Home > Upland Hunting Tips |
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These tips are useful for:
Quail hunting trips
Pigeon hunting trips
Partridge hunting trips
Planning on taking an upland hunting trip in South America anytime soon? Here are a few Perdiz hunting tips for you…actually, no matter where you are going to be hunting, these tips will help you have a safer, more enjoyable time in the field.
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 Possibly the fastest way to ruin an upland bird hunt is to dress improperly. The pace of walking, an alternating cloudy and sunny sky, and the terrain that you hunt over can vary significantly—thus changing your body temperature regularly. In South America especially, beginners often make the mistake of wearing an upland hunting coat that is too heavy. Even in near-freezing temperatures, you can quickly become too hot—and the bulk of these jackets can restrict your arm movement, making it difficult to shoot accurately. |
 If you wear non-breathable clothing, or dress such that you cannot add or remove layers, you can box yourself into a corner and become really uncomfortable. Why pay good money for an international shoot just to finance your own misery? Be kind to yourself: pack lightly, and dress in layers. Finally, sunglasses are a must not only for eye protection, but also for those early mornings and afternoons where the sun can be right in your eyes. |
 There are no thorns or cacti to contend with in Argentina or Uruguay, but there can be some standing water on the ground after a heavy rain. Make sure that your upland hunting boots are waterproof—not just water resistant. Rubber boots are OK, but boots with a layer of Gore-Tex sandwiched between the shell and the liner are better. This allows your boot to breath, so your feet do not perspire they way they will when wearing rubber boots. |
| No matter which boot you select, if they are brand new—make sure to break them in before your trip—or you will surely wind up with blisters. Wear them when you are out training your dog, or at the very minimum, while doing some chores around the house. Your feet will thank you! |
| Hunting regulations in Argentina and Uruguay do not require the use of blaze orange headwear and upland hunting clothing, but it just makes good sense to wear it. Even though we do not hunt in thick cover, why not stack the deck as far in your favor as possible when it comes to safety and visibility? |
| Even though the walking is not difficult, get some exercise a few weeks before your trip. If you are not already involved in a routine program, and you can find a safe and legal place to do it, go out and walk a few miles with your dog and carry your shotgun with you. Then you will be perfectly confident that you are at the top of your game. |
| Tips for hunting behind upland bird
dogs: |
1. Hunt into the wind: when possible, but when you are
hunting downwind let the dog range a little further.
It will hunt back toward you, and any birds pointed
will be pinned down between you and the dog.
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2. Walk past the point: to flush the birds. Allowing the
dog to flush the birds encourages poor manners, and a
dog that chases a low flying bird could be shot by
mistake. Tramp around the cover near the point if
necessary, but just walking close enough to the bird
should do the trick. All of the Perdiz are wild
birds. |
3. Always be ready. Even with the
dog far ahead, keep you gun in a safe position while
walking, but always be able to mount, swing and shoot.
Especially on high wind days, Perdiz will often flush
beside you without the help of your pointer locating
them. It always means the difference of three or four
more birds in the bag per shoot if the hunters stay
vigilant and ready throughout the walking.
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4. Don’t rush the shot: Many
Perdiz flush just inches from the hunter’s feet. On
close flushes, take a deep breath and count about a
“two Mississippi” before pulling the trigger so that
your shot string will have plenty of room to expand.
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5. Practice: Don’t spoil the trip
by not practicing up on your sporting clays and trap
before coming down. It may have been a few months
since your hunting season ended (let’s face it, turkey
hunting does not count for serious shooting practice),
and you might be surprised how far off your timing can
become by July.
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6. Review: On the van ride out to
the field, take a few minutes to review some basic gun
safety with your shooting partner, especially if you
do not know one another, and/or hunt together
regularly. Make sure he or she is familiar with the
operation of your shotgun, and you with his or hers.
Never become complacent, and never assume anything.
Your upland hunting guides may have limited English
speaking ability, so rely only on your shooting
partner as the final additional layer of safety.
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7. Maintain your situational awareness at all times: One need only look at what
happened to a well known politician that caused a
hunting accident by busting a second covey without
knowing the exact position of every member of his
hunting party. The facts are simple, but powerful: No
matter what activity we are engaged in, if there is a
chance of physical injury or death, the following
statements hold true:
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Some final advice on hunting
safety: |
| In the conduct of our daily lives, when we follow our standard routines and habit patterns, the likelihood of our having an accident is very slim. That is why there are hunter safety courses, and endless books and magazine articles about the subject. Because of the availability of this information, and the fact that all serious outdoorsmen heed this advice, bird hunting is not considered an inherently dangerous activity. |
| However, anytime one engages in an activity where the dereliction or omission of following safety guidelines could cause physical harm or death to another human being, remember this: if the hair on the back of your neck is standing up, and there is a sneaking feeling that things are not just right or normal—and you are out of the standard routine, and there are loaded guns around…it probably isn’t right—your survival instincts are talking to you. |
| If you have been hunting long enough, this has certainly happened to you…you know something is out of place in your surroundings, and you get that uncomfortable feeling—not only do you not shoot anything, but you should immediate take action to restore a safe and normal situation by positioning yourself and your hunting partners back into the standard safety protocols. |
| We hope that you will put these hunting safety tips into practice whenever you hunt. Safety is no accident. |
| Please note: |
| Los Gauchos Outfitters also provides great referrals for the following types of upland hunting: |
Pheasant hunting
Quail hunting in Mexico
Mexico dove hunting
Partridge hunting in Spain
& more!
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