up river dams.

Upon entering the first field the next foggy morning my guide told me to stay right behind Marbo, a black 10 year old German shorthair that had a keen nose, but ranged pretty far out making it difficult for this veteran wing shooter to keep pace at times. Marbo went on a strong point and then moved cautiously through tick cover. Out of seeming nowhere the distinct flushing sound of a single perdiz to the right, had this shooter swinging way behind that bird. Expecting there to be more perdiz holding tight, I kept the Benelli shouldered, as one would do when hunting any of our native quail here in the states. There was no covey of perdiz though, as these birds are found mostly as a single bird offering up a very explosive flush. It took a while for this shooter to get on target but in less than an hour’s hunt an 8 bird limit was harvested.

Hunting perdiz was perhaps, among all the hunts that this hunting editor has enjoyed over the years, the most rewarding of all. Not only because the hunt took place in a wonderful country, but the classic style of the hunt, the flush of this game bird and watching top gun dogs in action it just all came together!

According to Geijo the perdiz is native to Argentina with a very sustainable hunting population across the country, but this bird is very vulnerable to adverse conditions and doesn’t survive even a single spent pellet. In the best interest of conservation and good game management, if a perdiz is winged (dusted) or drops one of its legs, it is considered a killed bird and included as a dead bird in your daily bag limit.

The chef at this historic hunt lodge prepares excellent wild game and flavorful Argentine grass fed beef amongst other native dishes of which we enjoyed at every meal served with an excellent selection of Argentine wine.

My plan was to switch back and forth from hunting perdiz or ducks in the morning, to dove or touring in the afternoon. The flooded Rio Paraguay river system had spread out the duck population, but under the tens of thousands of acres of prime bird and big game habitat owned or under lease by this outfitter there were no less than 50 small ponds and oxbows that offered up excellent duck hunting. No geese are allowed to be harvested in Argentina so that option would be off the table.

Offering either #5 or #7 Active shotgun shells in either 12 or 20 gauge, this shooter opted for #7 shot perfectly matched to a 20 gauge Benelli autoloader. It would be shooting over a small pond with a dozen decoys and the average shot would be taken at decoying flocks of ducks at a distance of 10 to 20 yards. Talk about an awesome duck shoot, this avid waterfowl hunter can never recall such an enjoyable duck shoot in over a half century of hunting waterfowl. With a liberal limit of 25 ducks one has time to select each shot taken. Most of the ducks harvested were either Brazilian Ducks or speckled teal with a few other varieties added to the heavy game strap by the end of the hunt.

The entire hunting experience that offered up daily limits of both perdiz and puddle ducks, the wonderful people of Argentina, food and fine wine made for a very enjoyable time spent in Argentina all the way from a tango show in old town Buenos Aires to touring the palace of the first president of Argentina. This hunting destination is one that any Western Outdoor News reader would thoroughly enjoy. To consider any kind of unique hunt, plan on attending next year’s SCI Hunters’ Convention to take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3, 2018. Hope to see you there, as it’s one of the best hunting shows in the world.

Argentina Perdiz: the hunting is easy, the flushing is hard

FIRST ARGENTINA PERDIZ – WON’s Jim Niemiec shows off a pair of perdiz upland game birds he shot on the first day of his Argentina bird hunting expedition. Niemiec was hunting with ArgentinaBigHunting.com north of Buenos Aires, and went on to shoot an 8 bird limit with the help of a good gun dog named Marbo a 10 year old German shorthair. WON PHOTO BY TONI NIEMIEC

Argentina Duck Limit

ARGENTINA DUCK SHOOT – The daily bag limit of ducks in Argentina is set at 25 birds and hunters have no difficulty in bagging full limits. WON hunting editor Jim Niemiec shot well with #7 shot and a 20 gauge Benelli and is pictured with Dr. Patricio Geijo, owner/outfitter of

ArgentinaBigHunting.com. WON PHOTO BY TONI NIEMIEC

Overview of the main species of Argentinian ducks.

Argentina duck hunting is fabulous due to the variety of species and high poplulation of birds.

This South American country is very well known for limitless dove hunting and a year round dove season.

It is equally known for its high volume duck hunting readily available in many areas of its vast land.

Duck hunting species in Argentina are different

There are around 17 species of ducks in Argentina and more than ten of them are commonly hunted in the country.

Some species are more abundant in some regions than in others, and some species can only be found in certain habitats.

Argentina Big Hunting’s main duck hunting operation is located in the Eastern side of the province of Entre Rios. It is one of the hot spots for duck hunting in South America.

The wetland, lagoon, marsh and river systems of this region coupled with the abundant agriculture provide a world-class duck hunting experience in Argentina for different species.

Seasons and limits vary depending on location, so duck season in our area runs from May through August with a 25 ducks limit a day.

While many hunters come with the main goal to experience Argentina to the fullest; the tremendous waterfowl flights, quality wine, famous steaks and the luxury lodging is well known worldwide. 

Despite the fact that we are able to provide one of the widest variety of ducks, it is not likely for a hunter to see all the species together. 

The migration patterns are based on weather conditions, it is more realistic to expect to see five to seven species during a week long hunting adventure

Argentina duck hunting is second to none because the abundance of game and variety of species.

Here is some information on some of the most popular species of ducks we hunt:

Ringed Teal

The Ringed teal are one of the species that migrates early in Argentina. In Entre Rios we have a sizeable permanent population of them.

They are a smaller sized duck with a beautiful feather pattern with an interesting white ring on each wing.

It has a beautiful blue bill and with a soft peep when flying. Their flight is erratic and is quite difficult to get a bead on, providing a challenge to even the most seasoned shooter.

Brazilian Teal

Brazilian Teal migrate about mid season but some can also be found earlier.  

There is a permanent population of these Ducks around Buenos Aires and they insure the success of Argentina duck hunting. These are the largest of the Teal species found in Argentina and can be compared in size with the North American Wood Duck.  

The bill of the Brazilian Teal is a deep red and its wings are green in color and they generally fly very low in groups of 10 or more birds and they are very willing to decoy.

They are very noisy in flight as they make a very loud whistling sound as they fly.  

Brazilian Teal represent one of the largest populations of ducks in the area and can be found in large numbers in lagoons and potholes.

 

Speckled Teal

These Speckled Teals are small in size and appear early in the migration.

It can be compared in size to the Green Winged Teal of North America.

They are speckled in color with a yellow beak and this type of teals are very acrobatic flyers.

Regarding their flight pattern, hunters usually find them in large groups in excess of 10 birds.

Teals are very fast and agile birds and respond very well to imitation calls.

As you can imagine they are very challenging to shoot and can be very entertaining to try and get a bead on

Silver Teal

This small bird is similar in size to a Green Winged Teal and hunters recognize them by it cappuccino cheeks and colorful blue and yellow bill.

They have a unique flying pattern and can be found in pairs on in larger groups. In flight they are very fast and are willing to decoy.

It’s hard to tell the difference between a male and female bird as they are identical in size and markings.

They are very predominant in Argentina and can be found in many types of waters and conditions

Chiloe Wigeon

Think of the Chiloe Wigeon as the South American 1^st cousin of the North American Wigeon.

These wigeons live throughout South America including the Falkland Islands.  

They have a green and white metallic head with a very stunning feather pattern. In flight the Chiloe has a weeping whistle.

Wigeons prefer small bodies of water like lagoons and potholes and are found mainly in small groups of four or more.

Chiloe’s are also known to flock with other waterfowl species.

Yellow Billed Pintail

The Yellow Billed Pintail is a little larger than the North American Pintail and is very similar in appearance and behaviors.

It has a bright yellow bill with a brown body with the characteristic long pin-tail.

They fly in small groups of 6 or less the birds are known to decoy from high altitudes.

These pintails prefer larger bodies of water, big fields and secluded ponds and are a very cautious bird that are very fun to hunt.

White-Cheeked Pintail

Being a late migrator the White Cheeked Pintail is one of the last birds to come in during the Argentina Duck season.  

It is smaller than the Yellow Billed Pintail. They have stunning white cheeks and a blood red bill and can be found in small groups.

White cheeked (or white face) pintails are a very fast flying bird and are commonly found with groups of Teal.

Red Shoveler

The Red Shovelers show up early and have a lot of the same characteristics as their North American cousins.

They are a cinnamon color red with blue and green colored wings with a bold black bill.

Shovelers are very willing to decoy and are predictable flyers and you can find Red Shovelers by themselves or with other species of waterfowl.

Rosybill Pochard

One of the most sought after species of ducks in Argentina the Rosybill Pochard is a very unique species of duck.

They are excellent flyers and are very fast.   

“Rossies” are a bit larger than a Mallard duck and have a Rosy colored bill, white striped wings and a very loud quack.

These ducks fly at very high altitudes but they decoy very well when an experienced duck caller lures them.

It’s quite a site to see a large group of Rosybill’s descending from above into your decoys.

Argentina duck hunting wouldn’t be the same without this emblematic species.

 

White-Faced Whistling

The White Face Whistling ducks are not migratory and are found resident in Argentina throughout the year.

They have a white face, black bill and a mahogany colored chest. Because of their long legs they have a very unique flying style.

These ducks fly at high altitudes and are constantly squealing and they are very cautious to decoy and at times can be found among other flocks of ducks.

We would like to thank Southern Outfitters Cooperation for their contribution to this post.

Pictures of a few duck hunting species

If you live in the US Argentina Duck Hunting opens up a whole new world when it comes to Duck Hunting.   If you love to Duck Hunt like I do one of the biggest complaints I have is that the season doesn’t last long enough

But Argentina Duck Hunting Doubles The Length Of Your Season

That’s right, the Ducks are migrating south, why not you?   Since Argentina is in the Southern Hemisphere their seasons are just polar opposite of the US. That means that in less than a day you can be in Argentina Hunting the ducks you missed a few months back.

If you have never considered Argentina as a Duck Hunting destination this will be a pleasant surprise for you.   The limit is 25 birds per day … that is not a misprint, 25 birds per day.   And most days getting a limit of ducks is not hard to do.   There are millions of ducks that call Argentina home from April through July.

Most Duck Hunters that come to Argentina are surprised to learn that Duck Hunting is done in the morning and then after a nice lunch they go out in the afternoon for some world class Dove hunting or shoot some Perdiz over dogs.

As an added bonus Argentina also has world class fishing close to the hunting grounds. Trout fishing gets the most press but there is also some amazing freshwater Golden Dorado Fishing.

In addition Argentina has some of the best Big Game hunting on the planet that also can be combined with a Duck Hunt. Free range Red Stag, Black Buck and Axis Deer are just a few of the options you have.

If you enjoy hunting then Argentina has got to be on your bucket list, maybe more than once. Along with spectacular Argentina Duck Hunting it offers some many other options that you will need to come back more than once to experience it all.

Argentina

Before we start talking about Dove Hunting in Argentina let me tell you a little about the county itself. Argentina is the 8^th largest country of the world and is 2,780,400 square kilometers. It is the second largest country in South America just behind Brazil. Argentina is almost 5000 kilometers long from Ushuaia (the southernmost city of the world) to La Quiaca and 1400 kilometers wide.

With such a big territory Argentina has different environments such as the rain forest area in the North East of the country to the glaciers in the South West. It has it all: high mountains, endless plains, forest, deserts and so on.

The total population of the country is about of 44 million people and its capital, Buenos Aires, has more than 15 million inhabitants. There are many other important cities that congregate more than 10 million people so basically most of the Argentina’s population live in a metropolitan areas.

The importance of these facts about Argentia is that among all the different habitats that Argentina has many of them are perfect habitats for different bird species. This explains the high concentration of many species such as Dove and Pigeon.

Argentina features great populations of doves in provinces like Entre Rios, La Pampa, Santiago del Estero, San Luis and of course the most famous one: Cordoba.

Regarding waterfowl, Argentina has many species of ducks that are very common in provinces like Entre Rios, Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Corrientes.

Our upland game bird the perdiz is very popular to hunt with large populations of them in provinces such as Entre Rios, Corrientes, Buenos Aires and La Pampar.

As for pigeons places like San Luis, Salta, Entre Rios and La Pampa offer an incredible population of these birds.

Our dove hunting area in Argentina

These bird species are the four feathers we are allowed to hunt in Argentina and if you have noticed the pattern the province of Entre Rios has them all in the same place with high concentrations of each living there.

You can see why Entre Rios province is one of the finest destinations for mixed bag bird hunting not only in Argentina but in the world. Depending on the time of year hunters can enjoy hunting multiple species (mixed bag) even in the same day.

Entre Rios is located only a couple hours by car from Buenos Aires, which makes it one of the easiest hunting areas to get to in the country.  No additional flights to burn up another day of travel.  Our hunters enjoy their first hunt the afternoon they arrive.

For all what we have explained above Argentina Big Hunting is proud to manage the best bird shooting destination in all of Argentina.

Hunting Doves In Argentina

Argentina is known worldwide as the best dove shooting destination in the world. The increase of the cultivated area of the country together with large bushy areas and the abundance of water give these places an incredible growing population of Doves over the last twenty years. Places considered to be not as good as others for dove hunting have now become hot spoots for some of the best dove hunting in the country.

Entre Rios, is fast becoming the most popular area to hunt birds in all of Argentina and Argentina Big Hunting proudly manages the nearest high volume dove roosts from Buenos Aires city. Its only two hours by car from the capital city of Argentina from this incredible hunting destination.

Eared Doves

What we shoot is the “Eared Dove” (zenaida auriculata) a little bit bigger than the American mourning dove and with a squared tail instead of the pointed tail of its American cousin.

Due to the high population of these birds, which in many places is truly out of control, doves in Argentina are considered as a pest. That’s why the dove hunting season is open all year round without bag limits. According to some late surveys made by the Wildlife and the Agricultural authorities, doves destroy more than 50% of the annual crops in certain areas of the country.   Hunters are more than welcome to shoot as many birds as they can.

The population of doves in some areas of Argentina is just amazing. In our hunting area we manage no less than five dove roosts located not further than 40 minutes away from the lodge and in some cases within 10 minutes, with tens of millions of birds in each one of them.

Due to the massive population of these birds it is common for a hunter to shoot anywhere between to 1,000 to 2,000 rounds a day or even more. Basically it is up to each hunter to set their own limits due that the birds will fly over them constantly.

We Serve Gourmet Argentine Cuisine

As for lodging, we provide first class accommodations and services, with International and local gourmet cuisine, Argentinean quality wine and all the comfort required by the high standard of a world class hunting lodge. We are constantly monitoring where the Doves are concentrating so we can always put our guests in the best areas.

As you can see Dove Hunting in Argentina is a very special hunting adventure for those who love wing shooting. With the diversity of other bird species our guests will enjoy hunting multiple species of birds during their stay with us.  We hunt over water and in blinds for doves. over decoys for ducks, and we hunt over dogs for Perdiz and Hare.