Hunting in northern Patagonia is very similar to elk hunting in the Rockies, where hiking and horse backing is the norm. The best time of the year to chase big bulls is during the peak of the rut, which is usually between mid-March and mid-April. Northern Patagonia offers the possibility of combining red deer hunting with great trout fishing. The best stag country is crisscrossed by some of the best trout streams in South America. This is a great option for a non-hunting partner. There are also plenty of huge wild boars in the area. In order to access the best areas at the right time, it is very important to book your hunt well in advance. It is advisable to make reservations at least 1 year prior to the scheduled trip. RSP organizes very personalized trips , and we conduct only fair chase hunts. We don’t guarantee a kill, but we do guarantee that our clients will be hunting in the best locations at the best time and will have the best hunting experience in a region that is populated by an abundance of stags.

The fallow deer (Dama dama) is a ruminant mammal belonging to the deer family. The fallow was first introduced in Argentina to the the lake district on northern patagonia by argentine millionaire Aaron Anchorena, who intended to increase hunting opportunities in the region. He freed deer of European and Asian origin, on some of his many properties all around the country. After the introduction the specie thrived in different areas of Argentina and Chile. Good herd management and great habitat produce some very fine deer specially in southern chile. From those chilean bloodlines we started at our ranch in Tupungato a fallow deer herd management plan some years ago, and today we have some of the best bucks you can find in south america. Also not far from Crestones in Buenos Aires province there are some small pockets of fallow populations, so we usually can offer good hunts in that area during the Crestones season.

The Blackbuck (Antilope Cervicapra) is a diurnal antelope (active mainly during the day). Blackbuck graze on open fields of low grasses, occasionally browsing as well. Does become sexually mature at eight months, but mate no earlier than year and a half. Bucks mature later, at one-and-a-half years. Like many subtropical game, mating takes place throughout the year. Gestation is typically six months long, after which a single fawn is born. The lifespan is typically 10 to 15 years. They are very prolific and in good years does average 1.5 newborn per year They have great eye sight and they rely on it much more than their noses that are not as sharp as deer, for example. They are wide open ground animals, avoiding thick wooded areas as much as possible. From Crestones lodge we access some of the finest areas for free range Black Buck and we arrange hunts that can even be done in half a day after an early morning duck hunt. Our leases have antelope by the thousands!

The Axis deer, also known as chital or cheetal, is a species of deer that is native to the Indian subcontinent. The axis is a moderately sized deer. Males reach nearly 90 centimetres (35 in) and females 70 centimetres (28 in) at the shoulder; the head-and-body length is around 1.7 metres (5.6 ft). While bucks weigh from 70–180 lb, the lighter females average 70 pounds. Aaron Anchorena, a wealthy Argentine, brought Axis deer from India as well as Black Buck in the late 19th century. He released them on some of his properties in Argentina and Uruguay. Just like black buck they thrived and colonized massive areas of territory. Central eastern Buenos Aires province was one of the orgininal ranges were they were released around 1890s. Today the area has some of the best wild free rancge population in south america. Crestones Lodge is located very close to the heart of this big area. This gives our guests the oportunity to hunt true wild axis deer. combining with our fantastic bird hunting, or as a stand alone big game hunt.

Wild Boar (Sus Scofa) was the first non- native game animal introduced in Argentina by the early spanish conquistadores. Later in the late 1900s more pure european boars were introduce in Patagonia and central Argentina. Rapidly they expanded throught major areas of the country. Big boars are usually seen alone but it is not rare to also see them in groups with sows and piglets. An adult male will normally weigh around 200 pounds but they can reach up to 350 pounds . The boars grow menacing tusks that get longer and thicker with age. Northern patagonia and Mendoza have pure blooded boars, unlike Buenos Aires province and other areas of the country that had been mixed with feral hogs. Despite this they still present huge bodies and big tusks. In Patagonia we also hunt them mostly as an addition during our Red Stag hunts.

The Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is a large bovid native to South and Southeast Asia. Today, it is also found mainly in Australia and South America. There are several sub species with different characteriscs to each. Australian buff have massive long horns while South America buff have usually bigger body size with shorter thicker horns. Althought they are present in Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, Argentina is were they are most available for hunters. While nothern eastern argentina have the biggest heards of buffalo, we can find pockets of them in Buenos Aires and La Pampa province. Not far from Crestones lodge we have access to some local herds that provide full adrenaline hunts!