Argentina – Not Just Another Hunt

It all started innocently enough. I was scrolling through my email when I saw a message entitled “Hunt with Craig Boddington in Argentina.”  

I opened it immediately, although I suspected it wasn’t a personal invitation from Craig himself. It was, in fact, a promotion for a red stag hunt (along with other introduced species) at El Carrizal in Argentina, which is operated by SAAS (South American Adventure Safaris). The price was very reasonable, and the timing was perfect - late April - about eight weeks before our upcoming lion hunt in Zimbabwe. Plenty enough time between trips.

So, after making up my mind (seconds matter), I had to sell the idea to Management. I casually asked Patricia (my wife) if she would like to visit Buenos Aires. She suspected something was up, and asked me “What’s the catch?” I ‘fessed up and described the hunt to her, plus an offer to spend four days in the city. Plus, I mentioned that it would be great practice for our safari. All she said was, “Sounds like fun. Let’s do it!”

After getting all the booking paperwork done, the rest was easy. I was renting a rifle, (highly suggested by the outfitter) so there was no sighting in to do or cartridges to load. Our standard safari list included all the necessary gear, and packing was easy. American Airlines had a direct flight out of JFK which left at night, sparing us the hassle of a rush-hour drive into New York.

We arrived in the Buenos Aires international airport and were met by our pre-arranged driver. In just over an hour, we arrived at our hotel (Loi Suites Recoleta) in the Recoleta district of the city. The overnight stay was restful, and we were all set for our adventure the next morning.

As it happened, Craig Boddington was actually hunting with us. I saw him in the hotel lobby as we were checking out, steeled my nerves, and introduced myself. At the Buenos Aires domestic flights airport, we met the rest of our party. The group included a hunting legend (Craig Boddington), two doctors (Charlie and John), two self-made businessmen (Jason and Chris) along with their sons, a retired insurance executive (Perry) and my wife (an enthusiastic observer) and me. I didn’t know what to expect, and I was astounded as the hunt that unfolded. The group got along almost immediately. We talked guns, ammo, trophies and old hunts for the whole trip from Bahia Blanca to El Carrizal by plane and a four-hour ride in a van.

El Carrizal, a Craig Boddington endorsed outfitter, can only be described as a luxury hunting lodge.  The surroundings are beautiful, and the great room is adorned with magnificent trophies. Our bedroom was large, included a spectacular view from the balcony and even had a jacuzzi tub. Lunch and dinner were three course meals prepared by a professional chef, not a camp cook. Siestas were mandatory, and any weight loss diets had to be ignored.

The property consists of tens of thousands of acres holding truly free-range wild red stag, Indian black buck, fallow deer, axis deer, European buffalo, wild mouflon, wild goats and “Texas Dall” sheep. Hunters can take any or all of them, each for a specific trophy fee. There is also a game-fenced area, where animals with truly exceptional antler measurements can be shot at an additional fee. It would be difficult to go home empty handed.

We met our guide, Catalino, the next morning after checking rifles. I was assigned a CZ .300 Win Mag, which shot a bit high at 50 yards, but which we assessed to be just fine. Craig Boddington cautioned me about the reverse safety, advising me that I should think of it like pulling the hammer back on a lever gun before firing. Taking the rifle and a box of cartridges, we all loaded into Catalino’s Toyota Hi Lux and headed out to the Pampas. Riding with Catalino is where our knowledge of Spanish really came in handy. Although Patricia was better at communicating in Spanish, we both were able to talk with Catalino as we scouted the ranch looking for game.

The hunt unfolded a day at a time. The first hunter to score was “Weasel,” Jason’s son. He and his dad told a story of a three-hour stalk on a very good fallow deer that took them over several fences and meadows. In the end, it was worth the long trek. When they returned to the lodge, we toasted their success and their magnificent gold medal trophy.

The next morning was highlighted by the two exceptional India Black Bucks that Austin (Chris’s son) and “Weasel” (Jason’s son) had taken. The men hunted a concession where we were later destined to visit. The bucks had massively long horns and great bases. Their trophies were truly representative of the quality of the animals that were available.

Our turn to take a trophy came next. That evening, almost immediately after disembarking from the truck, we saw a very shootable red stag flash across the road into the brush to our right, followed by a whole herd of buffalo. Catalino ushered us back into the truck, and we headed out to get ahead of the stag, driving to the next parallel road, where Catalino thought that the stag would likely cross. We didn’t expect to see what awaited us when we got there.

A herd of over 20 buffalo, including bulls, cows and calves, was stretched across the road, about 400 yards distant. We backed-off, out of their sight, and took cover behind some small trees. Eventually, three trophy quality stags appeared uphill, above the herd. Unwilling to confront the buffalo, two stag headed back into the brush. But one was determined to go up the road. We waited, and thankfully the gods smiled, and the buffalo herd moved on. The stag continued to walk toward us, and when he stepped into the crosshairs, I pulled the trigger. He was a very good animal with 21 points, complete with crowns. Our on-license black buck was next.

The third day saw John and Charlie, the two doctors, take almost identical red stags within minutes of each other, not too far from where we took ours. They were excellent stags and could easily have been the two that abandoned our stag to avoid the buffalo. That same morning, we found our black buck.

Paco, the ranch manager, suggested that we go to a concession he had about 45 minutes south of the ranch. He said it had many black bucks. Many was an understatement. There were hundreds of black bucks everywhere! Not just some scattered singles, but herds roving around. Of course, they were all in the open – it might just have well been a golf course. After a long hike, using the sparse edge cover to hide our movement, we happened on one in close range (if 250 yards is close range). I couldn’t get a firm hold on the sticks in the wind, and the animal was off before I could shoot. This also happened on the second animal that was “in range.” I had forgotten how far 300 yards actually is, especially in a strong cross wind shooting off of wobbly sticks.

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As they say, “The third time’s the charm.” The local guide brought a set of sticks with a clamp on top. After some riding around, we glassed upon what happened to be an SCI gold metal ram. Following a short stalk up a hill that blocked the animal’s view of us, we got in range - about 200 yards. I lined up on the new sticks, felt no wobble and pulled the trigger. For the first time ever, I heard the bullet hit the animal, and our second trophy was in the books.

The Argentine hospitality was evident when we returned to the outpost. After using the restroom, we were treated to a picnic platter and cold beverages. We were offered an opportunity to try mate, the regional drink, and enjoyed the late morning conversing in Spanish with the men who worked on that ranch. They posed for pictures wearing their traditional gaucho hats, along with their genuine smiles. Each one gave us a firm handshake when we left.

Back at the camp we learned that Perry, accompanied by Craig Boddington, shot a really nice red stag. Unfortunately, one crown had broken off. But, as luck would have it, they found the broken antler near his stand the next day. That same day, while Perry was in his stand, a wild goat presented itself, and he shot it. Our collective trophy count was growing quickly.

That night Patricia told me that we should “shoot something else.” She suggested a fallow deer. So, the following morning we informed Catalino that we had a new trophy in mind. Our initial fallow deer stalk was eventless. We saw several shooters, but the distance they were at would have required an experienced sniper to take one. However, our luck changed after siesta.

We encountered two good fallow deer bucks that consistently stayed within the edge cover. After several careful and frustrating stalks, we got within about 200 yards of the best one. Even then, all I had as a target was its shoulder, visible through a clear gap in the brush. Good enough, I thought and pulled the trigger. The buck went down, and we were off to the skinning shed.

While we were at the skinning shed, a truck pulled up filled with the pieces of John’s field-dressed buffalo. Craig accompanied John when he shot the animal that afternoon. It was a massive animal and a very good trophy. When we got back to the ranch, we learned that Charlie had taken another very nice red stag and a wild boar as a bonus. Dinner was a celebration of our collective successes.

With one day left, Patricia and I decided to take a mouflon, but only if the horns were exceptional. Jason and his son went off after a trophy red stag. Chris sought a good fallow deer, and Perry sat for an axis deer. To say we collectively shot a grand slam that day is an understatement. Many of the animals were judged to be gold medal trophies.

That night’s dinner was a celebration of good food, Argentine wines, congratulations all around, picture swapping, and sharing contacts and stories. To say our hunting group was “muy simpatico’” is a gross understatement. At that last dinner, we all exchanged contact information and departed as newly made acquaintances.

The next morning, before boarding the van, the entire staff of El Carrizal came out to bid us a fond farewell and safe travels. They hoped to see us again in the future. We took a group photo as a cherished memory of our time spent with them in Las Pampas.

A hunt can be judged by several metrics. The people in camp, the availability and size of the trophies, the quality of the food and the hospitality of the host outfitter all contribute to a great experience. Unlike too many other hunts I’ve been on, our experience at El Carrizal hit every point straight on. I have hunted in many countries and in many camps and have never encountered such a cohesive and friendly group, or an outfitter that got everything just right. Our Argentine hunt did not have the tension of an African dangerous game hunt, or the challenges of a Brooks Range sheep hunt, but it was one of the best hunts I have ever experienced.

We finished our Argentine adventure with four relaxing days in Buenos Aires. Our time was spent sightseeing throughout the city, absorbing the culture and appreciating the local cuisine. As I originally committed to Patricia, we returned to the Loi Suites Recoleta. As Evita said, “I kept my promise.”