Airport security searches were still in the future and airlines did not charge for the carriage of guns.
The Argentine Peso was equal to one US dollar.
My oh my, how things change, but the things that make Argentina so very special have not changed.
To mention some, in no particular order:
- Welcoming, friendly, helpful and fun loving people.
- Fantastic food (particularly meat) and wine.
- Incredible hospitality.Spectacular landscapes.
- Great weather.
- Astonishing bird life.
- And all of this is before we get to the shooting part.
My own experience has been mostly but not exclusively in the Córdoba area where I have shot Perdiz, ducks and many, many doves.
Since my first trip I have been there at least once every year.
The first trip was with a very small ‘mom and pop’ operation. The ‘lodge’ was up a mountain track 45 minutes from the main road and the facilities were, to say the least, basic. The travel to the dove shooting areas were often very long, up to 90 minutes or more.
However, the excitement of being under an unlimited number of high, testing birds was sufficient of a balance.
Within that hunt were two days on Perdiz over very good pointers.
The next trip to Argentina was a combined shooting and shopping trip with my wife and Buenos Aires has great shopping to offer. I have to say that BA also has some very special eating experiences at ridiculously (by comparison with UK) low prices.
That second trip to Córdoba was to a Lodge that was better than the first but the best was yet to come…..
I discovered the David Denies organisation….
My entry in the visitors book on an early visit read simply, ‘exceeds expectations in every way’
After many visits I can only say
‘Exceeds expectations every time’
It would be quite unreasonable to single out individual members of staff for a mention as, from the field assistants, who used to be called bird boys in the way back when, to the field staff who cook those brilliant Asados at lunch time and rig the snooze time hammocks, to the Lodge staff and managers, all perform in an exemplarily, professional and caring manner.
Each time I return I am welcomed as a friend, but it seems to me that the very special element of the DD operation, is that each time I have been with a group or to join a group, we have been made to feel very special.
Oh, did I mention the shooting?
Well, what do you want to shoot? Highest of the high?
Driven grouse? Whatever your ‘druthers’, this team can lay it on for you. Don’t put this on your bucket list, go now, season lasts all year.”
