For those who missed it, hunting as John's guests in Ar. was fantastic. Not only was the shooting better than I ever dreamed but the rooms and food were great and hospitality warm. John kept apoloigizing saying that since this was a "free" hunt the shooting and accomdations were not on par with his "pay" hunts. I couldn't believe it. Everything would be as I would expect if I was paying for the full ride.
The 3 of us from NC (Ron L, Sammy and myself) shot approx 9,000 shells in 4 days. The doves never stopped coming. Dove hunting in the US is not going to be the same.
Save your money and give John a call. I know I will.

Tom T

I also want to thank John for his hospitality on our recent AccurateReloading dove shoot in Argentina. This is my 3rd trip wing shooting in South America and this trip was great!!!!! I shoot a side-by-side just for fun. I broke a firing pin and I was still able to shoot 35 boxes of shells (875 shells) in 3 hours on the last morning of our trip. An incredible number of birds just kept coming all morning. What a way to end a trip! John told me that he has leases that have even more birds than where we were shooting. It would have to be seen to be believed.....

Thanks again John.

I will try posting a few pics but I do not know how it will go on this new forum.


This is Tom Thomas and just a few birds!


Here are the bird boys and our driver.


Just a little bit of the terrain in the area. We hunted in rolling hills with thorny scrub brush and not near cropland. It is like south Texas but was filled with birds.

This is good news, thank you for posting a report on your hunt. A group of us have just booked a 5-day mixed bag wing shoot with John Airala for June, including fellow AR posters Mike Smith and Geoff. Doves, pigeons, perdiz, ducks, and some dorado fishing are on menu. I think we are going to a different area then what you went to but it's good to know of other A-R posters that had a good time with the same outfit.

Sorry to post this so long after the hunt but when I left John I went to Bolivia for 10 days & when I got home my Mom had a heart attact 4 days before. I have her home now & doing well.Just a short post to say what a great time I had with John A. The bird shooting was out of this wourld !!!!!!!!!!!!!! There were lots birds in the air when we started each day & just as mamy when we stopped! I took my stepson & after day 3 his shoulder was raw ! The food was great & lots of it. I will go back & hunt with John soon also he has some fishing that I want to sample. Just for the record EVERY thing was just as John said & there were no suprises except getting hit in the face by a dead dove.Will try to get some help in a few days & post some pic. John thanks for a wonderful time & some great memories.
Just Jim

Tom T,

Looks like you had a great hunt. What part of Argentina did you hunt? Ron L looks like he is holding a Berreta 391. How was that weapons performance? Three buddies and I are going to Cordoba to hunt with David Deneries and I will be using a 391. Any insight as to spare parts or special cleaning instructions?
Where in NC sre you located? Perhaps we can share a cold one and talk dove shooting.

Thanks,

Jeff
Thanks for the insight.

Jeff,
Sorry to be so long in replying, haven't had a chance to log on in some time. The guy in the picture is me, holding my Benelli Super 90. It worked beautifully, never jammed. Ron L who has been down more than me says the outfitters highly recommend the Berreta or the Benelli.
I found the guns require daily cleaning. The shells were very dirty and the choke tubes clog with plastic from the wads. A cleaner/ lube and a solution for the tubes is recommended. Ron brought it all, suggestions Ron?
We hunted about 2 hour drive North of Cordova in a little place called Ville de Tulumba. Be ready for the time of your life, a non stop shoot fest!
I live in Hendersonville, NC. I do get over to the RTP from time to time, next time maybe we can hook up, bring some stories of your hunt.

Tom T

Thanks Tom T,
I appreciate the info. I'm so juiced about the trip I can hardly wait. I've been shooting my 391 every weekend as well as my 12 gauge trap gun trying to get my shoulder in shape. Do you have any recommendation on chokes or should I just carry a selection?
Please let me know when you might come this way and I will gladly buy dinner. I usually check this site every couple of days. I was in Canton last Monday and ocassionaly get up towards Asheville. I'd really enjoy hearing more about your trip.
Have a good Easter!!

Jeff

Re: choke tubes

There is no set answer, take a selection. If you're into shooting numbers of doves, use an improved cylinder and stick with reasonably close shots. If you like longer shots, ask for a tougher position in the field (often where they are entering or exiting over some type of natural barrier, hills, trees, etc.) Good shots have more impressive kills with tighter chokes. That "thwaaack" when you really center one is a good sound that you don't hear very often with more open chokes unless they are really close. I'd recommend an Imp. Modified. I shoot a double which is normally tubed IC/IM for all types of doves in South America. Personally I'm somewhat prejudiced against the Mod choke, it being neither tight enough or open enough for my tastes but that is me and it is a good compromise, I suppose. Have a great hunt!

Jeff,
I used an improved cyclinder almost the whole time. The shooting was tight with a some passing shots. The great thing about the hunting in Ar is with all the shooting you really get a chance to work on your different shots. A shot you miss in NC, you might not see again. In Ar. you'll see it a hundred times a day, plus hundreds of others!
Make sure to take some ear plugs, some shooting gloves, duct tape to tape up your right thumb (You wear it out from stuffing in all those shells!) and maybe a shoulder pad. I took an asprin before each hunt. Ask if they have counters for the bird boys so they can count your kills.
When are you going? Make sure to take lots of pictures and bring some hunting stories back with you. I can't wait to hear.
Tom T

Brownells EZ Soak for cleaning the choke tubes nightly . Put your choke tubes in to soak at night before supper. Bring a little steel wool with and scrub them out before you go to bed. You will not believe the amount of plastic and carbon that builds up in them shooting 1000 shells in a day.

TSI301 in a spray can for cleaning the actions every evening or in the field if a gun starts to get sticky. Strip the guns down at night and give it a good cleaning.

A Bore Snake is also very handy to have with you along with your favorite solvent and gun oil.

Choke tube grease and use it everyday. You will not believe how hot your gun barrels will get. I shot 500 shells in 1 hour standing in 1 place. The chokes can seize and be a bitch to get out.

A shooting pad for your shoulder also seems to help if shooting a 12 gauge.

Eye protection is also nice to have along.

A screwdriver that fits your gun's screws. My stock came loose while in Argentina this last trip. A screwdriver would have been handy to check the screws every evening.

I usually shoot a SxS. I used Skeet/IC if the doves were close. If it was windy and the doves were farther away, I used IC/IM.

If you are ever in the Hendersonville area, let Tom Thomas or myself know. We would like to get together.

Ron L

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the advice especially regarding the chokes and cleaning advice. I can't wait to have my chokes clogged with plastic. My main weapon will be a Beretta 391 20 gauge (I got hooked on "quads" several years ago in Mexico.) but I'm also considering taking my 28 ga Beretta Silver Pigeon. Any thought as to pros or cons of either weapon or carrying two shotguns? Is the quality of shells the same in either gauge? Our group will be leaving RDU for Argentina on Sept 24 and returning on Sept 30. Any input regarding travel? Our outfitter has suggested US Scare/Aerolineas Argentina departing US at Miami. Also any recommendations regarding clothing/camo?
Ron & Tom, I'll give you a heads up next time I get to the western part of the state.

Thanks for the input,

Jeff

Jeff:

I am reluctant to respond because I don't know how John runs his operation, but it has been my experience that most outfitters do NOT keep a large supply of 28 ga shells on hand unless they know in advance that a shooter is going to use them. Discuss this with John ahead of time.

I'm not sure of the problems, IF ANY, of carrying two different gauges. There used to be none, but the laws have been changed since I was there last. Again, check with John.

I've carried a 28 several times along with my 12 just for a change. You'll probably find, as I did, that switching back and forth is not easy, meaning you miss more for a while, since the guns handle substantially differently.

Have a great hunt.

Clothing....I'm not sure where you'll be, the further North (meaning closer to the equator, warmer) you are the less this applies, but take at least a light sweater. It can be pretty cool in the mornings until you warm up from the shooting.

Camo is not essential but doesn't hurt, like most anything else it depends on where you'll be hunting. I prefer the brownish shades of what I call the "marsh mud" look. It will fit in most places. Since it is winter, there won't be as much really green stuff around. Take a camo hat. Ear plugs or muffs. I haven't used them, but an external shoulder anti-recoil pad is not a bad idea unless you are REALLY used to shooting. African type clothing, that is dull green, or khakis are fine if you don't want to bother with camo. Believe me, you won't have to worry about a shortage of birds.

I don't know how old you are, but if you're much past 40, certainly take some anti-inflammatories. The first really bad case of tendonitis I ever had was in Argentina, caused by lifting the gun thousands of times a day. The first day of that, my first trip, I shot 4000 shells, 13000 in 5 days. Hell, I didn't even know why more shoulders hurt until I got older and figured out what it was.

Take some duct tape. Even if your shoulder is used to shooting, I find that mounting the gun and recoil can abrade the skin on your shoulder after a few thousand shots. Sounds simplistic, but slap some duct tape on the spot (you'll be able to see it) before it gets too sore and you'll be good to go. Might work on the face too, although I've never had that problem and never tried it.

Jeff,

I hunted with David Denies last summer, and am going back in June. I don't think you will be disappointed, the shooting there was out of this world. As others have said, it will ruin you for dove hunting in the States. Feel free to contact me with any questions. If you like the dove hunting down there, you should try pigeon hunting in Paraguay - it's like teal hunting on dry land!

Brant

Brant:

I haven't been to Paraguay yet. How was the gun permits/entry problems? Who did you hunt with? How long? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

Gatogordo,

I hunted with Hans and Manfred Enns, out of Filadelphia, Paraguay. No hassles with permits - they have a guy meet you at customs, much like most outfitters in Argentina. We hit the ground in Asuncion, and were in our charter plane in less than an hour. I think the permits are actually cheaper in Paraguay than Argentina. Their site is www.granchacosafaris.com - a couple of booking agents in the States handle them. It is a bit rustic compared to the typical Estancia stay in Argentina, but if you're a hard core wingshooter, you won't find a better time. I have made a dozen or so international wingshooting trips, and the two others in my group have done probably 40 each, and I know that if we had one place to go, it would be for pigeons in Paraguay.

I know Trek is running hunts near there as well, but have not hunted with them. I can go on and on about hunting with them, it was simply the best wingshooting I have ever seen, and I've been fortunate enough to see some pretty good places. The dove hunting there is also excellent, but the real focus is on decoying pigeons. I can dig up the trip report I wrote on them if you would like more info.

Brant

Brant:

I'd appreciate any further information you could send me. I looked over their site and it looks very good to me. How much did it cost? How much do shells cost? I sent them an email off their site, but am not sure it went through. Always fun to go to a new place. Thanks CAT