By Bill Miller
Hard to believe it was a year ago already when I was in wide-eyed anticipation of an Argentina dove hunt (for my 50th birthday a year early – THANK YOU HONEY!) while mildly lamenting that the foreign trip meant I’d not be hunting Merriam’s turkeys in the Black Hills. Fast forward to 2012 and it’s jury duty keeping me from heading anywhere South to hunt turkeys at the moment. But when the commitment is complete, I will be headed to “the Hills” to go hunting – guaranteed.
But a recent request from a friend of a friend of a friend for a recommendation on South American dove hunting put me in mind of last year’s hunt with Frontera Wingshooting. I quickly dashed off an email with the highlights of all my trips with Tomas Frontera and his crew. The phrase which universally sums up my stays at his lodges is, “…this is the way life should be.”
Now if you want to go to Argentina to shoot until your shoulder bleeds and you cry at the sound of your bird boy opening another case of shells, then you should probably look elsewhere. With Frontera, you’ll likely shoot 1,000 – 2,000 shells per person per day. On a really good day, if you want to work that hard, you can probably shoot 3,000 shells if you want, but I don’t want … Who can afford to shoot 5,000, 6,000, or 7,000 shells a day per person any way?
A dove hunt (or shoot) in Argentina is all about the experience. The outfitter’s role is to support you in creating memories to last a lifetime and in relaxing completely. Tomas and crew have that down to a fine are. The lodges – La Zenaida and Siguiman are both spectacular. Rooms are not extravagant, but exceedingly clean, quiet and private. The meals are off the charts good and plentiful. When you come in from each shoot there are appetizers ready. After lunch a peaceful siesta is in order. Again, in Bill Miller’s world … “this is the way life should be.” At dinner and after fine Argentine wine is included in the package. During much of the year, the weather is perfect for sitting on the patio after dinner, enjoying an adult beverage and looking up at the stars.
In nearly 30 years of hunting in a lot of places around the world, there are but a handful of hunts and outfitters I recommend without hesitation or reservation of any kind. A dove shoot and/or pigeon hunt with Frontera Wingshooting is definitely one of them! If you book a hunt with Frontera and have a last minute cancellation in your group – CALL ME!
