Duck shooting in Buenos Aries summary
One of the countries best kept secrets, the Argentine duck shooting season runs from April 1st to the end of July, a time of year often overlooked by the northern hemisphere visitor. Guests are accommodated at one of two carefully selected lodges within a few hours drive of Buenos Aires and the international airport. The recommended itinerary for both lodges is to spend 3 nights and 4 days shooting, with an afternoon flight on arrival day, a morning flight on departure day and two full day’s shooting in between.This timeframe can be extended or reduced according to your wishes.
Guests leave their lodge in the dark after a hearty breakfast in order to be ready for the morning flight, which commences at dawn amongst extensive marshland habitat that is home to 12 different species of duck including mallard, widgeon, teal and pochard. Shooting is from comfortable and well camouflaged hides located close to the water’s edge, with the skies full of large quantities of wildfowl moving around in search of food and shelter.We provide guides, transport (and where necessary boats) as well as decoys to attract duck within range. By around 10.30am the wildfowl will have settled down for the day, and once the bag has been collected you will be transferred back to the lodge for lunch and a siesta before setting off for the afternoon flight around 3pm, which lasts until darkness descends around 7pm. Each gun is accompanied by a secretario, who will keep an accurate tally of the bag and collect what birds he can when the flight is over. The journey between lodge and marshland is rarely more than 45 minutes and often much less, according to where the duck are feeding and resting at the time.
For an insight into the fantastic experience you can enjoy whilst duck shooting at Jacana Lodge, please click on the picture below to watch a short film clip:
Bag and cartridge limits apply to all our duck shooting itineraries – please select our lodges tab for details. At Los Crestones we also offer the opportunity to participate in some low volume partridge shooting over pointers during the middle of the day, and riding can be enjoyed at both lodges. There are no extra charges for these services. Please contact Wild and Exotic for our “best price” offer and availability at your preferred lodge. The price will include full board and accommodation, including alcoholic beverages, together with duck shooting, the services of professional guides and shooting transfers. The price does not include the cost of transferring by vehicle from Buenos Aires to the lodge, gun hire, cartridges or gratuities, although we do have a selection of waders for the complimentary use of our guests.
Jacana and Los Crestones Lodges
Jacana
Jacana is a modern and supremely comfortable estancia styled lodge approximately 4 hours drive from Buenos Aires. There are 5 double rooms, each with a private bathroom offering accommodation for a maximum of 10 guests. Both service and food are of the highest standard and facilities include internet access and satellite telephone. At Jacana the limit is 5 boxes of cartridges for the morning shoot and 3 for the afternoon shoot (25 cartridges in a box), meaning that a really accurate shot has the opportunity of shooting up to 200 duck per day in a landscape teeming with wildfowl of every description. This is the lodge for the dedicated duck shooter.
Los Crestones
Los Crestones is a traditional estancia set in mature parkland that is less than a 90 minute transfer from the international airport. Recently refurbished, the accommodation comprises 8 single rooms, each with a private bathroom. Guests dine on the best Argentine beef and other local produce, and the facilities include internet access. At Los Crestones there is no limit on the amount of cartridges fired, but a limit of 35 duck for the morning flight and 15 for the evening flight is imposed, giving a total of 50 duck per person per day. A feature of this classic Argentine estancia is that the host’s golden retrievers assist in collecting the bag. There is also the opportunity to enjoy some fascinating walked up partridge shooting across the estancia from May 1st until the end of July, with German short haired pointers and English pointers deployed to indicate the game, which when shot is also picked up by the owners fabulous retrievers. Both pigeon and dove shooting are sometimes available, making Los Crestones the perfect destination for the sportsman who appreciates the variety of a mixed bag and the pleasures of watching well trained gundogs at work above a very large bag of wild duck .
Argentina General Information and Map
Capital: Buenos Aires
Getting there: There are regular flights from most major European cities direct to Buenos Aires. British Airways flies from London Heathrow with a touch down in Sao Paulo (Brazil) en route. Flying time from London is approximately 15 hours.
Time: GMT minus 4 hours.
Try not to miss: Buenos Aires! In all probability you will arrive in Argentina via this most glamorous and cosmopolitan of all south American cities, often described as the Paris of South America. We recommend at least at a two days and nights based either in the hip Palermo part of the city, or the elegant and refined barrio of Recoleta. We use hotels in both districts and can organise anything from private tours of the city to theatre tickets and tango lessons.
From Buenos Aires fly down to Patagonia, land of legendary beauty and inaccessibility that is home to vast estancias and some of the best riding and fishing opportunities in the world. Begin in the north by staying at one of our hand picked estancias scattered about the Patagonian steppe surrounding Lanin National Park, before heading south to explore the Argentine Lake District and the alpine town of Bariloche. Move further south still to Calafate, where the Perito Moreno glacier – one of only 3 in the world that is actually advancing each year – awaits in Los Glaciares National Park, as does the extraordinary estancia Christina at the western end of Lago Argentina. Across the border in Chile lies the rugged and beautiful Torres del Paine National Park, instantly recognisable from the iconic peaks of her famous towers.
Visit the beautiful provinces of Salta, JuJuy and Catamarca in the North West for spectacular high Andes scenery, rich colonial architecture and the southern end of the Inca trail. Explore the fascinating settlements of Cachi and Purmamarca, stay in luxury at estancia Colomé, the oldest bodega (vineyard) in Argentina, visit the dazzling white salt flats of the Salinas Grandes, and be driven along a dried up river bed to experience the charms of isolated Iruya in JuJuy province. Ask us about our high altitude trek with llamas from the eastern jungles across the Andes Mountains to Tilcara. Mendoza lies halfway between the northwest and Buenos Aires, a province celebrated for her vineyards and stylish bodegas, and perhaps a hike to the base of mighty Aconcagua mountain. For something completely different visit the magnificent Iguazu Falls close to the border with Brazil and Paraguay, which are surrounded by tropical rainforest alive with colourful birdlife.
You could also visit Dos Lunas, a boutique farm house that boasts a unique style, located in the heart of the Ongamira valley in the province of Córdoba. Surrounded by an extraordinary 2,300 hectare (5,689 acre) natural environment, Dos Lunas offers an amazing mix of nature and comfort that makes guests feel like home from the moment they arrive. The tours around the valley, coordinated by expert guides and providing the best equipment, are the highlight of Dos Lunas and make it a premium destination. You can explore the valley from horseback together with our expert staff through a variety of paths featuring different levels of difficulty and length. Trekking on foot is also an option to visit the area and actively enjoy its beauty through specially selected paths. Dos Lunas is an excellent destination to combine a riding and shooting holiday.
Visas: No visa is required for visits of up to 90 days for UK citizens.
Why Argentina: Because we cannot think of another country anywhere in the world that boasts such a diverse range of landscapes, from glaciers in the south to steamy jungle in the north east and arid desert in the north west, with a huge variety in between, ensuring there is never a bad month to visit some part of this remarkable country. Come also to experience Argentina’s indefinable spirit and style, her fine wines and celebrated cuts of tender meat – all three fuse together at a weekend asado or barbeque.
