No single report could possibly deliver a full picture of the red deer situation in Argentina, but here are a few things to keep in mind if you're after a quality fair-chase experience....
Free-range stag hunts are generally found in the middle part of the country, mostly in the provinces of La Pampa, Neuquen and Rio Negro. La Pampa is in the very center of the country, with Neuquen just to the west bordering Chile and Rio Negro just to the south. There are vast open places in this part of Argentina, as well as areas of densely growing brush. In all three provinces, you will find cattle and farming operations. The red deer roam freely here, feeding in the open fields and moving into the brush or forest for cover.
In recent years, some landowners and hunting outfitters in this region have teamed up to tighten control of poaching and to encourage habitat conservation for the deer. These rudimentary trophy-management plans have paid off, too. Still, if you book a free-range red stag hunt in Argentina, you simply must forget about those massive-horned bulls you see in advertisements for preserve hunts. That's not to say you can't take a very good free-range stage, up to and including animals in the SCI gold and silver medal class. It will simply take more hunting time and work to find such an........(continued)
