Argentina Luxury Bird Hunting and Golden Dorado Fishing
Price
$695 per person, per day, plus shells, Argentine gun permits and tips. (Five day minimum)
Included
All ground transportation in the hunting areas, all meals, including beer, wine and cocktails, single-room accommodations when possible, local hunting licenses.
Not included
Commercial or charter air travel, Argentine gun permits, shotgun shells, gratuities, laundry, or miscellaneous purchases.
Pigeon and perdiz hunting are available as an option at an additional $100/day
Travel/Gun Permits/Entry
A passport is required to enter Argentina. Visas are not required. The process of taking your shotguns to Argentina is simple. Rod & Gun Resources will send you a one page "gun permit pre-registration" form-you just fill it out and have it back to us no later than 30 days prior to your departure. That's it. We will fill out the required Argentine technical form — ficha technica — and send it (with three copies) to you, along with your other final documents.
Accommodations for the first part of the trip are at beautiful Estancia Santa Rosa, near the Entre Rios Province town of Gualeguay-three hours northeast by van from Buenos Aires. The dorado fishing area is three hours north of Santa Rosa. On the transfer day, you hunt doves in the morning, travel during midday, and arrive at the fishing area in plenty of time for an afternoon pigeon hunt. Accommodations there are at Estancia Los Tres Sietes, a delightful and stylish lodge converted recently from its former life as a polo pony stable.
IMPORTANT
Upon your return to the U.S., the Customs authorities frequently require you to have proof-of-ownership of your firearms. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you take a copy of the purchase receipt, or register your guns with U.S. Customs (personal effects form 4457) prior to your departure from the U.S. This can be accomplished at your international departure city airport. PLEASE DO THIS TO AVOID ANY HASSLES.
Shells
All shells should be purchased in Argentina. The quality is quite good, and buying them there eliminates hassles and possible overweight charges. Cost of shells will be $11/box for 20, 12 and 28 ga. Payment for shells can be made with cash or a personal check, and will be handled as you depart. Traveler's Checks or credit cards are not accepted.
Guns/Chokes
If you bring guns, we suggest you bring two in case of breakdown. 12, 20 or 28-gauge are all suitable. For chokes, we suggest improved/modified for double guns and modified for single barrels. Screw-in chokes can provide flexibility. Make sure your guns are in good working order before you leave-this is high-volume shooting, away from gunsmiths. Take extra parts for repair if you have them. Gun cleaning equipment is not necessary-the lodge cleans all firearms daily.
You should transport your guns in lockable hard cases, or packed well in a duffel bag. Even in a hard case, the gun must be disassembled. We also suggest a lightweight, storable soft case to carry guns into the field. Of course, none of this applies if you rent guns.
Seasons/Climate/Clothing
Prime months are October-April. Lows will be 50° to 70°. Highs run 70° to 90°.
For the shooting, use dark green/brown or camo clothes with a corresponding hat. Ankle-height shoes or boots are perfectly adequate. Always take a raincoat to the field. Evening wear will be very informal — whatever is most comfortable, including hunting clothes if you wish.
Shotgun/Rod Rental
Good-condition Benelli and Beretta autoloaders and Browning over/unders are available to rent in 20 or 12 gauge at $50/gun per day. If you rent, you avoid the $75/gun permit fee and the hassle of gun clearance at the airport. Spinning rods/reels are available for rental at $25/rod per day. Spinning lures are included in the rental price. Fly fishermen will need to bring all of their own equipment and flies.
Shooting Limits
Bag limits in most provinces of Argentina are very liberal, and on some species that are considered "plagues" there are no limits. There are no limits on dove or pigeon shooting in Entre Rios Province. The limit on perdiz (if applicable) is 15. On doves, hunters generally shoot from 1,000 to 1,500 rounds a day, depending on conditions and personal inclination.
OTHER ITEMS TO INCLUDE
- Shooting safety glasses-yellow for dark days, dark for sun
- Thin, soft leather shooting gloves or adhesive tape to protect hands and fingers while loading and firing
- Shell bag or vest
- Ear plugs for protection while shooting
- Shoulder pad recoil reduction device (optional)
- Camera with extra battery
- Small container of bug repellant
- Light raincoat (brown, green, camo, etc.)
- Small backpack or field bag
- Copy of passport-packed separately
- Multi-tool or pocketknife
- Reading glasses
- Toiletry items
- prescription drugs
- Zip-lock bag or case to protect camera
- Lip balm
- Travel alarm clock and flashlight
- Garbage bags for dirty laundry
Additional Items for Dorado Fishing
- Cotton or microfiber shirts for fishing and lodge wear
- T-shirts
- Several pairs of cotton or microfiber shorts
- Several pairs of cotton or microfiber casual pants for fishing and lodge wear
- Boat shoes
- Fishing hat
- Line clippers or scissors
- Small wire cutters
- Knife
- Hook sharpener
- Small lure boxes/fly boxes
- Small fishing pack or vest
- Amber polarized fishing glasses
- Fishing pliers
- 50-lb. 6" wire leaders with snap swivel (spin fishing)
- Fishing gloves
For fly fishermen only:
- 40-50 lb. range of tippet material
- Plastic-coated 40-50 lb. steel tippet material
Flies
- Large muddler/deceiver flies #3 to #5/0 in combinations of yellow, orange, black, red, and blue with lots of flash and some with white underbellies. 5 to 7" in length
Lures
- 1 oz. Pixie spoon orange, pink and hot orange inserts
- Johnson Silver Minnow Spoon chrome/silver color 5/8 oz. to1 1/8oz.
- 4 1/2 to 6" swim baits such as Panther Martin & XPS
- Rebel or Rapala broken minnow 5 1/2 to 7" long
- Flies with 5/8 oz. bullet weights to be used as jigs
NOTE: The above flies can be ordered from Custom Rod & Fly Co. (830) 257-3611 (e-mail). Please order well in advance of your departure. Spinners, tackle and lures can be ordered from Fishin' World, Dallas,TX (877) 227-0402.
Fly Fishing Tackle
- 9' to 10' fly rod for 9 to 10 weight line
- Reel for 9 to 10 weight rod
- Floating fly line for 9 to 10 weight rods
- Fast sink tip line for 9 to 10 weight rods
Baitcasting/Spinning Tackle
- Medium heavy/heavy 7 foot rods
- Medium baitcasting/spinning reel for 25-40 lb. line We suggest braided lines such as Spectra, Spiderwire and Superbraid in 65 pound test.
- Strong swivels in "dun-lock" or "coast-lock" style for 60-100 lb. test
Catch and Release
In the spirit of sportsmanship and preserving our world-class fishing, we encourage catch and release on all species.
Airline Scheduling
As mentioned earlier, many excellent carriers, such as American, Delta, United Airlines, Lan Chile, Aerolineas Argentinas and Varig offer flight service to Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Houston, Dallas, New York, Miami, Atlanta, or Los Angeles. All of the flights depart the U. S. in the evening and arrive Argentina early to late morning the next day.
Rod & Gun Resources will be happy to arrange your air travel or you are welcome to purchase tickets on your own. We are in constant contact with our outfitters and our transfer agency-both organizations do an outstanding job handling incoming/outgoing transfers.
Currency
The official currency of Argentina is the peso. The exchange rate is roughly 2.8 pesos to the dollar. You will need cash in dollars or pesos for the gun permits and also for the airport departure tax (around $15). Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted in larger cities.
Trip Cancellation and Baggage Insurance
We offer applications through Travel Insured International. You may want to check your homeowner's insurance for coverage of your shotguns and baggage contents while traveling.
Electric Current
220 volts; a standard converter and European adapter for two-pronged plugs should work fine.
Gratuities
Gratuities for hotel and field staff are not included in the hunt cost, and we suggest $40 per day per shooter in cash as a general guideline. This will be distributed by the outfitters to luggage handlers, pick-up boys, and lodge staff. Camouflage caps, shirts, or other shooting-related items are also appreciated by younger bird boys as an extra tip. A pair of anglers should tip $40 total per day to their fishing guide. All tips can be paid at the end of the trip.
If you spend some time in Buenos Aires, the standard restaurant tip is 10 to 15%.
Time
When we are on Daylight Savings Time here in the U.S., Argentina is Eastern Time plus one hour (it's later in Argentina). The remainder of the year they are Eastern Time plus two hours.
Language
Spanish is the national language, although English is spoken in most shops and restaurants.
In Buenos Aires
Shopping: Most shops are generally open all day to 7 p.m. on weekdays and until 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Florida Street is for pedestrians only and is lined with many attractive shops. One example is Mundo del Cuero (World of Leather) which houses two dozen leather goods merchants.
Restaurants: In the stylish Puerto Madero area near the downtown Yacht Club, we suggest Cabana Las Lilas for steaks and mixed-grill, Dique Cuatro for international cuisine and Katrine for Mediterranean.
In the Recoleta (an upscale area near downtown with good shopping and sidewalk cafes), we suggest Lola for Mediterranean, R.M. Ortiz 1811, or for French, Au Bec Fin at Vincente Lopez 1825.
Keep in mind that Buenos Aires is a dynamic dining environment-even with these recommendations, it is still wise to ask your transfer agent or hotel concierge to make recommendations or assist with reservations for any restaurant. You should plan on eating a little later than you may be used to in the U. S.-many Argentines don't eat dinner until 10p.m., and most restaurants do not begin serving dinner until 8:30 p.m.
Helpful Hints
Get to the airport plenty early on your day of departure. You will have spent a lot of money on the trip, so start off on the right foot. Carry some bills in small denominations for tips, airport meters, snacks, etc.
Check the expiration date on your passport. Some countries require that the passport is valid for as much as one year from your date of entry. And, as mentioned earlier, take a photocopy of the photo page of the passport, in case you lose the original. The copy will greatly facilitate the process of securing a new one.
Plan for rain. Always take a raincoat (in hunting colors) and always take it with you on each outing. It's amazing how many wet hunters/fishermen have a nice dry raincoat in their guestroom at the lodge. If it doesn't rain, they make an excellent outer shell for cool mornings.
Pack sensibly. Try to use soft-sided luggage and take only as much clothing as you will need. Always take your passport, airline tickets, medications, camera equipment and valuables in a carry-on such as a backpack or small valise.
Bandannas are a good idea for protecting your neck against the sun, and they work well as an emergency headcover if you misplace your hat and need to protect your slightly- balding head.
Bring two pairs of sunglasses.
Revised 6-14-06