Argentina dove hunting

[Amos Keeto]

My old turkey hunting buddy, rest his soul, made a trip to "The River of Doves".
I wasn't there, but he said they put shooters (it isn't a hunt!) on station with a kid, two shotguns and a butt load of shells!
The kid kept the guns loaded and picked up the birds.
Said he ran through nine (?) cases of shells, probably killed more parakeets than doves!
Doves eat the grain that falls to the ground. Those pesky little parakeets nip the head off the grain!
He said by the end of the third day, he would only take shots he saw as a challenge. Just killing birds had become old!
Don't remember him talking about tips.

 

[Wallace]

I worked for and lived at dove lodges for around 6 months of my life (most of that was making sure the guides/bird boys were where they needed to be and all was good between them and the client), I've hunted Argentina around 10 additional times for about everything the country offers. I still sell hunts to Argentina and we send hundreds of hunters there annually.

If you're just going to pick one thing, cash is king.

If you want to leave them something, leave an item that they can use while they are working (guiding). Rain gear, boots, head lamp, electronic ear muffs, good gloves, sun glasses etc. There isn't a huge professional need for a good knife or binoculars for a bird guide (definitely a need if it's a big game guide), but a lot of them hunt on their spare time as well. Most of the larger operations will have company shirts and jackets that they wear when working, so base and mid layers are something they can get use out of.

 

[Amos Keeto]

@Wallace
Never thought about it, but my buddy said they never ate a bird. All (edible) birds were dressed and given to the locals.
He was also instructed to shoot some type eagle down there.
He brought home the talons to give his grandsons. One of them took his to school! ALMOST got grampa arrested!

 

[Wallace]

@Wallace
Never thought about it, but my buddy said they never ate a bird. All (edible) birds were dressed and given to the locals.
He was also instructed to shoot some type eagle down there.
He brought home the talons to give his grandsons. One of them took his to school! ALMOST got grampa arrested!

I would NOT recommend shooting eagles out there .... and for the love of god don't try to bring talons home. I don't know what the consequences would be, but I wouldn't want to find out. I know the lodges I've worked at would have fired a bird boy in a heart beat if they told a client to shoot an eagle.

Believe it or not, I've been on more shoots in Argentina that were checked by their equivalent of game wardens than I have on dove hunts in the US. Granted it was only 3 times, but still more than I've been checked during dove shoots in the US.

 

[Amos Keeto]

I would NOT recommend shooting eagles out there .... and for the love of god don't try to bring talons home. I don't know what the consequences would be, but I wouldn't want to find out. I know the lodges I've worked at would have fired a bird boy in a heart beat if they told a client to shoot an eagle.

Believe it or not, I've been on more shoots in Argentina that were checked by their equivalent of game wardens than I have on dove hunts in the US. Granted it was only 3 times, but still more than I've been checked during dove shoots in the US.

I dunno Wallace, I suppose he could have been telling a windy. I'll never know! He's gone and I have no idea where his grandkids live.....but yeah, I kinda wondered that too.

 

[Wallace]

I dunno Wallace, I suppose he could have been telling a windy. I'll never know! He's gone and I have no idea where his grandkids live.....but yeah, I kinda wondered that too.

I've got no problem believing he shot one and brought it back without getting caught. I've seen them shot on accident and on purpose (not condoned by the outfitter), it definitely happens.

 

[Tx_Razorback]

Post-Hunt update: Besides the 2 day delay on our luggage, the trip was awesome! We ended up bring Boker pocket knives, sitka beanies and some S. Texas camo hunting shirts for our bird guys that sat with us during the hunts. The guys were very appreciative of the gifts and the beanies came in handy when the temps dropped towards the end of the trip. Cash is still king so we did tip well at the end of the hunt and we would've been fine with just the cash but wanted to do something to show some additional appreciate for the guys.

Side Note: I did not realize that we would be shooting at parakeets and they are quite challenging after that first shot rings out

 

[Wallace]

Post-Hunt update: Besides the 2 day delay on our luggage, the trip was awesome! We ended up bring Boker pocket knives, sitka beanies and some S. Texas camo hunting shirts for our bird guys that sat with us during the hunts. The guys were very appreciative of the gifts and the beanies came in handy when the temps dropped towards the end of the trip. Cash is still king so we did tip well at the end of the hunt and we would've been fine with just the cash but wanted to do something to show some additional appreciate for the guys.

Side Note: I did not realize that we would be shooting at parakeets and they are quite challenging after that first shot rings out

A crippled parakeet will call other parakeets in ... Don't grab a cripple without gloves though, they can and will draw blood.

Glad you had a great trip.

 

[Amos Keeto]

Post-Hunt update: Besides the 2 day delay on our luggage, the trip was awesome! We ended up bring Boker pocket knives, sitka beanies and some S. Texas camo hunting shirts for our bird guys that sat with us during the hunts. The guys were very appreciative of the gifts and the beanies came in handy when the temps dropped towards the end of the trip. Cash is still king so we did tip well at the end of the hunt and we would've been fine with just the cash but wanted to do something to show some additional appreciate for the guys.

Side Note: I did not realize that we would be shooting at parakeets and they are quite challenging after that first shot rings out

I remember my buddy talking about shooting the parakeets, but don't recall him saying they were challenging.

What he told me was the dove eat the grain that falls to the ground. The parakeets, and their little pruning shear beaks, nip the head off the grain. Basically, destroying the entire grain head rather than just picking up the grain on the ground.