doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Double Shotgunning in Chilean Patagonia.

This a short report and pictures of a recent hunting trip to Aysen, Southern Chile. For four days we went mainly for pheasants, Magellan Goose and Brown hare. There is a thriving population of introduced wild pheasants; hares are really big and geese become numerous in this area as the Southern Winter advances. Two 12 Ga AYA shotguns were our faithful companions.

Francisco (guide) and Sergio (friend, hunting partner)
Yours truly and Sergio at the Lodge with geese.

Thank you for the great pictures!

Patagonia is one place I'd really like to visit and hunt in one day!

ejsxs thanks for the hunting report and pics. I have to find me an outfitter in Chile!!

More pictures of hunting trip to Aysen.

Chasseur and Treblig,
Hunting season for Magellan Goose and pheasant is from 1st. April to 31st August. Brown hare season is year round. Most years in June-July is snow covered.

We flew 1500 miles from Santiago to Balmaceda Airport (near Coyhaique) at a reduced off-season rate of US$150 per person round trip (Economy ticket bought via internet one month in advance). LAN Airlines staff and airport staff are very efficient and professional with sporting weapons handling.

As regards to Francisco (Pancho) Salas, our outfitter, he runs an all included hunting service (April to August), together with a fishing service (October to April) from Los Torreones Lodge (www.flyfishpatagonia.com). The fishing website provides directions to reach him. He and his wife Alejandra offer gourmet quality cuisine and first class lodging facilities. Besides, Pancho offers hunting services for European deer and wild boar. Hunting rates are same as low season fishing rates. We returned very satisfied with their service.
Two AYAs and Brown Hare at the Lodge porch.
Pheasant cock flying high near Coyhaique.

Yours truly and Sergio getting ready for pheasants in the Simpson Valley.
Francisco and Alejandra.

ejsxs,

Another sincere thank you for the hunting story and photo!

Mark

The first time I ever saw one of those giant Brown Hares, I had tired of executing endless flights of eared dove coming in to a corn field near Parana in Argentina and had taken a walk in some adjacent overgrown pasture. The rabbit jumped from under my feet and I thought it was a deer it was so big.

Living in the South I'm used to seeing our little Cottontails, so the Brown Hare was a real surprise. Anyhow, I rolled it and the 'bird boys' seemed very happy and excited to have the meat. We had a lunchtime barbeque (Asado?)in the field and they cooked it along with the sausages and steaks on the grill...Geo

p.s.: Where'd you guys find those funny hats???

Geo

The more to the South you go, the bigger the Brown hares in South America, following the Bergmann�s rule of body size and temperature. They are really good table fare, I keep some French recipes for that purpose. The guide�s GSPs seemed almost of the same size when they captured those wounded hares.

As to the hats, my friend is a 24hrs/7days "huaso" (Chilean cowboy), he wears it always; my hat is a Russian one, bought in a local shop in Santiago.

Regards.

EJSXS

We have an English dish called "Jugged Hare" at home on the farm in England where I grew up, hare cooked in beer, I'd imagine one could google up the recipe. I understand that Brown Hares are rare in England now.
Hares give birth to leverets (young hares) born fully furred, eyes open, ready to rock and roll right away.
The young of rabbits are born naked and blind.
Our bush rabbits up here are "varying hares" properly called, we do not have cottontails, which do not turn white in the winter
I shot a jackrabbit when I first got to Canada, my girlfriend at the time phoned her Mum in Essex, UK and got the jugged hare recipe. The jack tasted much like the Brit Brown Hare, delicious!

Great looking "big sky country". Sergio's hat is just too cool.

ejsxs - Many thanks for the interesting stories and pictures. Looks like beautfiul country. Yet another place to go before I do. (I mean 'the big GO'!)