| TRIP REPORT: |
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  Villa de
Merlo, ArgentinaYou'll be reading a lot more about this beautiful new destination for doves, pigeons and perdiz but please review a few highlights from my exploratory trip there. Classic Sports International is one of the few agencies representing this very special venue. If you find the trip as intriguing as I did, please call us for more information at 800-375-5692. |
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  Outstanding Shooting: Takes
place on Estancia Santa Barbara, in an area of more than 20,000 acres.
Client Ed Kaltreider and I were among the first group to experience
what we agree will become one of Argentina's top shooting destinations.
Doves and pigeons roost on or near the more than 7,500 acres that are
under cultivation-sorghum, milo, corn, sunflower. The managers at
Estancia Santa Barbara estimate that the birds caused more than half a
million dollars in crop damage
last year.One great shoot! |
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 Our Outfitter: Juan Pedro Navarro, has an exclusive contract to shoot the estancia fields. and you'll see no other hunters except those with your group. Shooting places vary as the birds come in to feed, fly back to the roosting and watering areas. And there is hardly a time that the shooting is not fast and furious. Ed and I only shot for a few hours each day but we estimated that 2-1/2 to 5 cases a day should be the norm for those who want to shoot the full day. The big plus at Santa Barbara is that spot winged pigeons are mixed in with the doves and sometimes come over in large flocks. We averaged 6 to 12 pigeons an hour (translating to 35-60 in a six hour shooting day) except for the one morning when we did some decoyed pigeon shooting with 150 plus pigeons between us in less than an hour and a half. Perdiz are available at extra cost and on a brief test, Ed experienced 22 flushes and12 birds in just over an hour. Ed is a veteran Argentina hunter and agrees with me that the shooting at Merlo is among the best he's ever experienced. |
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 Accommodations and Food: This is one of the truly
unique aspects of the trip. Merlo is a mountain Shangri-La made up mainly of retirement and vacation homes, all nearly new and all brick with the amenities you'd expect in an expensive retirement community. Accommodations are in a gated Country Club development, Chumamaya, that is lush and well groomed with outstanding mountain views from each of the homes. Group members are housed, two to three in a home, most often with a private bedroom and bath and each with their own personal cook and waiter to attend to their needs. Breakfast and lunch are prepared to order if guests want-in their own house. The main evening meal is served in a larger house where the entire group comes together after the shooting day. The food and wines were outstanding and plentiful. |
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Getting there: There
are several alternatives but the one we like best is to fly Lan Chile
to Cordoba then take a van transfer or charter flight to Merlo. There's
an excellent airport/landing strip just about 10 minutes from the
fields; 20 minutes from Chumamaya. The van ride is about 3-1/2 hr. in a
comfortable and modern vehicle and the scenery through the mountains
and vistas
is magnificent. Cost of the van transfer is $125 per person round trip.
Charter cost will depend on the size of the group but the flight from
the Cordoba airport only takes about 40 minutes. Best regards; John Cornett
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| Merlo Trip Costs: |
Call Classic Sports
International at 1-800-375-5692 |
| 3 nights
, 2 full and 2 half day
hunts: $1,695 |
or email: classport@aol.com |
| 4 day stay:
$2,195 |
Click
Here for Merlo Snapshots! |
| Rates are all inclusive
except airfare, shells($10), gun permits($20), birdboys,tips and van
transfer from Cordoba-$125 round trip. |
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