June 23, 2016 –

I recently returned from an outstanding Paraguay bird shooting trip hosted by premier outfitter Erik von Sneidern: decoyed pigeons at its best! A group of good friends from Abilene, Texas – all hard-core shooters – and I traveled to Neuland, a small farming community in the Chaco region located in the remote northern reaches of Paraguay. Veteran outfitter, Erik von Sneidern, and his charming wife, Ana Maria, hosted our group’s South American adventure.

Our travel was challenging. The heavy rains and relentless lightning caused delays getting to Houston to catch our flights to the southern hemisphere. My friends from Abilene arrived into Asuncion on time but I didn’t! I arrived the following day. Erik’s logistics man, Jose Dario Lopez, was waiting for me and arranged a private van to take me to the hunting area. I arrived midday and only missed a morning outing.

The Chaco region is sparsely populated, mostly by Mennonites and indigenous Indians. The region’s land is very fertile and the perfect environment to grow the pigeon’s favorite food: peanuts! The shooting is from individually constructed brush blinds in peanut fields. Twenty to thirty decoys, and a two-pigeon revolving carousel are strategically positioned to lure the singles, doubles, and squadrons of birds into range. The system works! The shoots were intense with “committed” decoying and pass-shooting birds. There were shot opportunities at every possible angle, direction, and speed. I had to stop shooting long before the pigeons stopped flying – it wore me out!

One of the guys commented that decoyed pigeon is similar to duck hunting but without the waders, water, mud, and uncivilized alarm clock setting! I tend to agree plus I find grilled wild pigeon tasty. Ducks… not so much.

Paraguay is a gun friendly country with a simple firearms permit process, handled expertly by Erik’s son, Axel, and Jose. It’s really a simple deal. Though Erik rents gun to visiting clients, we decided to bring our own. I brought an old Parker and enjoyed taking pigeons with it. This season, clients are based from a brand new hotel in Neuland. Hunters enjoy very clean, spacious, single occupancy rooms with Wi-Fi. The drives to the fields ranged from twenty to thirty-fives minutes, and Erik and Ana Maria serve delicious meals in a dining tent under the canopy of huge trees that border the shooting fields. Hammocks were provided for post-feast naps.

An interesting aspect of the trip was visiting a local village. Nearly 100% of the killed pigeons are recovered, loaded into pick-up trucks, and then taken to the native townships and villages for distribution. The local people live in a day-to-day subsistence manner and benefit immensely from the harvest. Not a pigeon is wasted.

This was my first trip to Paraguay. Erik and his team provide the best high-volume wing shooting I’ve ever experienced in South America. This Texas group secured dates for 2016 – we’re going back.

A cautionary note: If you decide to check out Paraguay’s pigeon shooting, don’t eat the peanuts that are lying in the dirt. Just trust me – leave them for the pigeons!

For more information on Paraguay and pigeons, call me anytime at 830-483-0796. See the PDF highlighting the shoot.

In recent months, my friends and clients have reported exciting trips to Argentina, New Zealand, Kenya, Namibia, and South Africa. The upcoming months are booked with more awesome adventures to: Argentina and Uruguay for mixed-bag bird shooting; Mozambique safaris for buffalo and leopard; Alaska for waterfowl, salmon, and trout; Montana for prairie birds; Alberta for giant deer; Bahamas for big bonefish; driven birds in Idaho and Hungary; and anywhere you’d like to chase birds, big game and fish.

It’s my pleasure to provide you and your friends the best hunting experience. If you know anyone who may be interested in a hunt, please forward along this email.

Wishing you a relaxing summer and good hunting,
Gordie