South America offers exciting safari adventures
BY MARK CLABAUGH Special to Gulf Breeze News

Mark Clabaugh/Special to the News Millions of birds fly towards the trees in the distance. Every evening these birds make their way back to the trees to roost.

What it is like to go on Safari in a foreign country? In a word, it is very exciting. It was for me. I was invited by my friend Ed Walter and his sons to Bolivia for a dove hunting safari. Funny thing is, that this was the second time he invited me on this trip. This time Ed stated to me, "I have your tickets and you are leaving on June 12th."

If you are like me and not experienced at these kinds of things, you would first need an outfitter. These companies are invaluable in setting up your lodge, guides, air travel, etc. They also ensure that you get hooked up with excellent and reputable guides, whether your sport is fishing, hunting or what ever. There are many outfitters that specialize in safaris of different types, and one of the largest in the business is Trek Safaris out of Jacksonville, who has organized these trips in many countries since 1973.

The next step is deciding what type of trip you want and where to go. On this trip, Ed and his friends returned to Bolivian Adventures to hunt with Jorge Molina. Bolivian Adventures offers "Wing Hunting" in the Bolivian outback. They hunt mainly for Eared Dove and Picazuro Pigeon in the fields around the Las Palomas Lodge. The lodge is located in a semi arid region called the Chaco, which is in the heart of the Santa Cruz de la Sierra Province.

Mark Clabaugh/Special to the News Hunting in sunflower fields is a unique experience for anyone from the Northwest Florida area.

When we arrived, we met Jorge Malino, who owns Bolivian Adventures and the Las Palomas lodge. He was a really nice and energetic man, who you could tell has all the qualities of a bushman. I enjoyed talking and learning about this new experience from Jorge. What amazed me the most is that he was a very humble man for what he has accomplished. It was not until my third day that I learned that I was actually riding around the outback with a famous person.

Jorge Molina has been to 14 world championships, and is a two time member of the ColumbiaOlympic Skeet shooting team. He competed in the Pan-AmericaGames, Sout and Central American Competitions and Caribbean Tournaments, as well many different Eared Dove and Picazuro Pigeon tournaments in many countries. What is really cool is that you are here hunting with this guy, and he is assisting you and teaching you all the secrets of professional shooting and he loves every minute of it

When you arrive at Las Palomas you are greeted by Jorge's friendly staff, and better yet with lunch. Our first lunch there was really nice, since it was my first time experiencing a South American meal. They then give us all the 411 on your upcoming experiences, and our hunting schedule for each morning and evening hunt.

Afterward, we got moved in and assigned our rooms and ready for our first hunt.

We were taken to the fields for our early evening hunt.

There are generally two hunts in the evening, one where you hunt an edge of a field for high and fast flying dove and a Roost hunt, where all the birds are returning to the roost for the night.

The first hunt is very challenging and one for which Bolivia is known. The birds are flying by you constantly at various altitudes and distances away from you, which make the shots more challenging. The later hunt is the most exciting thing I have ever seen. The sky turns to a sea of black dots, so thick you think you could walk across them. There are millions of birds returning to a single roost, and this is happening everywhere. It's totally amazing, and I can assure you that you have never seen so many birds in one place.

After the hunts, we returned to the lodge where the staff cleaned our guns and prepared dinner. They have a wet bar at the lodge, where everyone gathers and tells their hunting stories (much the same as fishing stories). Dinner is served buffet style and always includes a dessert. Everything is done with a South American touch. But the best part is that we were seated at this huge, beautifully handcarved, table and chairs where you enjoy dinner and storytelling. It is hard to imagine all the fun that is had around the table each day.

The next morning we got up early, with breakfast waiting on us. Everyone sat down to eat and talked about what was to come.

After breakfast, we were off again into the outback for our first hunt. Our first morning we hunted in Sunflower fields, which was a sight to see - thousands of acres of sunflowers in full bloom. For this hunt, we were placed inside the sunflower fields, which make for an exotic experience. Once the birds have moved into the fields for feeding, we were then moved to your late morning hunt, which is usually near a watering hole.

Again, I was amazed at the number of birds that fly by. Jorge Molina said there were several million birds just in this area. He added that the birds eat over 40 percent of the crops. Now, thinking in scale, the farming area was the size of Texas. That is a lot of food! But when you see the number of birds, it is easy to believe.

By now you might be wondering, what do they do with all the birds that are shot? Well, some hunters actually ship some home. However, for the most part, the lodge employs people who actually collect all the birds and brings them back to the lodge. The birds are then cleaned and cooked for the guests. Most of the cleaned bird meat, however, is donated to the homeless and Mennonite colonies in the area.

The truth is, I just touched on most the experiences I had in Bolivia, but there were many more. If you are looking for a very special experience for you and your sons and daughters, or even a group of friends, I would truly recommend a safari, not only for the fishing and hunting that it has to offer, but for all the experiences you enjoy in the outback of a foriegn country.

To book a trip like this one, or another type of hunting and fishing expedition, call Milton Hanburry at Trek Safaris at 800- 654-9915 or email Jorge Malino a t jorge@bolivianadventures.com.