Argentina Dove Hunting Pre-trip Information

Price

La Catalina — $695 per person per day
Del Pilar — $595 per person per day

Included

All ground transportation in the hunting areas, all meals, including beer, wine and cocktails, single-room accommodations when possible.

Not included

Commercial or charter air travel, Argentine gun permits/licenses, shotgun shells, gratuities, laundry, or miscellaneous purchases.

Pigeon and perdiz hunting are available as an option at an additional $100/day

GUN PERMITS/ENTRY/TRANSFERS

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.

IMPORTANT
KEEP IN MIND THAT IT TAKES LONGER TO CLEAR THE GUNS AT CUSTOMS THAN IT DID PREVIOUSLY — SOMETIMES AN HOUR OR MORE — SO YOU MIGHT CONSIDER RENTING SHOTGUNS FROM THE OUTFITTER.

If you arrive Cordoba via Santiago, Chile
Upon arrival in Cordoba, you first go through Immigration, then to collect your guns and luggage, then to Customs. Immediately after Customs, the Miles & Miles representative will meet you and assist with gun clearance. The Cordoba officials only take pesos, so the Miles rep will pay your $100 per gun permit fees and then add that amount to your shell bill to be paid upon departure from the lodge.

If you are instead traveling through Buenos Aires and then to Cordoba
Upon arrival in Buenos Aires you go through Immigration, then collect your bags. Our representative will meet you in baggage claim and escort you to the gun clearance room, where you present the gun form and pay in cash approx. $75 for each firearm. Please make sure you have this amount of cash on hand when you arrive ( US dollars accepted). Of course, our representative will provide assistance throughout.

Upon your departure from Cordoba/Buenos Aires, you will be provided with your cancelled Argentine gun permit. Please be sure to keep this document with you until you return home. Of course, none of this applies if you are renting guns.

SHELLS/LICENSES

Payment for your shells and the Argentine hunting license 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. Cost of shells will be: $12/box for 12 and 20 gauge, and $13/box for 28 gauge. Price for the shells is subject to change. The Cordoba Province hunting license is $65/day. for full days, $32.50 for half days.

GUNS/CHOKES

Miles & Miles have excellent shotguns available to rent at $75/day. Models available include new Beretta and Benelli autos in 20 and 12 gauge, medium to high-grade Beretta and Rizzini over/unders in 12, 20 and 28 gauge, and various other really nice guns.

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.

If you plan to bring guns, we recommend you bring two. 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 out in the country—away from gunsmiths. Take extra parts for repair if you have them. Gun cleaning equipment is not necessary—the lodge cleans all firearms at the end of each day. If you bring guns keep in mind that all firearms must be transported in lockable hard cases— the firearms must be disassembled. We also suggest a lightweight, storable soft case to carry guns into the field.

CLIMATE/CLOTHING

Use dark green/brown or camo clothes with a corresponding hat. Ankle-height shoes/boots are perfectly adequate. December-April highs will be 80° to 90° with cooler evenings. May-August is winter. Lows will be 40° to 45°. Highs run 50° to 70°. September-November lows will be 45° to 50° and highs 70° to75°.

Evening wear will be very informal—whatever is most comfortable, including hunting clothes if you wish. The only need for coat and tie is at sophisticated restaurants in Buenos Aires or Santiago.

OTHER ITEMS TO INCLUDE

• Shooting safety glasses — yellow for dark days, dark for sun (either for safety is a fundamental requirement)
• 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)
• Still photo or video camera
• 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 and prescription drugs
• Zip-lock bag or case to protect camera
• Reading material
• Lip balm
• Travel alarm clock and flashlight
• Garbage bags for dirty laundry

SHOOTING LIMITS/GAME TRANSPORT

Bag limits in most provinces of Argentina are very liberal— on some species that are considered “plagues” there are no limits. The dove shooting in Cordoba is in this category, and as such, there are no limits. Hunters generally shoot from 1,000 to 2,000 rounds a day, sometimes more, depending on conditions and personal inclination.

It has long been legal to bring back birds for personal consumption, but since around 2007, more and more of the international airlines departing from Buenos Aires and Santiago are refusing to allow the birds/meat to be checked onto the planes. In the current climate, we consider it unlikely any hunters will succeed in getting birds on their flights, so we suggest clients do not make the attempt. Of course it is up to the individual.

AIRLINE SCHEDULING

Many excellent carriers, such as American, Delta, United Airlines, Lan Chile, Aerolineas Argentinas and Varig offer flight service to Argentina from Dallas, New York, Miami, Atlanta, or Los Angeles with connections to Cordoba. Currently, several of the more efficient routings are from the U. S. through Santiago, Chile. 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. If you wish to travel to Buenos Aires or Santiago/Cordoba on Aadvantage (frequent flyer) miles, a coach ticket is 40,000 to 60,000 miles, depending on the time of year. We are in constant contact with Miles & Miles Outfitters and our transfer agencies. All organizations do an outstanding job handling all incoming/outgoing transfers.

CURRENCY

The official currency of Argentina is the peso. The exchange rate is roughly 3.4 pesos to the dollar. You will need cash in dollars or pesos for the Cordoba airport departure tax (around $15). Also, if you plan to spend time in Santiago, Chile, there is a $100 Immigration fee. Visa and MasterCard are accepted in most shops and restaurants.

TRIP CANCELLATION & BAGGAGE INSURANCE

We offer applications through Travel Insured International and Sportsman’s Travel Insurance. 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.

If you have a simple airport/airport or airport/hotel transfer in Buenos Aires or Santiago, you need not tip the guide/ driver. If you have an extended tour, it is best to tip the guide $20 or so, and $10 for the driver. The standard restaurant tip is 10% to 15%.

TIME

When we are on Daylight Saving 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, Katrine for Mediterranean/Italian, and Dique Cuatro for international cuisine. In the Recoleta (an upscale area near the Alvear Palace with good shopping and sidewalk cafes), we suggest Lola for Mediterranean, or for French, Au Bec Fin.

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 10 p.m., and most restaurants do not begin serving dinner until 8:30 p.m.

IN SANTIAGO

SHOPPING: Most shops are open similar hours as Buenos Aires. There are two excellent choices for antiques, arts and crafts and handmade goods. The Craft Center Los Dominicos is a refurbished convent which features 200 stalls, located at Avd. Apoquindo 9085; and the Mercado Central downtown is a large market with lots of seafood cafes and local color. For higher-end shopping, Alonso de Cordoba Street has many elegant clothing and gift shops, along with wine stores and imported goods.

RESTAURANTS: For typical Chilean mixed grill and seafood dishes, we suggest El Comedor Chileno, and El Meson Nerudiano. For upscale, try Astrid & Gaston.

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, again, 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 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 8-22-08