The place was (and is) a paradise: 40.000-plus hectares of prime land in La Pampa Province, full of birds of all kinds, pumas, wild boars, rams and what not, but, first and foremost the best stags in the country, period. For many years hunting was not allowed there, because the two sisters who owned the property didn´t like it. Only a handful of lucky fellows who were friends with the Manager visited that ranch, hunting for free. Each season with the beginning of the rut, at dawn and dusk they could hear from the lordly Manor, the roaring red stags, fighting each other in their eternal cycle of reproduction. The sound of clashing antlers was very common in the bush and besides there were lagoons full of fish, in case that one needed to fill the hours of the middle day without sleeping the sacred "siesta".

Well, back in 1970 "Chito" Lopez shot was is still rated as the best "true" wild red stag of La Pampa, with a head that scored 234 C.I.C. points, like was stated in another post in this very Forum. This inmense head was for a long time the official symbol of several clubs and the Argentine Federation of Big Game Hunting. Albeit it has been bettered in recent years and now is the third in the records, I understand that at least # 1 was a pen-raised animal.

To return, it was a well known secret that in the ranch or "estancia" of our story, lived the king of all stags, one which was much better than that obtained by Lopez. Called the "rosillo" (the pale one) due to its lighter colour, his roar was a strange one, short and dry and more like a cough, thus it was also called the "ronco".

One of the fortunate hunters, whom we´ll call "Victor" because he still lives and now entering his strong eighties, saw once the deer of our tale trough his binos from far away and in his own words, believed that a tree was moving between the "caldenes", such was the size of the head. All was there: the mass, the number of tines, the spread and everything to put his heart in a fast race. He got almost mad and for two years in a row pursued only that trophy without success.
Now, at the time there was a civil war in the country and severe restrictions to firearms were in force, so most of the lucky Nimrods were armed with more or less sporterized Mausers, outnumbering all others the 7.65 Argentine caliber. They used military ammo, usually with a little hole perforating the points. The purpose was to expose a little lead and so produce an expanding bullet.

In the last day of his allowed week in the field, Victor begun to walk very early, in the full darkness of night before sunrise, without finding the "ronco". He saw many good heads, but his will was very strong, he needed the king or nothing. After some hours, wet, tired and almost ready to accept defeat again, he could barely heard the short cough of his prey and knew that the "rosillo" was near.
Getting prone he spied through his old Nedinsco a clearing where the stag should pass, at no more than 30 meters. The wind was right and his hope grew. Then....the king appeared, a majestatic vision, walking slowly and breaking the branches. roaring and challenging other males. Victor put the crosshairs in the massive shoulder, once again marveled by the antlers´ size and the sound of the roars, which resembled a lion, and pressed with the utmost care the two-stage military trigger.

Then he heard the worst sound a hunter can hear: "click". A defective primer, thus no shot. Of course the deer also heard the sound and disappeared between the trees before he could recharge the weapon. Smooth as the Mauser action is, the time was too short and the surprise too big...

During the lunch of that same day, the two little landowners joined their guests and very seriously told them that hunting for free in their property had been ended, forever. They had concluded an arrangement with a very well known outfitter and that was the new status.

The "ronco" was never hunted and in all probability died in the bush. The "estancia" is now one of the most famous (and pricey) hunting ranches and Victor still curses about military ammo, which he never used again.

We all have our destiny .... The great stag was not slotted to die that day ... and poor ol' Victor got himself about 40 years of torment. If I had been Victor I would have whined so much that my wife would have long ago suffocated me with a pillow. Thanks for the great saga.

Scruffy: the story didn´t end there, because "Victor" afterwards bought some 3.000 hectares adjoining that ranch. In fact I hunt there often, is a very good experience. Anyway, he shot many there in his own property, some of them in the gold medal category, but never could see again the "rosillo" or get one near him.
I understand that you are the partner of Lorenzo and both hunt with Eugenio Lutz. There other similar tales, ask him the next time about the "Cuadro del francés". In the near future I´ll post something about this Frenchman, a legend of the field (and also a whining hack ).
Regards

Yo, Nainital ! I shall certainly ask Lorenzo about the 'Cuadro del france's' ... actually I have some great stories about Lorenzo. I have been thinking about 'Victor' and the great stag ... sometimes it just might be better to be pursuing the 'Golden Fleece' than to actually get it. If 'Victor' had killed that magnificent stag so very long ago - the hunt would have been over. I hate to think of the hunt being over.

Wonderful story, Ricardo !

This is the kind of saga that should be immortalized in the camp fires... a very good starting point to lit the hunting flames of future generations of hunters...

Thanks for sharing it !!

Ricardo,

Thanks, thanks and more thanks !!!
Great story.

And the name of that wonderful estancia is...???

Just received an email from Eugenio, he is working in my hunt for next march. It will be my third rut in a row with him, he is a great man.

He has to suffer my emails month after month through the whole year asking questions for each new hunt. I am a pain in his neck but the man knows how to deal with my anxiety without paying me too much atention till december

L

Hey Scruffy !!
How are you doing ??
Your small brother has been doing quite well in his poaching activities

Last thursday we were hunting in two diferent properties, while I returned empty handed he and two more of the gang bagged 12 pigs and two really big axis bucks.

I saw one (axis buck) that was really nice but it was on the road 400 metres before the farm gate and being the nice and honest guy I am I lost some precious seconds consulting my concious and the guy was gone for ever.

Mario is like the police, he first shot and ask questions later, I always ask questions first, so I have only one trophy axis hanging from the wall

L

Ricardo, a fine story.

Lorenzo, when will you hunt stag this year?

Ha! Good on the Poncho !!! I can see those bandits driving around Dolores with dead pigs and deer hanging out everywhere just to annoy the other poachers ... Lorenzo - I got a plan .. I'll drop you a p.m. to wish you Merry Christmas in a few days and let you know what I'm thinking.

Lorenzo: mail sent to you as per your request.