doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com If money were no object, where would you hunt?

Shooting clays with the Colorado Vintagers yesterday was fun but very hot (too damn hot actually). I'm hiding inside today to recover a bit. Hand watering dying grass and looking at all the smoke makes me want to change a few things (Colorado really sucks from my perspective anymore, too crowded, hot, smokey and the stupid politics have about done me in here).

On the way home from church today my bride and I discussed some planned future activities since we're now fully-free of parental obligations (our son is out of college and working his 1st real job back east). She wants the usual retirement travel stuff (of course!) which I can oblige to a point but...I'd really rather go hunting and/or fishing somewhere, truth be told, while I can still enjoy it.

I'm thinking Iceland for salmon and trout to start. Are there any bird hunting destinations that I should also consider (even outside of this country)?

I only speak my native tongue and I'm not into discomfort much anymore, are there suitable destinations for someone such as myself that I need to consider? I'm looking more for practical than "posh" but I can probably tolerate a little of the posh as well.

I suspect that this window of opportunity won't stay open forever so I'd like to plan accordingly.

What says the cognoscenti here?

Expanding one’s horizons is a great idea. But, you are blessed with your home away from home, Lloyd. Walleyes, grouse, if you wanted for more and different birds, some exploration in North Dakota would likely put you onto pheasants and sharptails. Perhaps, you could hit James up for a little Canadian waterfowl hunting across the border?

Since you guys like to travel, how ‘bout Ireland for woodcock, or, a driven shoot in Scotland? The farmers in Argentina could always use some help with the dove infestation they suffer, Stan had a great time. You might want to bring a gas autoloader, from what I’ve heard.

Good luck.

Best,
Ted

I agree, driven grouse in Scotland would be my dream trip. Second would be Argentina

Well, that’s sort of a personal question. It could use a little refinement.

When people ask me, I always say imagine yourself in a picture that you like to look at.

And then go there.

There are very few people that have shot as many different species as I have and in as many different places.

Each place brings its own beauty and each bird brings its own challenges.
If I really like a place, for whatever reason, I try to plan a return trip.

I like Finland, and the hazel grouse that I shot right by the Russian border was a poor specimen. So, another trip over there is high on the list.

Black cock in Kazakhstan is another possibility.

I’m probably all done with the high altitude birds. But, you never know. if you’re up there, you might as well look for the Ptarmigan.

Edited to add:
Because of where birds live, perhaps you can narrow down your choices by terrain, and then maybe we can lead you to the best place for the most enjoyment.

I’ve been double gunning red grouse for a long time, and I would agree that as a total experience, it’s tough to beat.
But it depends on what you are in to, really.

Waterfowling on the high plains during the grand passage has its own magnificence.

Shooting eiders next to ice bergs is pretty cool.
Puffins, not so much.

Driven Snipe? Barbary partridges?

Doves in Argentina is nearly indescribable. I've been twice. Would love to go again but, it used to be easy to take your own guns. Not anymore. It can be done, but it's tough.

I didn't follow conventional wisdom about using gas guns, preferring to take my own Beretta 687 Silver Pigeon II Sporting, in 20 ga. No regrets in that department. If you use an autoloader there you will have to tape up your "loading thumb", or your thumbnail will come off, and cause you much discomfort.

I really enjoy doves here in GA, and ducks here and Arkansas. But, my dream hunt (shotgunning) is driven redleg partridge, in Spain.

I wish you much success in pursuing yours.

I'm impressed Stanton, thank you for that.

I would like to take a camper to Alaska, start with some fishing, then start when grouse opens, then Duck, then move south into Canada and follow the Grouse Openings as they occur, working through Pheasant in N. D., S.D., NE, ending up back in Kansas on Pheasants.

I would like to go to Maine for Grouse & Woodcock, to Georgia for a wagon quail Plantation Hunt.

Overseas, rough shooting grouse in Scotland, Partridge in Hungary, and maybe duck and dove in South America

I have been really lucky and will share a couple options, although on the first one, it was so long ago I can't recall the outfitter. In SE ND we were able to hunt sharptails, pheasants and lay out for geese. We stayed in some small town and didn't have to travel far to the fields. It isn't hunting but shooting but my 2 trips to Scotland are a highlight. Tremendous birds, accommodations, food, comradery, scenery, shooting like you can't believe until you see it. 5 trips to S Ga for quail is something you can save until you are old like me and enjoy the leisurely walk behind pointers.

I think a few months in Argentina, for doves, ducks , perdiz and trout would be interesting.

BUT, ducks in the PNW, pheasant, sharptails and huns along the Highline and grouse and woodcock in WI and MN would be a great way to spend a fall and winter. Spend the summer chasing big northern pike from MT to WI, ND is a real sleeper for big northerns. A young man bought a rod and reel from me and I took him to Spiritwood lake in ND and we caught three that totalled 50# after work.

The wing shooting world is a wonderful place.
And it costs nothing in terms of cash, physical movement, and time, to imagine what extended trips are like, and what the actual toll is.

There is a reason almost every destination wing shooting trip is 3 days or less.

If I were in my late 60’s and was embarking on my first destination wing shooting adventure, I’d call a few sporting agents and see what kinds of openings they had for 2026.

Summer counts are just coming in, and cost/brace is in the eye watering zone for this season.