DRIVEN
SHOOTING

Sixty percent of the ducks are rosy bills, thirty percent are pintail and the remaining ten percent are comprised of 13 different species. The rosy bill has a clear membranous eyelid through which they can see underwater. During our five shoots (three mornings and two afternoons) we bagged 11 different species. For collectors the complete list is as follows: speckled teal; Brazilian duck; Argentine blue-bill; silver teal; ringed teal; cinnamon teal; red shoveler; white cheeked pintail; yellow billed pintail; Chilean widgeon; white faced whistling duck; fulvous whistling duck; rosy bill.( Four non sporting species of birds are visually intriguing. Two are raptors-the crested Cara Cara and the Chimango. The Gara is almost Turkey size. The Tero or Southern lapwing is also worth noting for birders.)

Chuck was quick and accurate with his autoloader and often had three or more ducks out of each flight. I was limited to a maximum of two shots with my trusty Perazzi over under. I had some old, lead duck loads from Federal and Winchester that I brought down to use. Although shells must have been 20 years old, they worked flawlessly. And no matter how much we shot, the ducks just kept pouring in. We had a self-imposed limit of a 125 cartridges per man; we were all empty by 9:00 a.m.

Something I find interesting is the different views that civilized countries have on what is and is not fair chase or good sport. In the U.K., for example, it is illegal to crate and shoot birds. While really designed as part of the ban on boxed pigeon shoots, it now makes tower releases illegal. (While British shooters cringe at the idea of Tower releases, it is common and often done in a sporting manner in North America.) Yet British sportsmen have no qualms about night flighting ducks or feeding ponds, both of which are considered unsporting and illegal in North America. Personally, I have no problem with either. Indeed, I will jump at the opportunity to shoot boxed pigeons in the rings of Spain or the USA.

Argentina has obviously been more influenced by the European sensibility as baiting is both legal and integral to the process. Each of the 30 ponds shot is fed 100 lbs. of corn every two days starting six weeks before the season. It is why the ducks favour the ponds of the ranches that the estate Los Patos controls.

Claudio Villaba, the head guide, “thinks more like a duck than anyone I have ever met” say all who know him. He works very, very hard scouting, feeding, and planning. It all pays off as great shooting for guests. (Although correctly called clients, everyone works so hard making clients feel at home that no one really feels like merely paying guests.) His labs, Red, the older dog, and Yellow, the youngster, work really well.

Los Patos is owned by Angel Lainez. Educated at an English preparatory school in Argentina and a publisher by profession, he is a charming, worldly man. Recently married to the lovely Lilly, he is very content living in Monte. Lilly kept pushing the local drink- Lemoncello - served chilled the way a Russian serves vodka. It is quite popular and delicious to those with a sweet tooth but a bit over the top for my palate.

The farm house has a main room focused around a fireplace. The dining room is ample for the shooting party. Four bedrooms, each with its own bath is set for double occupancy.

The estate, with its sycamore and willow trees, is picturesque. Row on row of poplars was planted with Germanic precision by Angel to be sold at an appropriate moment as veneer.Breakfast passed quickly and quietly. By 6:00 a.m. we were outside, dressed in waders and waterfowl gear. The guides fetched our shotguns from the gun room. It was nearly a 40 minute drive though probably only five to ten miles as the crow flies. We left the main road and

A decoyed duck is a decoyed duck. Most of the birds decoyed well, except at one point when yours truly was more concerned with getting photographs than staying hidden. Some pass shooting was required, but with a couple of exceptions range was not excessive and “sky busting” was never an issue. The afternoon sessions tended to provide taller duck. The birds did come in from all angles, and those from directly behind providing going away station- one- skeet high house type shots were quite amusing.

The estate is less than an hour from the International airport which means one can get a morning duck and afternoon perdiz shoot in with time for a shower before heading for the flight back.

As I get older, I tend ask myself two questions before recommending a shoot. The first is what I would change. In this case, the answer was nothing. The second is would I do this trip again. Answer in a heartbeat. I guess that says it all.