Argentina and red stag
Hogs
A buddy has approached me and is interested in a trip to chase red stag in Argentina. I know exactly zero about the subject. He is just now starting to research. I thought I might reach out here and see if anyone had any advice or opinions to share on the subject. Not just where to hunt, I’d be interested in literally any advice be it gear, clothing, timing or whatever.
I’m interested as well.
Personally I only care about where/who to hunt with. The gear and clothing and whatever is the easy part. If you are with the wrong outfitter it doesn’t matter how much Sitka gear you have.
—Jim
Yall should come down to New Zealand. Awesome stag hunting.
Since Argentina is in the southern hemisphere, summer would be winter there and visa versa, so depending on the month, would have to consider what stage of antler development if choosing a time I would think...
I looked into this years ago and back then, Bowhunting Safari Consultants (BSC) had a few outfitters they worked with in Argentina. If I got serious about it again, I’d contact them first.
I oversaw manufacturing facilities in Argentina, have traveled there several times for business and spent two weeks in southern Argentina this year for a personal vacation and I’ll say culturally, the Argentinian people think and act differently than most others I’ve encountered (not necessarily a bad thing, they just think differently than most) and I’ve traveled and spent significant time on every continent. Because of those differences I’d definitely find someone, like BSC, who has experience with specific outfitters.
Lastly, if you go do some internet research on the “blue dollar” before exchanging American dollars at a bank, or withdrawing money from an ATM. The inflation is still so high in Argentina, compared to the US, that local businesses will give you a great rate if you’ve got USD. They simply hold onto the USD for a year or two and make their money back since their Argentinian Peso value declines so much in value compared to our dollar. Euros are the other global currency they want to get their hands on. When we were there last spring, we were able to exchange American cash at a rate 4 to 5 times better than the bank rate. Ask around (hotel, stores, etc) in the city you’re staying in and they can point you in the right direction. Cash exchange will often take place in a back room in a restaurant or other small local business. Restaurants and hotels will often give you favorable rates if you pay in American cash. Offering to pay your outfitter USD in cash might also get you a discount but I don’t have direct experience with that.
I thought there was a post sometime back about a bowsite member that hunted Argentina. They had a great hunt, if I recall but the cost to get the trophies back was insane and I think they told the outfitter to keep them.
I will see if I can find it.
That may have been me BG.
I hunted red stag in Argentina in 2014. Absolutely awesome experience and not overly expensive. Excellent food and wine.
The roar (rut) was in full swing in early April where I went. Tough stalking conditions due to the wide open country. I caught one in some brush with my ghillie top on and managed to get him with a close shot in the brush.
The water buffalo were really interesting… I had an issue with my arrow setup and did not try to shoot one of those but they are really cool! Bigger than the buffalo in Australia or Cape buffalo and have a nasty attitude…. I would go back for one of those!
I left my stag there after a nightmare trying to get it back to the US. Part of that was because i was working and living in Peru at the time but it was a mess. I would make sure those logistics were figured out beforehand.
I think I did a recap here back then. PM me for more info.
I have heard good and bad about Argentina for bowhunting. A couple acquaintances who are very good bowhunters struggled to get in bow range and ended up going to a rifle. I fish down there, and some of the properties I've seen with stags was like Colorado foothills elk country with stalking/calling setup terrain, and others are like golf courses with longer grass.
I bowhunted free range stags during the roar in Australia and it was a blast. Killed a great roaring "double five" (Scottish Highland strain) with a recurve on a DIY backcountry "wilderness" hunt with a couple Aussie buddies. I had him mounted there and worked with a shipping company out of San Francisco, and they handled everything. A couple months later a crate showed up, I stuck the pegged antlers in, and he looks great on the wall, with amazing memories attached.
Jaquomo, curious was your roar in early April as Treeline's?
Thanks...
When I was in New Zealand we were there during the roar, which was amazing and that was in March.
I think it is right at 6 months offset down south of the equator. Middle of September is about middle of March. In most places I’ve hunted in NA for elk, the peak of the rut is the end of September to the first of October. Seems to line up pretty well to be peaking down south for the stags mid-March to mid-April.
We were in NZ in early April, and the roar was just getting really ramped up.
Z, it was the end of February in Queensland. Stags were roaring amd fallow deer were grunting. And it was hot. But the stags were cranking.
Thanks for sharing folks...
Hunted it this spring. The outfitter was not bow hunter friendly after saying he was. He put me in a muddy pit next to a waterhole with my head sticking out the top with no cover. The outfitter treated us like we were idiots throughout the hunt, and acted like we didn’t know anything or ever hunted before. He told us he would tag the animals so they could all be shipped back in one crate. Once we were home we started trying to arrange shipment of our trophies and the bills just kept coming in. In total they wanted over $10,000 to ship 3 stags and 2 blackbucks. They can keep them for that price.
For those who chose to leave their trophies, did you at least bring home some meat?
Matt
I was flying back to Peru from Argentina. They told me I couldn’t take the meat.
Basically ended up with a great experience and pictures but brought nothing home.
Although I have only done that one hunt like that, I think that is more the standard to not get to take home the meat when hunting out of the USA. We did eat the backstrap and tenderloins while I was there. I also hunted locally in Peru while I lived there and kept the meat and animals I shot.
It felt really empty to not bring home any meat from an animal I shot, though. Not sure I am into that concept and not sure I would ever do international hunts again because of that issue.
Muly,
That is just crazy expensive. I would have told them to keep it too.
Treeline curious, how safe is Peru?
U.S. Customs won't allow meat to be brought in except for Canada and Mexico, is what I was told. We ate meat while in camp, but it also bothered me to leave it. It was 90 during the day and a looong way to anyplace where we could cool it, and we were on a 2 week hunt, so logistics didn't favor meat recovery besides what we could get in a cooler to eat in camp for a few days (and we killed 4 stags).
I have been lucky enough to hunt red stags in both Argentina and Australia(actually the same property that Lou hunted). Both hunts have been incredible experiences and would highly recommend either country, not only from a hunting standpoint but both have great people.
Since you asked about Argentina specifically, I will say that the free range hunting was off the charts. I just hunted there the last week of this past March. Stags rut from roughly mid March to mid April in the area where I was hunting. Temps were higher than ideal but humidity is very low compared to Australia. Terrain and vegetation was what I would refer to as rolling savannah with waist high grass and lots of patches of trees similar to what you might encounter along coastal Texas. It was highly conducive to stalking and bowhunting although archery hunting was new to this ranch.
A few things to keep in mind about hunting Argentina is there will certainly be a language barrier unless you are fluent in Spanish...which I am not. Despite the language barrier, the Argentinian people were some of the nicest I have ever met and never once did we feel unsafe in our travels. The logistics of travel and money exchange needs to be considered. As mentioned previously you cannot bring meat home but I can assure you that none of ours went to waste as we ate some in camp and our guides took every possible animal for their own use. As for getting antlers home, I still haven't received the final bill yet so I can't speak as to the total cost but it is quite a process.
Clay
Thanks for all these responses, guys ! After a little homework I hope we can get it all figured out. If I do manage to go I’ll try to let you all know what worked and what didn’t and an overall recap .
Thanks for all these responses, guys ! After a little homework I hope we can get it all figured out. If I do manage to go I’ll try to let you all know what worked and what didn’t and an overall recap .
2 options for Argentina: Pampas- looks just like South TX. Patagonia- arid open mountain hunt.
I hunted with a local ranch owner/outfitter in the Pampas. Imagine hunting elk (but far more wary) in TX brush country. Russian boar was also included. Mornings typical listen and stalk ( with some calling). Evenings start sitting water/diesel pole/bait at 6pm-11pm with dinner at midnight.
Peru can be dicey. For the most part, it was safe while I was there.
If you avoid the obvious traps - out late at night partying and getting a cab, going to the party bars, or other stupid things - it is fine. I think the cities are the most dangerous places across the board no matter where you are. There is some political turmoil there at times and best to avoid any of that.
It does help to speak Spanish for sure, but a lot of Peruvians speak English due to the tourist dollars.
I went to Argentina in November for water buffalo in Corrientes province. Hot as can be, but so many animals that I lost count. Boars, buffaloes , capibaras , axis deer, rheas, foxes and so many birds I had no idea existed. Snake proof boots are a must , for they have yarara , a very poisonous viper from south America in that area. I had a chance at a big 2200 pounds bull, but was unsafe without any solid cover (read big F$%#*g tree) in between, specially considering that a few weeks before , one of those buffaloes killed the president of the Mexican hunting association ( or some such organization). Consider a very heavy set up for such hunt . I went with my 95# recurve and 1050 grains arrows. Compounds of 80 FPE+ and 750+ grains with solid two blade is a good set up. The three guys I went with , were there for axis deer ,and got two and a wild boar with 50 and 55 # recurve and a 70# compound. For sure will be going again. Next time I'll try Patagonia. Dollar exchange is always an issue , so is best to get well informed before. Bringing the trophy is also not that simple. I was told that it has to stay in quarantine for six month before it can leave the country. Not sure about the prices though. Hunting regulations change by province, so make sure you know them. No food is allowed to cross the provincial border, unless you have a valid hunting license and game tag ( some food is allowed , but don't know the actual rules). Fines are very high for fishing and hunting infractions or without permit and/or tag, and all your equipment would be forfeited . People and food are second to none. Very friendly and helps A LOT if you speak some Spanish.
