Despite the COVID lockdown, I completed the North America Waterfowl Slam of 43 species in a single season during the winter of 2021. It was a brutal six months! I spent 110 days in the field, with thoughts of a successful slam often in doubt. Ultimately, I finished the North America Waterfowl Slam by taking a king eider in Greenland. I experienced a deep satisfaction in being the first hunter to complete the challenge in a single season, and have enjoyed reliving the ups and downs of the season because we captured the entire adventure on film. Since completing that slam, I’m often asked, “What’s next?”
Our priority after completing the slam was publishing the book about my adventure—The Journey Within: A Waterfowler’s Diary. In chapter 16 of the book, I describe my next waterfowl challenge: to complete the South America Waterfowl Slam in a single season. We researched the region, pinpointed specific locations to hunt, and created a list of 20 South American waterfowl species to include in the slam. Habitat exists for all 20 of the waterfowl species within the borders of Argentina and Peru. Tentative plans were developed for May and June of 2022.
I’d never hunted South America, but was anxious to try it out. Just before COVID, my Dad, my brother Aaron, my nephew Alec, and I booked a big-game hunt in Argentina. Then the pandemic hit and Argentina, like most of the world, was closed to visitors. Our hunt was put on hold and nonresident hunters were absent from the country for two years. Argentina finally relaxed their COVID rules two years later and we were able to travel there in March of 2022. We were the first hunters at the estancia since March of 2020. It was a game-rich environment for trophy animals and we had a great family hunt. It was also a great opportunity for us to experience Argentina prior to starting my quest for the South America Waterfowl Slam.
Hunting in Argentina is not like hunting in North America. Take waterfowl as an example. In North America, waterfowl move north, usually into Canada, for the summers. Then they fly south to the warmer US states and Mexico for the winters. Because of the large number of North American waterfowl hunters, almost every species has a daily bag limit. The limits vary by country and state, and often specify daily or season limits for drakes or hens of each species an individual hunter can take.
Rules for hunting are developed and administered by each of Argentina’s 23 provinces. Each province is autonomous from the federal government and is able to create its own hunting regulations. The majority of waterfowl in Argentina stays within the country year-round, although some winter for a short time in southern Brazil or Uruguay. For reasons I don’t understand, these ducks don’t follow the “now we all go far north for the summer and far south for the winter” migration rule like North American waterfowl. The waterfowl move north and south, but they migrate mainly for food during cold-weather events.
With limited numbers of local hunters and growing wildlife populations, the various species put tremendous pressure on agricultural crops. Provincial governments are constantly under pressure to keep the numbers of waterfowl, doves, pigeons, and other animals under control. Knowing that residents of Argentina had tremendous difficulty controlling wildlife populations without assistance, some entrepreneurs decided the best course of action would be to bring eager hunters from other countries to Argentina. Doves and pigeons thrive throughout the country, with millions of these birds in the farming areas. Thanks to each province’s established seasons, waterfowl hunting is also superb. Hunting operations were established and lodges were built. The local outfitters may have been overly optimistic, and a few too many hunting operations were set up. As a result, the prices for hunting are extremely competitive. Argentina’s effective wildlife management resulted in perhaps the world’s best dove, pigeon, and waterfowl hunting at very reasonable rates.
With COVID restrictions relaxed, 20 South American waterfowl species identified, and Argentina and Peru checked off as the prime locations to hunt these species, let’s kick off another amazing journey with the South America Single-Season Waterfowl Slam!
