As duck hunters, shooting new species and discovering new places is always at the top of the list. In doing so, hunters expand their waterfowl hunting knowledge, learn new techniques, and immerse themselves in different aspects of duck hunting culture. One place that should be at the top of any waterfowler’s list is Argentina. Hunting ducks in Argentina, you’ll find endless marshes, sloughs, and agricultural fields alongside thousands of birds. Add to that unique species like the white-cheeked pintail, and it’s a waterfowl hunter’s paradise. This spring, we had the opportunity to experience this for ourselves with Patagonia Outfitters at Estancia Santa Rita. Learn more about what Argentina and Estancia Santa Rita have to offer for duck hunters in this lodge spotlight.
Estancia Santa Rita:
Estancia Santa Rita is located approximately 250 miles west of Buenos Aires. This region of Argentina is recognized as one of the country’s leading grain-producing areas. And as waterfowl hunters know, this means ducks. The areas surrounding Estancia Santa Rita have a striking similarity to the Prairie Pothole regions of America. Sprawling flatlands, broken up by ponds, marshes, and sloughs, serve as the perfect habitat for Argentina’s duck species.
Travel:
The hardest part about hunting Argentina is getting there. For us, this meant two flights, with the last leg taking 10 hours from Houston to Buenos Aires (BA). Once you arrive in BA, you have two options depending on when your flight arrives. If you arrive in the morning, you can opt for your guides to take you directly to Santa Rita. For later flights, we recommend staying overnight in BA, resting and recovering, and heading to Santa Rita the next morning.
When it’s time to head out, your guides will meet you to start loading the truck. Their truck of choice is the Toyota Hilux, and after seeing them in person, it’s safe to say we want one. These off-road beasts might be the perfect duck truck and keep you comfortable and safe for the duration of the trip. The drive from Buenos Aires to Santa Rita takes roughly four and a half hours. It is long, but it goes fairly fast, especially when the dry fields of BA turn to lush marshes loaded with ducks. The anticipation of watching thousands of birds bounce from flooded fields to marshes is the perfect way to kick off the first afternoon hunt.
Accommodations:
The team at Patagonia Outfitters makes sure your stay is nothing short of world-class. They pride themselves on their premium lodging, exquisite dining, and excellent service. As a duck hunter, accustomed to early morning gas station meals, this was a welcome sight.
Lodge:
Estancia is a Spanish word that translates to ranch. When you arrive at Estancia Santa Rita, there’s no doubt this is a true ranch. Thousands of acres of cattle pastures and farm fields surround the main lodge.
The lodge itself is unlike anything we’ve ever stayed at before. For starters, it’s big. In fact, I’d describe it as more of a mansion than a lodge. There is more than enough room to fit a dozen hunters, and it could still feel empty. The staff and guides also have their own quarters on site, in case you need anything.
The building was constructed in 1908 in the French-Basque style. Since then, it’s served as a home for duck hunters for generations. Inside, you’ll find a grand dining room, which serves as a communal gathering place for hunters to share a meal and recap their hunts. In addition, the team here has built a wader and gear room, keeping everything organized and ready for your next hunt. The staff will even scrub down your waders after each hunt, ensuring they are clean and dry.
If you’re up for exploring, the third floor serves as the game room with a pool table and movie theater. There is also a tennis court and a large jacuzzi, a short walk from the main lodge. With so many accommodations, it’s easy for this trip to feel more like a vacation than a hunting trip.
Dining:
While we came to Argentina for the duck hunting, we would stay for the food if we could. At Estancia Santa Rita, Chef Yolvi and his crew are truly best-in-class. Each morning, you’ll be greeted with a simple American-style breakfast, typically eggs, toast, and bacon. While simple, it’s the perfect fuel for your morning hunt.
When you return, the real cooking begins. At lunch, you’ll get your first three-course meal. This generally consists of a salad/light appetizer, the main course, and, of course, dessert. Just make sure to save room for dinner. At Santa Rita, the team spares no expense for dinner. The chef carefully curates local ingredients, including the ducks you harvest, while pairing everything with some of the best wines in Argentina. Some of our favorites included the famous Argentinian asado, duck lasagna, and ojo de bife (ribeye).
The Hunting:
Getting to Estancia Santa Rita takes some time, but once you’re there, the team of guides makes sure it was worth it. Each day, expect two hunts, a morning and evening hunt. Similar to stateside hunting, your morning shoots will be the most productive; however, afternoon hunts can still be stellar. Argentina is also south of the equator, meaning its seasons are flipped. May marks the beginning of the season, and it runs throughout summer (their winter).
Prior to leaving for a hunt, wader up as your guides load the gear into the truck. Santa Rita has access to numerous parcels and hunting leases both on its property and in the area. Expect a 15 to 30-minute drive to reach the spot.
There are two types of blinds you’ll be hunting from in Argentina. The first is a raised box blind. These offer the most room and can easily fit two hunters and a guide. Despite their size, they are grassed in well, keeping you concealed from birds. The next, and our favorite type of blind to hunt out of, is the barrel style blind. These blinds consist of two barrels next to each other, which are grassed in and concealed low to the water. They make for the best hides and offer the best bets to decoy birds consistently.
Guides:
The guides at Estancia Santa Rita live for waterfowl hunting. They know which blinds to hunt and how to set up to maximize your opportunities and ensure you never hunt stale birds. Their English isn’t the best, but hunting is their universal language. As birds are working, you’ll hear them whisper “duck,” the signal that they are decoying, and it’s time to shoot.
Gear:
The team at Patagonia Outfitters makes sure you have everything you need prior to heading to Argentina. This includes a fully stocked gear room with waders, guns, and anything else you might need. That said, if you’re particular about your own gear, it doesn’t hurt to bring it. We opted to bring our own waders, layers, and rain gear for hunting. You can bring your own gun, too, but traveling internationally with a firearm can be a pain. Instead, we opted to use the lodge’s loaner guns, consisting of Benellis and Berettas.
New Species:
Hunting ducks in Argentina offers the opportunity to shoot new species. At Estancia Santa Rita, there are 13 species of waterfowl that can be shot, of which only two can be found in the United States (cinnamon teal and fulvous whistling ducks). The prized duck is the rosy-billed pochard, a type of big duck that makes excellent table fare.
In addition, numerous other puddle ducks can be found, and one species of diving duck. These include white-cheeked pintail, yellow-billed pintail, speckled teal, silver teal, cinnamon teal, ringed teal, Brazilian teal, white-faced whistling ducks, fulvous whistling ducks, black-headed ducks (the diver), southern widgeon, rosy-billed pochard, and red shoveler. In four days of hunting, we managed to harvest 11 out of the 13 species, missing only the fulvous whistling duck and the black-headed duck.
The colors, sounds, and variety of ducks make this trip worth it alone. Unfortunately, if you’re looking to bring home birds to mount, you’ll have to settle for pictures. Argentina has a law making it illegal to export native wildlife, and this includes birds for taxidermy. Maybe one day this will change, but for the time being, bring a good camera and shoot as many pictures as you can.
The Trip of a Lifetime:
Hunting Argentina should be at the top of any duck hunter’s bucket list. The combination of species, accommodations, and Argentine culture makes it much more than another hunting trip. It’s an immersive experience in a new place with stunning scenery and a lot of ducks.
If you want to experience Argentina for yourself, now’s the chance. Head over and enter the Argentina Cast & Blast Giveaway for your chance to experience hunting ducks in Argentina.