We have worked with this very fine outfitter for 15 years. Hunt Nation founder Butch Manasse has hunted personally with him, and we have had our clients hunting with him, all with good results and happy smiles!! This operation prides itself on being personable, on giving superb service, and on keeping clients happy. Success is normally 100% on red stag and most other species. They took what was Argentina’s biggest stag – over 700 SCI!! They hunt a variety of different properties in several areas from La Pampa to areas near Buenos Aires and all the way to Patagonia. (If you want to consider Patagonia, ask for the separate writeup.)
RED STAG HUNTING PROGRAM IN LA PAMPA
This red stag program (bush hunting) takes place in the province of La Pampa, 500 miles from Buenos Aires city. The environment is flat and brushy, very similar to South Texas. Most of the hunts are conducted in Calden forests – (native tree of La Pampa) and are the favorite area for the roaring stags. However, you will also hunt areas with sand dunes, thick bush, salt lakes and grasslands. The lodge is on the 57,000 acres. You will hunt there for free ranging stags and other big game. The Estancia has native salt lakes and Calden forests and is one of the wildest regions of Argentina. The lodge itself features nine double bedrooms with private bathrooms in a 10,000 square foot building. The lodge provides Wi-Fi Internet, satellite TV, cell phone service, a SPA, a Gym, and all the comforts required by our high international standards. Meals are prepared by professional chefs, often based around the finest Argentinean beef and game meat. Quality wine from the cellar of the ranch is another highlight of the place.
“Hi Butch,
The total size of La Pampa’s ranch is 57,000 acres but remember that we rent two neighbor’s properties of similar size next to it — so the area available for hunting is really big and almost all of it is free range.
The fenced area for giant stag etc- is about of 7,000 acres totally covered by bush — but once in the field it is really big and ensures a fair chase hunt.”
LODGING AT THE ESTANCIA: He has first class accommodations for hunters. All of it is very clean and upscale. It is situated on the hunting ranch, and it is not unusual to see huge stags and fallow deer, and other animals, right from the buildings! The lodge is composed of a main house and another building of nine luxurious double rooms with bathroom en-suite, plus a spa and gym. Satellite TV, open bar, phone, Internet access by WiFi, Jacuzzi and so on – it is all there. A beautiful fire pit stands in the middle of the buildings for socializing in evening with cocktails and appetizers. The main lodge is the hub of the social activities of the ranch; it has a living room with a fire place, a trophy room with big game species from all over the world, pool table, bar, a dining room and so on. They also have an air strip in the ranch suitable for use by charter flights directly to the field. Food is very good, service is top notch, and the attitude is as fine as it can be. The ranch of this program has 57,000 acres of open bush.
FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT
The ranch has an international chef responsible for preparing their gourmet cuisine. Dine on a great variety of exquisite meals based in game meat (deer, wild boar and so on) and the world famous Argentinean beef. The guests will also enjoy the traditional Argentinean dishes, specially the “asado” (barbecue)! Normally you will sample a variety of the famous Argentine wines, all of which we have greatly enjoyed! These are wonderful and caring people we like a bunch. Non-hunters can enjoy horseback riding, game watching in special vehicles for that purpose, touring, local shopping and more, or just kick back and enjoy the game and the facilities. You set the pace!
THE HUNTING
This outfit has many different stag areas for you to hunt. The majority of the hunting takes place on an unfenced free range area that is easy. Low elevations, high grass, small trees and brush. Easy terrain. Spot and stalk is the method. If you prefer, there are also separate high fenced areas for monster trophies. That said, trophy quality in the free range area is exceptional for Argentina on the outfitter’s home ranch, with stags scoring from 320” to more than 400” SCI. Trophies of this size are only possible as a result from the outfitter’s efforts to introduce premium genetics into the wild deer herds. This is done by capturing wild female hinds and impregnating them with deer farm genetics. By doing it this way, the authenticity of the hunt isn’t compromised as it would be by releasing deer farm stags directly into the wild. These photos below are all trophies taken from this ranch during the 2023 season.
See the trophy list below for the many additional species that can be taken. In addition, free range trophies include, water buffalo, blackbuck and others. The home ranch, which is unfenced, has about 57,000 acres. As stated above, they always added even more lands since they lease two neighbor properties.
It is possible to take medal-class stags on the free range hunt. The trophy quality of free range stags in this destination are second to none in Argentina. Indeed, here is a picture of one of our Wyoming outfitter friends that we booked into this hunt. Look at that free range stag! AWESOME!
If you want super gold, then you will need to hunt the high fence area. If you want any of the more exotic game such as fallow, axis, blackbuck, or any of the sheep such as mouflon or 4-horn sheep or feral sheep, then the hunting is normally high fence. Some other programs may require a move such as blackbuck and axis deer near BA, water buffalo, horseback hog hunts with gun or spear, special blackbuck ranch hunts, and more. The list is extensive and this outfitter’s contacts reach all across Argentina and even into Patagonia, where we personally did horseback stag hunting and some trout fishing with him. Simply tell Hunt Nation your wishes – then we can make it happen!
This outfit also has the ability to offer excellent high volume doves, mixed bag of bird hunting along with golden dorado fishing! Shooting over a thousand rounds per day is common! So we can make many different packages; virtually every species found in Argentina can be arranged – just ask! And if you hanker for giant Argentina Super Gold Stags, this is the place. Even if you do not hunt them, you are likely to see them at the main lodge – a treat in itself! Many high book animals in SCI have been taken here, INCLUDING what was the NEW 700+ STAG – BIGGEST EVER TAKEN IN ARGENTINA!
HUNTING SEASONS: In terms of best dates, we like March through May for stag (seasons are reversed – our September is their March) though hunting is good up to late June. Stags, like their elk cousins, are roaring in early fall (mid-March through April). You can hunt later, but these are prime times. Some of the animals are better hunted at other times, but the typical hunt for stag blackbuck, and perhaps sheep and water buffalo, can all be done in that time frame.
COVID TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: IMPORTANT: Beginning December 6, 2021, all air passengers, regardless of vaccination status, must show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 1 day before travel to the United States. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight. https://ar.usembassy.gov/covid-19/
ARGENTINA ENTRY – COVID REQUIREMENTS- NO LONGER NECESSARY
2025 PRICES (all prices subject to change without notice until deposit received; all prices in USD)
La Pampa Red Stag
Main Ranch Package Option
Five-day, six-night package including one free range red stag scoring up to 320” SCI: $8,750
Five-day, six-night package including one free range red stag of any size: $12,500
Daily rate of $700/day with shared room or $950/day with single room plus trophy fees. Non-hunting observers can be added for $400/night per person
Main Ranch Trophy Fees (Free Range or Estate)
Up to 319 7/8” – $7,000
Up to 349 7/8” – $10,000
Up to 379 7/8” – $14,500
Up to 409 7/8” – $20,000
410+ SCI points – POR
Management stag – $1,600
ADDITIONAL SPECIES TROPHY FEES:
Axis deer (up to 120 7/8” SCI) $4,950
Blackbuck (up to 59 7/8” SCI) $3,300
Fallow deer (up to 216 1/8” SCI) $5,700
Feral goat (up to 73 1/8” SCI) $2,900
Hybrid sheep (up to 125 4/8” SCI) $2,900
Hybrid Mouflon (up to 116 2/8” SCI) $4,200
Mouflon (up to 110 0/8” SCI) $5,600
Multi-horn ram (up to 87 4/8” SCI) $2,900
Water buffalo (up to 82 2/8” SCI) $7,000
Wild boar (up to 6 15/16” SCI) $1,500 (Wild boar are measured by the longest tusk)
*If you purchase a free range package and then switch to an estate hunt package, you will receive a credit toward the estate package.
Excluded: Additional trophy fees (where applicable), hunting licenses, trophy tags, firearms import fee ($120 each) or gun & ammo rental ($250 per week plus ammo), ground transfers, exportation costs and airfares, lodging before and after the hunt, sightseeing trips, observers, tips.
Payment Policy of the Outfitter:
Dates will be confirmed after a 50% deposit of the total amount of the hunt is received by Hunt Nation. Your final balance must be paid at least 45 days prior of the hunting date. Escrows towards extra trophies are arranged with Hunt Nation.
Final balance due must be paid in cash before leaving the field. American personal checks will be allowed with an extra charge of 5% to cover bank processing in Argentina. Sorry, at the ranch they don’t accept credit cards or traveler checks. So an advance deposit with Hunt Nation simplifies things.
TRAVEL: The outfitter provides a meet-and-greet at the international airport on your arrival in Buenos Aires (EZE). They will also handle your ground transfer to your hotel or cross town to the domestic airport for your next flight. The domestic airport is called Aeroparque Jorge Newberry (AEP). Hunters booking into the main ranch have to take a domestic flight into Santa Rosa city, capital city of La Pampa. Aerolineas Argentinas offers daily service from Buenos Aires domestic airport (AEP) to Santa Rosa airport (RSA), except on Thursdays. Flights usually depart from BA late evening, which allows hunters to catch this flight the same day they arrive in Argentina. The flight back to BA departs from Santa Rosa 30 minutes after its arrival, so hunters won’t be able to catch their connections to flying out of Argentina in the same day. It means that they have to spend at least one night in Buenos Aires before flying back to the US. Hunters booked into the outfitter’s second ranch have to fly to Santa Rosa airport too but they mostly fly charter directly to the field since the second ranch has a runway enabled for these flights. .
If you like to book your flights on line, check Aerolineas Argentinas website http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/en-us/ Cost is around $270-$375 r/t -depending on ticket purchased. Check their flights against you international flight times to insure you do not miss a flight. Expect 90 minutes to 2.5 hours between airports depending on the traffic. Plus time to retrieve luggage and pass thru customs.
IMPORTANT! GUN IMPORT RULES ARE IN A STATE OF FLUX, SO USING ONE OF THE OUTFITTER’S RENTAL GUNS IS THE BEST OPTION. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT BRANDS AND CALIBERS. REMINGTON, WINCHESTER, RUGER, ETC., WITH VERY GOOD SCOPES ON THEM, MOSTLY ZEISS, SCHMIDT & BENDER, SWAROVSKI AND LEUPOLD. THEY HAVE .308, .300 WIN MAG, .375 H&H, .458 WIN MAG, BUT COULD ALSO PROVIDE .30-06, .338 WIN MAG AND A FEW OTHERS.
ALL PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS BOOKED AND A DEPOSIT HAS BEEN PAID
