Word from the Owner David Perez

Felices Fiestas Para Todos! First off, I want to wish everybody a very Happy Holiday Season! Our fourth year got off to a great start. We broke the record for most birds shot in January (Russell Pagel) and I think almost everybody will agree that as of June the quality and quantity of birds has never been better.

We definitely had some tough moments, but I am very proud of how everybody at the lodge rose to the occasion. In particular, Alex has worked extremely hard this year including several months where he did not even leave the property once. Martin, as usual, did a wonderful job putting on a great show in the field; he is a gem we will try to keep forever. Of course, Jessica was once again stellar in keeping things at the lodge impeccable, and most importantly she gave birth to Anthony who has provided lots of joy at the lodge.

Of course, next year will be tough due to the global economic slowdown, however as of now we have lots of clients who are booked for next year. In addition, there are some definite positives to the slowdown (see FAQs). I am sure 2009 will be a tremendous test for us, but I am also confident we will come out stronger than ever. Warm regards to everybody and their families. David

Shooting Update from Alex Mitri

This may sound like a broken record, but the birds right now are incredible! As we have mentioned on several occasions, the birds came back in June from the migration season and they are better than ever! So, it is logical that as we approach the Jan-March sunflower months, the quality and quantity of birds will keep improving. We will probably end the year with four or five hatches, which is phenomenal.

Furthermore, the bird outlook on the property is very strong. Our sunflowers are waste high right now and should be perfect for those booked in Jan-March. The rest of Cordoba might suffer a little due to the lower amounts of corn planted given a drop in commodity prices, but for those of us closer to the roost (Los Chanares), we are in an excellent position. It will just be a matter of protecting our main fields as competition for birds may increase next year.

Finally, and of particular interest, we have totally renewed our shotgun inventory. In the last two months we have purchased 24 new guns: 12 Benelli 20 gauge semiautomatics, 5 Berretta 20 gauge automatics, 4 Berretta 28 gauge over-and-unders and 3 Berretta 20 gauge over-and-unders. This should help immensely as we enter our busiest months with extremely high birds volumes!

Featured Employee – Julio Cejas

Mr. Do it All. Julio Cejas is the big guy with the big heart who does it all. From the moment Julio wakes up, he is on the move. Some of Julio’s responsibilities include waking up the clients, taking out the shoots, transfers to the airport, cleaning the pool, fixing anything that breaks, making fires, cleaning the cars, controlling shell inventory and shutting down the lodge in the evenings. Julio basically does it all, and more importantly he does it well and with a smile on his face.

Julio is one of 4 children who was born in Tulumba, a town about 15 minutes from the lodge. Julio has a younger sister Yamila who is another star employee. Julio has many interests, but I think his favorite thing in the world is food. He loves to bring home-cooked meals to the lodge and lunchtime is his happiest time. Julio has one defect, his affinity to the soccer team River Plate (arch rival to my club Boca Juniors). I guess not everybody is perfect!

Frequently Asked Question

How has the global economic crisis affected your business? I guess the logical answer is adversely, since 100% of our client base is foreign. But who cares about us, think about yourselves because things are going to be great in Cordoba.

Rhyme and reason behind a spectacular 2009: First, there will be fewer clients in Cordoba next year. Some lodges are reporting 50% decreases in bookings and we will probably be down approximately 20%. This means less pressure and more paloma for those savvy hunters making the trip. Second, you will probably find it easier to pick the dates you want due to less demand. Third, you will pay less for the trip. Despite massive inflation in Argentina, outfitters will be dying for your business. So there will be more deals to go around. At Los Chanares we have decided to keep shell prices flat $10.75 per box instead of our planned 12% increase in June. At Sierra Brava, our sister lodge who is experiencing 50% reduction in sales, we are offering incredible discounts. I pray every day that B. Obama gets the U.S. out of this economic slump, but since I doubt he can pull it off, hopefully he can at least fix the college football BCS mess (Go Texas Longhorns!).

Dove/Duck Combo Dates

June and July are the best months to combine a dove/duck hunt. This year we have formed a partnership with Argentina Outfitters in the Western Province of Buenos Aires. Many of our clients can tell you they offer our same high quality of birds, food and accommodation. There are many combo dates available and if you book now, you will receive a 15% discount off the regular listed price.

I certainly hope you have enjoyed our newsletter updating you on Los Chanares experience.

Thank you very much for your time and hope to hear from you, sometime soon.

David Perez

Owner