Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Dove hunting Argentina- Questions

Got invited to dove hunt the Cordoba Lodge in Argentina next year. Never having done this, we are wondering what kind of gratuities are expected. Has anyone done this and please relate your experiences. Thanks, John

Nothing outlandish. Just tip em whatever you feel like. One thing that's a huge hit is to take old jeans, shirts, and jackets. They'll make new clothes from them. Had to ship a couple of cases of .410's as they're not available. Take a soft shooting shotgun or you'll be miserable after the first day. It used to be you had to leave a wing on your birds. I don't know if you can even bring them home anymore. I know dry ice is not ship-able.
You'll have a blast! Literally!

Had a friend that got invited to go with a buddy of his that paid for the flight and hunting lodge. Free dove hunt, right?

My friend spent $3500 on shotgun shells and misc... LOL.

He said they didn't even clean the dove there.

Hatari is your man. Ask him. He's been down there lots of time..

They will take US currency and love it. I also donated some camo clothing and they seemed happy to have it. One time I even brought down a few "Leatherman" types.

Make sure you do something for the bird boys.

Word of warning. Thieves are rampant. One buddy lost everything, guns, clothes, literally everything. After landing in Buenos Aires, checked into a hotel, went for lunch. Thieves climbed up to his second story balcony and took everything he brought within 40 minutes of landing at the airport.

It's very difficult (or expensive) for those guys to get anything from America. I've got some guys that fish with me that own and operate a big bird hunting operation down there. They go crazy when they hit the Houston retailers, especially for quality hunting clothes. Don't forget, duck hunting is as big a deal down there as dove...bigger for them.

I went to Argentina this past September. Hunted 2 1/2 days.

I tipped my bird boy $300, and another $200 for the staff.

Be sure and take a shooting pad and vaseline for you shoulder. You'll shoot a minimum one case of shells each hunt.

Trey

Don't make the same mistake many make by shooting at every passing bird. Pick your shots and you'll conserve your shells and score a higher kill count. The 3 hour fly-overs twice a day are endless so take your time and enjoy yourself.

Can't comment on the duck hunting because I've never done that, but it is highly merchandised down there. I never took a 12 ga.

PS: The camps we hunted cleaned all of our birds.

btt

Couple of things

1. Don't over pack they will do your laundry every day.
2 Sun screen/mosquito repellant
3.Glasses and earplugs
4 Rent shotguns from the lodge-20 gauge ( we had benelli montefeltros)
5 Bird boys are 65.00 a day and mine got more than that. Whatever lodge you book with will give you guidelines for tipping staff.
6 Take a jacket
7 Don't take a check bag. Carry on with a small backpack to take to the field with you everyday.
8 Shoulder pad
9 Don't work at it pick your shots and take breaks........Easy to shoot 1000 rounds a day
10. At 14 bucks a box shells are expensive but in the grand scheme of things really not bad considering the air fare and lodge.

Also we were told that you cannot ship shells they must be purchased in Argentina.

I have friends that have been there, the above advice is spot on. Pick your shots or you will be too sore after the first day.

Pm Sent. Wish i was going back with you!!!

Hope you are not a vegetarian or a vegan. Hell on earth for a vegan. (They deserve it) Better like prime grass fed beef cooked over open coals and some excellent Malbec wine.

Solid advice here.

No doubt you can rack up a big shell bill, especially if you are one of those guys that wants to join the 1000 bird club.
Doves are considered a pestilence in the Cordoba Valley. I read in a magazine there that the people from the University in Cordoba estimate that 16%+ of the grain crop each year is lost to bird predation. I have shot pigeons that exploded and rained corn on us they were so full from eating. Area has unlimited food, water, very good roosting habitat, and few natural preditors beyond eagles and foxes. Mild climate. All these factors have them raising 4-5 clutches of eggs per year instead of two (or so I'm told).