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S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S 1 3 1 the bathroom, and a state-of-the-art sound system. Just tell master host Gaston what time you want to wake up and your favorite kind of music. When I was there I awoke to the sound of Luciano Pavarotti singing O Sole Mio! and by Vivaldi's Four Seasons. What a great way to start the day! The lodge has a flagstone deck with a fire pit where everyone gathers in the evenings to tell preposterous lies about their great shooting. In the lounge you can watch Fox News in the evenings and graze on big platters of aperitivos and swill ice-cold Quilmes beer. Soon there will also be a spa with masseuses and a fitness center and swimming pool. The kitchen is equipped with state-of-the art cooking equipment, and food is prepared by top chefs on loan from the best restaurants in Gualeguaychu and Buenos Aires. This being Argentina, there is a heavy emphasis on the finest cuts of grass-fed beef: big slabs of thick, delectable bife de lomo (filet mignon) and bife de chorizo (New York strip steak), literally packed with wonderful flavor and tender enough to cut with a spoon. And how about mollejas, or sweetbreads, with a flavor even richer than the beef? There are huge, imaginative salads, and a well-stocked cellar with wines from the finest makers in the country—Rutini, Salentein, Andeluna, Caesar Catena, among others. And let us not forget those great desserts that the Argentines are masters of: tiramisu and flan and dulce de leche and Don Pedro, among others. S kip Hoagland does not actively participate in the operation of the lodge. For all of the different functions he has hired experts, such as Hector De Bernardis, who is in charge of the hunting. Every evening the hunters return to an extravagant array of fine wines, delicious appetizers, and choice cuts of beef. A scion of a wealthy family, Hector has catered to demanding sportsmen from all over the world. His equipment is the best: Dodge Ram pickups, a fleet of MAXX amphibious vehicles, about 20 Beretta and Benelli and Franchi semi-automatic shotguns with cases and cases of ammunition, hundreds of decoys, and large quantities of camouflage materials for building blinds. He also has a dozen beautifully trained dogs for hunting perdiz. Before the waterfowl season starts, Hector and his assistants construct about a hundred blinds in strategically situated places. He baits each blind heavily every other day, but shoots each blind only once a week so as not to drive the ducks away. Limits are exceedingly generous. Skip's hunters take about 25,000 ducks a season, which is not a lot considering Argentina's generous daily limits and that his vast marshland complex produces tens of thousands of waterfowl. IF YOU WANT TO GO During February the nearby city of Gualeguaychu presents one of the great Carnival celebrations in the world. There are long parades of big floats loaded with beautiful girls in bikinis, dancing in the streets, and dining al fresco at many excellent restaurants. Gaston can organize visits to all these festivities. World-class dove shooting combined with a world-class Carnival celebration—certainly one of life's great adventures. Don't miss it! For more information call (843) 384-7260; email info@agentinawingshooting.com or visit www.Argentinawingshooting.com Readers who book online will receive ten free boxes of shotgun shells.