Santiago del Estero Lodge
Superior Dove & PIgeon Shooting
Dove and pigeon hunting with David Denies has a long history in Argentina, and they are coming up on forty years of organized, excellent shooting. It has been so long in fact, that one would perhaps tend to think that there was nothing new under the sun. Not true.
Santiago del Estero Lodge, located in the northern province of the same name, is a new frontier in dove and pigeon shooting, in an unpressured, rural area where the local folks are happy to make your acquaintance, where the pace of life is still tied to the land, and where the doves and pigeons can at times literally darken the sky.
Here is a home of great consequence. A Spanish-styled manse, with sprawling courtyards, which lends rural elegance to the exciting shooting at hand. This area was first explored by a noted Spanish outfitter Paco Riestra, a guide with more than twenty-five years in the shooting industry. It was his dream to build a Spanish- styled hunting lodge in one of the finest areas of Argentina, which he did when he constructed a twenty thousand square foot lodge in the middle of inhospitable forests and wetlands near the Rio Dulce.
Sadly, Paco has passed, but as part of honoring his work and commitment to great hunting, David Denies has partnered with his son Francisco, who will carry on his father’s grand tradition, by completely redesigning every part of the lodge and service model, to elevate it to heights not yet reached in sporting hospitality.
You will find the lodge elegant but not stilted, the service sharp but not bothersome, and the dining and amenities uniformly terrific. And all this as a framework for some of the greatest dove and pigeon shooting to be found in South America.
Operated by David Denies, the pioneer of dove shooting since 1984, Santiago del Estero Lodge offers some of the very best high-volume dove shooting in the country combining short drives with phenomenal accommodations and service.
About The Hunt
The Shooting
Santiago del Estero as a province is very unique in terms of hunting rights. The province is divided into zones and then zones are allocated to outfitters. Santiago del Estero Lodge has been allocated with a large and very productive hunting zone, providing absolute exclusivity over a huge expanse of land. This not only the operation to manage pressure without outside influence, it also allows us the possibility to actively manage our resource by rotating different flyways and completely minimizing hunting pressure.
Pigeon Hunting
Not only dove shooting is good, but we also encounter a phenomenal population of wild pigeons. The access to water through the Río Dulce river and its marshes combined by the food and acres and acres of trees and scrub makes this environment perfect for the development of wild pigeon hunting to your stay during the winter months (May – August).
Dove Shooting
It is difficult to describe volume dove shooting to those that have not done it- the excitement and constant action makes it compelling like no other venue in sport. And here in Santiago del Estero we have high volume shooting as it was in the good old days. Imagine a semi-tropical plain, with trees of mixed heights and field edges and fence lines that would recall the best dove and quail habitat of the old south.
You’ll take a position near some flyway or on an obstacle that forces the doves to move higher or around it, and enjoy shooting many have only dreamed of. All day you will be assisted by able bird boys who will load your guns and replenish your ammo, provide drinks and good help-anything and everything to make your day enjoyable.
Facilities & Services
- Capacity: 14 guns on private rooms, or up to 17 if couples’.
- Accommodation: 14 rooms – 5 single rooms w/private bathroom; 3 ensuite rooms w/private bathroom & 6 single room with shared bathroom (1 bathroom every 2 rooms). Beds for all rooms are king sized; all rooms included air-conditioning, heating and room safes.
- The lodge houses a large traditional dining room adjacent to a comfortable sitting room with a nearby bar. The recreation room offers a pool table, with a sitting area and bar. There is also a gun cleaning room and a wine cellar.
- After the hunt you can also enjoy time in the swimming pool, or just relax in the sitting area aside at our inviting fire pit.
- Wi-Fi Internet access, Satellite telephone and satellite TV.
- A gourmet dining experience each day, with Argentina’s famed beef and fine wines, traditional Asados (BBQ), fresh baked breads and delicious desserts.
- Maid and laundry service.
- Masseuse.
- Gift shop offers local artwork and crafts, logo wear and accessories.
- Gun rental, with a selection of fine over and under and semiautomatic shotguns, from Beretta & Benelli.
- Professional, experienced hunting guides and field assistants.
- Comfortable Mercedes Benz Vans.
- 4500-foot grass landing strip for charter flights.
- Heated Plunge Pool.
Location
The Lodge is located in the south of the province of Santiago del Estero, in northern Argentina, 150 miles (250 km) southeast of Santiago del Estero airport (SDE). Driving time to the lodge is 3 hours by paved roads.
Getting There
To get to Santiago del Estero Lodge there are daily direct flights from many U.S. or European cities to Buenos Aires (Ezeiza Intl. Airport). From the EZE Intl. airport hunters will need to make a connection to SDE airport (1.30 hr. flight) or transfer to the Domestic airport (AEP) and connect there to SDE.
Another option is to fly to Santiago de Chile (SCL) with a connecting flight to Córdoba City (COR); from there hunters can either:
- Drive to the lodge 4.5 hr. (220 miles = 350km)
- Book a 1-hour private charter straight to our 4500-foot landing strip
Note I – Hunters can also arrive into Buenos Aires and decide to book a private charter straight to our landing strip (2.30 hr.’).
Note II – Depending on flight schedules hunters might need to spend 1 night at Buenos Aires city.
