It's Duck Season Somewhere: Argentina 2010 Report

[bigwater]

ramsey,

that guy from dallas.. the 80 yr old.. dudes name wasn't john lomanaco (sp?) was it...

[Plainsman04]

From my experience in Argentina those are great prices! It'll be a few years but when I get the change to go back I'll be giving Ramsey a call. Got a baby on the way right now so that's got things kinda tight! Shells in any amount being included is a huge bonus. We paid $11/box 2 years ago for 20 ga. lead and it went up to $14/box right after we left. Not sure what it's up to now but that adds up. Great people down there though. It's a once in a lifetime experience but something everybody should do more than once.

[Double R 2]

ramsey,

that guy from dallas.. the 80 yr old.. dudes name wasn't john lomanaco (sp?) was it...

Yes indeed, Mr. John LoMonaco. One of finest people it's been my pleasure to have ever met. He was an endless source of stories from around the world, and when I got home an inscribed copy of his book, A Hunting Lifetime awaited to my surprise. I've scarcely put it down. We've been in touch since and hope to get up with him for a friendly duck hunt in Oklahoma or Arkansas during the upcoming season.

[The Waterfowler]

I am still here and have a wealth of information to share. As many times as I have been down here I am blown away by the latest findings that I will share with pictures when I return. Just to reiterate a few things said, let me say we are looking out for the hunters first and foremost and I am sitting next to a pretty Argentine that is smart, savvy, dedicated and as professional as they come that holds the welfare of the hunter first and makes the outfitters deliver as they should. I honestly believe that they two outfits I have visited so far can meet the needs of any traveling hunter there is. I followed RR`s footsteps to one area and got the same treatmend as he did and all I can say is, My God! at the ducks and consistancy. 106 decoying birds in 44 minutes with two shooters trying to keep their guns loaded for instance. Another hybrid for my collection! Birds decoying so close yesterday that they looked like a station 8 clay pigeon when shot. It is coming together for GetDucks to offer the epitome for hunts for the blue collar guys for a trip of a life time. I have seen few guaranteed hunts in my life, but have just witnessed two so far. Stay tuned as there is more to come.

[bigwater]

i knew it had to be john.. brooks and john have meet out there in ok.. john gave brooks a copy of his book the one your talking about.. its a good read full adventures and hunting the world...

[Double R 2]

I am still here and have a wealth of information to share. As many times as I have been down here I am blown away by the latest findings that I will share with pictures when I return. Just to reiterate a few things said, let me say we are looking out for the hunters first and foremost and I am sitting next to a pretty Argentine that is smart, savvy, dedicated and as professional as they come that holds the welfare of the hunter first and makes the outfitters deliver as they should. I honestly believe that they two outfits I have visited so far can meet the needs of any traveling hunter there is. I followed RR`s footsteps to one area and got the same treatmend as he did and all I can say is, My God! at the ducks and consistancy. 106 decoying birds in 44 minutes with two shooters trying to keep their guns loaded for instance. Another hybrid for my collection! Birds decoying so close yesterday that they looked like a station 8 clay pigeon when shot. It is coming together for GetDucks to offer the epitome for hunts for the blue collar guys for a trip of a life time. I have seen few guaranteed hunts in my life, but have just witnessed two so far. Stay tuned as there is more to come.

As our travel agency has grown, it has become our incumbent to offer an increased diversity of programs. Not all hunters have the same ideal regarding Argentina duck hunting, the same budget or time allowances. For total-package, pure-luxury Argentina duck hunting, I don't believe a more exclusive program exists than the one we've featured for years. But even with the 18% below-retail we've made available, it's not for everyone. And just how important is "edible art" desserts to hardcore American duck whackers? More important to some than to others. Any good steak house menu has several quality cuts and sides from which to choose, not just the 12-ounce filet and baked potatoe. We committed ourselves to create a similar wingshooting menu.

Pat and I spent the past year or more researching outfits throughought Argentina. Rates, convenience, mixed-bag opportunities and especially quality shooting; referals and a millions different things you learn to ask, look or listen for in this industry. We then committed ourselves to nearly an entire month down there to meet and assess a pool of keepers first-hand. After one leg of his trip got cancelled due to inclement weather (which necessitated a costly, 10-hour round trip ground transfer over a period of 2 days), we arranged for him to visit an operation I'd been visiting for the few days preceding his arrival to BA. It's a sleeping giant; it's the 2-inch thick, pound and a half ribeye you can cut with a spoon that better completes our existing Argentina menu. In a word: wow. More words: greatest concentration of rosybills I've ever experienced. And again: wow.

[Double R 2]

Talk is cheap. The proof is in spent cartridges. A limit of 50 ducks per hunter is reasonable: that's 100 ducks per 2-man blind. Diligence and skillful management produce near-guarantee consistency. We parked the truck and walked about 100 yards to a simple blind. No seats? We won't be here long enough, he replied with a smile. I let it grow light before picking birds from the steady flow of decoying rosybills. I might need glasses. Initially I missed way more than I really care to admit. You're shooting in front of them, he said. Made perfect sense; we'd been shooting birds over open water 50+ yards at times for nearly a week. I adjusted by swinging through the base of the bill and it started raining. Then pouring. Singles, doubles, triples, quadruples. Both sides of the blinds. And still they kept coming. My host queered the strap with a pair of speckled teal, else it was entirely the kings of South American ducks: rosybills. All too soon it came to an end; the sun had just crept over the horizon when the guide tapped my shoulder and held up the clicker:

[Double R 2]

Trust me. Fifty ducks per morning per hunter is plenty. Here's what a 2-man limit looks like:

[Double R 2]

Afternoon duck hunting is available on a limited basis. The afternoon mainstay is high-quality perdiz over excellent Brittanies. Big game hunting for black buck and axis is also available. I opted to go see the axis and black buck operation, about an hour away. Endemic to India, black bucks were transplanted to certain Argentine locales in the early-1900's. I had no interest in shooting one, but might next time. After taking the picture below, I noticed some horns sticking up out of the grass. A beautiful 4-curl buck. Slipped the horns off the base and came home with a nice pair of trophies after all.

[Double R 2]

Rosybills...

...one



...two



...three



...with red shovelers



..raining

[JDgator]

The food looks amazing. You could go just for that alone...

[Double R 2]

...white as the driven snow (albino drake rosybill, the trophy of a lifetime)

[LawDawg]

Ramsey, that is awesome man. Just awesome. you deserve it.

[kris Schaumburg]

Ramsey,

Don't know if I told you this, but the first time we went to Alberta with Conway, I was on one end of the line the first morning. We were in a mixed group and I didn't know the other guys. We were told not to shoot until told to do so. About mid morning, a group of a few hundred mallards worked us well, but we were almost done on ducks and had very few if any geese. On my end an albino hen worked within 20 yds at least 5 passes. I was just waiting for the order, it never came cause he was trying to work some Canadas. the ducks left, and he asked if I had seen that snow on my end. I had, but told him it was a suzie, to which he asked why I didn't shoot. I've regretted it almost constantly since.

[arduckslayer]

Ramsey, that is awesome man. Just awesome. you deserve it.

I don't know about that! Stephen said that bird is absolutely gorgeous. He had to check it out before he put it in the freezer for Dad. I can't wait to see it in person.