Argentina Hunting Industry Update please

[PerH]

Water buff, lot of feral game they have there also , and boat lot of boars . Wish to make it there some time . Asado , jabali, cuchillo, Dogo’s , syrah .

 

[375Fox]

I guess I don't understand the allure of Argentina as it relates to big game hunting. The bird hunting I understand but why not hunt your red stag in Europe where they are native?
Maybe someone can enlighten me.

I generally agree with you and think that’s partly why I haven’t hunted Argentina yet. However, if a person wants to hunt in March this is a really good opportunity, not many other good hunts available during that timeframe especially in North America. You’d have to wait until mid-end of September in Europe for the roar.

 

[Tanks]

... You can use a credit card everywhere in BA while playing tourist.

One thing to be aware of is that some credit cards (e.g. Amex) use the official rate while others like "Chase Premier" use the "blue rate" for conversion. You want the "blue rate". Dolar to Peso Conversion has instant updates for both.

As others have mentioned there are bargains to be had. My girlfriend's Tango shoes (made in Argentina) cost $250+ here. We paid $80 a pair at BA (didn't save money as she bought several pairs). I had been looking for a nice leather jacket for a few years, they were priced $3K-$4K here. I paid a little over $400 for a nice soft lambskin one in BA that was actually nicer than the expensive ones I had looked at in the USA.

 

[mdwest]

I guess I don't understand the allure of Argentina as it relates to big game hunting. The bird hunting I understand but why not hunt your red stag in Europe where they are native?
Maybe someone can enlighten me.

I’d prefer red stag in Europe… but Argentina has a lot more to offer than just stag..

It’s own unique buffalo.. brocket deer… huge population of blackbuck (although not native, they’ve been there a long time, and you can’t hunt them in their native India)..

The terrain is beautiful.. the people are wonderful.. and the food is incredible…

And the cost to hunt big game can be very reasonable…

Combine all that with affordable air fare and pretty easy flights to BA from most major cities in the US… Argentina is a very attractive big game option IMO…

 

[Tanks]

Yeah, my red stag hunt was combined with a 3 day dove hunt and TEN days of Tango dancing until 2, 3am in the morning.

 

[375Fox]

I’d prefer red stag in Europe… but Argentina has a lot more to offer than just stag..

It’s own unique buffalo.. brocket deer… huge population of blackbuck (although not native, they’ve been there a long time, and you can’t hunt them in their native India)..

The terrain is beautiful.. the people are wonderful.. and the food is incredible…

And the cost to hunt big game can be very reasonable…

Combine all that with affordable air fare and pretty easy flights to BA from most major cities in the US… Argentina is a very attractive big game option IMO…

If you hunt Europe for stag you can actually combine it with a lot as well. Poland for instance you can take red stag, fallow buck, roe deer, boar, mouflon if you go at right time end September start October. Certain other countries can offer chamois for another species to add to hunt. The price of good representative stags are actually probably better than Argentina or at least the same. I think Argentina though has done a much better job catering to the American market. If I go on a hunt I want to take multiple animals. Europe caters to the European market who go on short hunts for one animal because the travel time isn’t that far.

 

[Nevada Wapati]

I had a great hunt with MG in May of 2022 taking a stag, buffalo, black buck and a ram.

Now the BAD! Almost 15 months later they're still in Argentina awaiting the proper Cities permit from the government. Supposedly (per the exporter and my customs broker) they fired the entire division handling the permits due to corruption. They've hired new staff that are still being trained. I'm beyond being pissed off with the incompetence of the Argentinian government.

 

[flatwater bill]

Just an anecdote, but I have hunted red stag in Europe and in Argentina and found Argentina to be a much better hunt.......for me, at least. Bigger stags, lots more of them, lower price, and added bird hunting and fishing. Restaurants and night life second to none, and shopping prices for clothing and leather goods much much cheaper. A bigger experience in total compared with a more focused and limited activity selection in Europe....JMO......FWB

 

[ActionBob]

Yeah, my red stag hunt was combined with a 3 day dove hunt and TEN days of Tango dancing until 2, 3am in the morning.

Now that sounds brutal!

 

[Tanks]

Now that sounds brutal!

Actually a lot of fun. Now, one does not start Milongas until 10PM or so in BA. So, nap until 7PM or so, have dinner with friends and then go dance. I am looking at my schedule for next March to go again.

 

[Doubleplay]

I had 2 friends fly to Argentina last month, one took a red stag, the other took 2 red stags and one buffalo. They said they had a great time, no drama or any issues.

Just an anecdote, but I have hunted red stag in Europe and in Argentina and found Argentina to be a much better hunt.......for me, at least. Bigger stags, lots more of them, lower price, and added bird hunting and fishing. Restaurants and night life second to none, and shopping prices for clothing and leather goods much much cheaper. A bigger experience in total compared with a more focused and limited activity selection in Europe....JMO......FWB

Agreed. What makes Argentina unique is the added bird hunting. However if they keep increasing prices and try to nickel and dime American hunters more and more it will be less attractive for sure. Other problem is there are a lot here today gone tomorrow outfitters in Argentina and one has to be careful. I personally know couple people dealt with those and lost their deposits and more during Covid shutdown. You don't have that problem in Europe.

 

[ActionBob]

Agreed. What makes Argentina unique is the added bird hunting. However if they keep increasing prices and try to nickel and dime American hunters more and more it will be less attractive for sure. Other problem is there are a lot here today gone tomorrow outfitters in Argentina and one has to be careful. I personally know couple people dealt with those and lost their deposits and more during Covid shutdown. You don't have that problem in Europe.

@MG Hunting and @ROCKET have been around a long time and are very established

 

[Tanks]

Agreed. What makes Argentina unique is the added bird hunting. However if they keep increasing prices and try to nickel and dime American hunters more and more it will be less attractive for sure. Other problem is there are a lot here today gone tomorrow outfitters in Argentina and one has to be careful. I personally know couple people dealt with those and lost their deposits and more during Covid shutdown. You don't have that problem in Europe.

As mentioned above @MG Hunting has been around for decades. Here is an example of "nickel and diming" with @MG Hunting :

Due to drought conditions they had to move my dove hunting to back to Cordoba from BA area. That meant burning my return ticket to BA and also an extra night's stay at a hotel.

1) They booked a new return ticket for me and paid for it.
2) They booked and paid for a night's stay at at https://alvearpalace.com/en/ . They did not go cheap and get a regular room, but paid for an extra night for a suite so I would not have to move after the first night.
3) 3 days of dove hunting comes with 80 boxes shells, due to wind conditions on second and third day I ended up using 51 boxes. They did not charge me for the hunting license as a result.
4) Finding out that my girlfriend was coming to BA they offered and arranged for someone to meet her at the airport and transported her to the Alvear Palace Hotel at no extra charge.

If that is "nickel and diming", then I wish to be nickel and dimed more.

 

[Doubleplay]

As mentioned above @MG Hunting has been around for decades. Here is an example of "nickel and diming" with @MG Hunting :

Due to drought conditions they had to move my dove hunting to back to Cordoba from BA area. That meant burning my return ticket to BA and also an extra night's stay at a hotel.

1) They booked a new return ticket for me and paid for it.
2) They booked and paid for a night's stay at at https://alvearpalace.com/en/ . They did not go cheap and get a regular room, but paid for an extra night for a suite so I would not have to move after the first night.
3) 3 days of dove hunting comes with 80 boxes shells, due to wind conditions on second and third day I ended up using 51 boxes. They did not charge me for the hunting license as a result.
4) Finding out that my girlfriend was coming to BA they offered and arranged for someone to meet her at the airport and transported her to the Alvear Palace Hotel at no extra charge.

If that is "nickel and diming", then I wish to be nickel and dimed more.

Who said anything about MG Hunting or any other reputable outfitters? Did I miss something?
Do you realize there are hundreds of outfitters in Argentina?

 

[Doubleplay]

I had a great hunt with MG in May of 2022 taking a stag, buffalo, black buck and a ram.

Now the BAD! Almost 15 months later they're still in Argentina awaiting the proper Cities permit from the government. Supposedly (per the exporter and my customs broker) they fired the entire division handling the permits due to corruption. They've hired new staff that are still being trained. I'm beyond being pissed off with the incompetence of the Argentinian government.

You are not alone. There are many complaints past and present and some on this forum as well.

 

[Tanks]

One other thing to consider regarding Argentina is the time difference, it is EST+1. So, no jet lag or having to get used to a completely different time zone.

Who said anything about MG Hunting or any other reputable outfitters? Did I miss something?
Do you realize there are hundreds of outfitters in Argentina?

Exactly, you did not. However, if one is going to use a broad brush on a whole country or continent the fly-by-night and "nickel and diming" outfitters are also prevalent in Africa and Europe as well. If one does due diligence, then those issues are not a factor.

 

[Doubleplay]

One other thing to consider regarding Argentina is the time difference, it is EST+1. So, no jet lag or having to get used to a completely different time zone.


Exactly, you did not. However, if one is going to use a broad brush on a whole country or continent the fly-by-night and "nickel and diming" outfitters are also prevalent in Africa and Europe as well. If one does due diligence, then those issues are not a factor.

I've been to Argentina first time 20 years ago and many times after that. I love the country and will go back hunting there. I would highly suggest to go back and read what I said. I would also suggest to do a search and read the problems encountered even with the reputable outfitters. Sometimes due diligence is not enough to avoid problems. I'm not going to name anyone but there were so called reputable outfitters/agents at the DSC show in 2019 booking hunts and when Covid entered the picture, they were nowhere to be found and bunch of people lost money. Some of them appeared again under different names/companies. Again there are a lot of honest reputable companies in Argentina like MG Hunting and I'm not broad brushing the country but these are facts!