Hunters comments
"I have hunted
with the Aviles brothers guiding service on five trips to Mazatlan. Obviously it has been
a great experience every time or I would have not returned. The hunting has been exquised
and my hunting parties have managed to bag our limit of 15 - 20 birds each of (ducks &
doves) on almost every outing. The ducks are numerous and the species are diverse. The
drakes have peak plumage which is something we only get to see in the spring where I am
from in Minnesota.
The day goes smoothly from the time they pick you up at your hotel, through the time they
drop you off. I have always hunted "whole days", ducks for half and doves for
the other half, with a relaxing siesta mid day to get you ready for the afternoon hunt.
For your siesta you will be brought to The Los Angeles ranch which has excellent food and
is beautifully located right on a secluded "playa", so I recomend bringing the
ladies even if they don't hunt because they will enjoy the
ranch and the cultural experience you will get in Escuinapa.
I have bird hunted throughout the U.S., Canada and Argentina and the hunting the Aviles
brothers put you on to, is without question world class and it is one of the most
affordable hunts a sportsman can go on".
Robert Commers
Vice President Commers Conditioned Water Company
***********************************************************************************
Hunting with the Aviles Brothers, by Ted and Jan Rohloff of Wisconsin, USA
It was 5:30am when Roberto Aviles Jr. met us outside the lobby of our hotel.
Accompanied by his assistants Marco and Lico, he inquired, “Are you guys ready
to shoot some ducks this morning?” You bet we were, but neither I nor my wife
Jan had any idea of what a most memorable experience lay ahead of us.
As the Chevy Suburban wheeled through the streets of Mazatlan, we
discovered another side of this big and curiously intriguing city from what we so enjoyed
during the daytime and evenings earlier. The amount of pre-dawn activity by people
of all ages was fascinating - children readying for school, and vendors of all sorts
preparing for the day’s business activities.
The twilight grew as we continued out of town, and the scenery became
no less fascinating. Surrealistic is perhaps an overused visual description, but I
can’t think of a more appropriate term for the wetlands, tiny pastel colored villages
and haciendas, coconut groves, pepper fields, lagoons and all other matter of terrain that
we passed along on the way to our final destination.
At one small village Roberto Pulled over to get us a cup of Atole, a corn
based hot drink, and to chat briefly with some of his amigos. When he brought back
the steaming yellow concoction, I was mildly suspicious of its flavor and texture.
I’ve never been a fan of cream-style corn from the can, but this stuff was nothing
like that. It proved to be a great beverage for the occasion, and in fact, I wish it
were available here in the mid-west
Finally, after traversing everything from highways to crater filled paths
sometimes filled with zebu cattle, the sun was a huge red ball and we were on our final
leg. My anticipation was peaking now, and I could sense that Jan’s was
too. As Marco and Lico set out the decoys, Sasha the young retriever frolicked in
the water. At this point it was hazy, with little activity, but Roberto assured us
that it would clear off and the birds would be there for us
As it cleared, I realized that the expanse of water went for miles in three
directions, with the Sierra Madre Mountains as a backdrop, and not another person –
farmer, fisherman, etc – in sight. We were hunting ducks in a painted desert adjacent
to this magnificent expanse of water; an atmosphere like nothing I could have
imagined. And Roberto was correct; the ducks came in droves. Squadrons of
Shovelers, Cinnamon, Green Wind and Blue Wing Teal, all in the most outstanding winter
plumage imaginable. A nice drake Pintail, and a hybrid Wigeon/Green Wing Teal(?)
rounded out this limit – Jan and I would be back for other wonderful hunts in the
future. Our generous limits had been filled in two hours, which included some less
than spectacular gun handling on our part in the beginning. And we enjoyed watching
other water birds including Black Necked Stilts, Roseate Spoonbills, Willets and numerous
other varieties.
The mid-day scenery on the ride back to the hotel was no less
satisfying than that of the dawn, experienced only hours earlier. This was our first
hunt with Aviles Brothers. We have since also hunted with Carlos and his crew Victor
and Fili at a different location near Escuinapa, where we bagged an even greater variety
of ducks including magnificent Black Bellied Tree Ducks and Gadwalls.
We have since taken fine specimens of Cinnamon and Blue Wing Teal back to
Wisconsin for mounting with Roberto’s help. We’ve also had some of our
ducks prepared for us at the Marina El Cid, a beautiful, world-class resort. Perhaps the
next time for mounting we will bring back Pintails, Black Bellied Tree Ducks, and
Shovelers with the same lush plumage as we have taken in this region before with the
services of the Aviles.
Photographer’s Note: Be sure to bring a camera to capture the
remarkable beauty of both the terrain and the birds. A sun filter, whether boot type
or lens, is probably a good idea, as well as slower speed film – ASA100 or 200.
The Mexican sun is quite bright, and chances are good that you’ll be
photographing your birds during mid-day. Also, the slower speed films are best for
enlargements, at least in my experience. Have fun!
***********************************************************************************
"Each year we northern
hunters leave the cold and snow of winter for the warmth
and charm of Mexico. Off come the layers of "northern duck cloths".
Imagine shooting in tennis shoes and a T shirt . This coupled with terrific
hunting for ducks and doves, a visit to areas that the average tourist
never see together with the hospitality of the Aviles guide service
keep we "thawing" northern hunters coming back year after year".
Howard Riddell
***********************************************************************************
"I have been hunting
with Aviles Brothers since 1994.
Whether it's a half day morning hunt for ducks or an all day dove and duck hunt,
there has always been plenty of birds, varied hunting sites and a great time.
Aviles Brothers is a quality organization and I highly recommend this as a wonderful
diversion from the boredom of lying in the sun!!"
Mike Meachum, Grand Rapids,
Michigan
|
