Fast action. Challenging shots. High volume. These are all ingredients of a great South American bird hunting trip—specifically, pigeon hunting in Uruguay. The country of Uruguay is probably the most versatile wildfowling destination on the continent. The whole country is roughly the size of the state of Washington, and all of the species of birds that international wingshooters desire are available in one centralized area.
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Fast action. Challenging shots. High volume. These are all ingredients of a great South American bird hunting trip—specifically, pigeon hunting in Uruguay. The country of Uruguay is probably the most versatile wildfowling destination on the continent. The whole country is roughly the size of the state of Washington, and all of the species of birds that international wingshooters desire are available in one centralized area.
Decoyed pigeon hunting is no exception. Adventurix destinations in Uruguay can even customize stand alone pigeon hunts for those who desire high volume shoots, and do not want to hassle with pigeon hunting in Paraguay (and the visa application process to go there). Motivated shooters can expect to shoot one hundred pigeons per day, under fast and furious decoying conditions. The Picazuro and Spotwing pigeons are hunted in cut grain fields—all which have been well scouted, and well baited.
Dove hunters sometimes think (incorrectly) that pigeons are easier to hit than they smaller counterpart—the dove. The opposite is true: the pigeons are more wary, and more acrobatic in flight. It is true, that a pigeon might be easier to hit when you get them cupped and committed over the decoys, but to accomplish that, one must use the tactics that he or she would employ for successful duck hunting: a well thought out decoy spread, good camouflage discipline.
Best of all, drive to the pigeon shooting areas are all less than an hour, and the shooting is fantastic all year long. Most visiting wingshooters elect to combine their Uruguay pigeon hunting trip with a duck hunting trip to Uruguay, or dove hunting trip to Argentina—just across the border. Even great freshwater dorado fishing is available in combination with the pigeon hunts in Uruguay—also available year round.
Pigeon hunting outfitters in Uruguay are very experienced bird hunting guides, and are accustomed to putting together world class wingshooting trips for demanding European clients, so odds are that your expectations are going to be met, or exceeded. Hunters are never crowded, with only two shooters allowed in each blind. Each pigeon hunting blind is accessorized with static pigeon decoys, and spinning wing decoys, as well as a bird pick up boy who is always ready to assist in re-supplying shells, and taking care of the other all-important in the field responsibilities.
Pigeon hunts typically begin at 9:30 AM, and the birds fly until just after 2:00 PM or so. Most bird hunting outfitters in Uruguay offer their clients a traditional BBQ (called an asado) in the field after the pigeon hunting is concluded, and then the rest of the afternoon is normally set aside for some high volume Uruguay dove hunting, or Perdiz hunting (when in season: May 1st – July 31st ).
Our Uruguay hunting outfitters tell us that every year more and more of their guest are asking for decoyed pigeon shooting to be an integral part of their Uruguay wingshooting trip, and once you try it, you will see why…it is the next best thing to hunting ducks in a cut corn field—without the crack of dawn getups, waders, and bitter cold conditions that can call one’s degree of sanity into question by many of their friends and family.
If you have never done so, maybe it is time that you try your hand at some high quality decoyed pigeon shooting in South America. Uruguay is only one of several choices; there are other fine venues as well: Bolivia pigeon hunting, Paraguay pigeon hunting, and Argentina pigeon hunting.
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