There is plenty to plan and think about when taking any hunting trip. If you are traveling abroad to hunt, the amount of planning and detail required to get the most out of your trip is amplified by 10. Recently, I traveled south of the border to Mexico on an unforgettable duck hunting trip with my father. Reflecting on the trip, there are a number of suggestions I’d make to other hunters looking to make a trip to Mexico or any other foreign country.

Plan and Book Early

If an international trip is for you, consider planning early. For this trip, we utilized a waterfowl hunting booking agency that books directly with the outfitter in Mexico. The agency handled that side of the trip reservations, while we were responsible for the flights in and out of the country. The main lodge held 10-15 guests per slot, rotating out hunting groups every five days. With such limited slots and seats available in each slot, booking early for the dates you personally have available is important. 

Pack Light

There is no need to pay for overweight baggage if it can be avoided. Bring enough hunting clothing and gear to be comfortable for your time afield. When traveling abroad, it becomes a challenge to not pack your entire hunting wardrobe when you aren’t sure what the conditions will be. Watch the weather for temperatures and pack for comfort. On this trip other hunters at the lodge wore mid-weight jackets in the morning. Personally, I never wore more than a sweatshirt over a long sleeve shirt.

Over the years, I have learned that less is more. That includes what you’ll wear at the lodge after your hunt. In my experience, no one at the lodge ever cared what I was wearing after the hunt. There was a laundry service available at the lodge as well. If used, you could cut back on clothing and hunting attire even more.

 

Outfitter Provided 

The lodging and meals were two of the benefits provided by utilizing the outfitter we hunted with. The house was formerly the owner’s childhood home which had multiple bedrooms, a dining room, bar with a seating area, outside seating, and bird preparation areas. Three meals were provided each day with blind food for morning hunts as you got to your hunting spot. Between traveling to and from the hunts each day and the hunts themselves (typically out the door by 4 AM and not back until 5 PM), it was nice not to have to think about what I was going to eat each day. 

Water and drinks were provided daily, and you were always welcome to grab additional water before or after the hunt. Each morning, I would grab a few additional bottles to be sure I stayed hydrated in the Mexican sun. 

Bringing in firearms is allowed and completely acceptable. While we did not bring our own this trip, there were several people at the lodge who brought their own during our stay. Again, planning in advance is necessary, and a hunter needs to follow all TSA requirements. Additionally, you will need to allow extra travel time in the airports in order to accept your firearms upon arrival at each destination. This also requires an extra charge for importing the firearm through the lodge in Mexico. Work with your outfitter and/or booking agent to confirm the process and complete the necessary paperwork. For us, we utilized the firearms provided by the lodge. The Shotguns provided were primarily 1-2 year old Benelli and Berettas that are cycled out of service every few years due to the amount of use. We had no issues with our provided shotguns, and after a morning of shooting, we were comfortable with handling them.

Birds 

Each day the ducks for the entire lodge are collected and donated locally. It is a good way to utilize the birds that cannot be consumed or brought back to the US in such numbers. 

Most species of ducks are able to be brought back to your taxidermist if you choose to do so. You must ensure you have the correct paperwork during this process. Work with your booking agency and outfitter to be sure all Mexican and United States laws are followed to import your birds. I would suggest utilizing the 2-gallon freezer bags to seal your birds and freeze them for travel. We utilized a medium sized collapsable cooler bag to transport birds as a carry-on item, while others choose to put the frozen birds in a bag within their checked baggage. Either way, you will be visiting a separate check station at the airport upon your return to the United States. 

Upon returning, plan to follow all USDA and USFWS guidelines regarding taxidermy and care of imported birds. When coming back to the US, you’ll need to go through a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) checkpoint and review your birds with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) where you will need to have your birds clearly identifiable. We had ours wrapped in shrink-wrap with the proper tags as suggested by the outfitter, and while that packaged the birds nicely for travel, it made it difficult to unwrap and show USFWS while trying to make connecting flights. With this process, a minimum of two hours for a connection is highly recommended. 

Document Your Trip

For many, this hunt could be a one-time, trip of a lifetime. Even if you plan to frequently travel to hunt, document your trip to enjoy afterwards. As I do throughout the fall seasons, I like to take pictures and videos of each hunt, and traveling abroad was no different. For photos and videos, I brought my cellphone, DSLR camera, and GoPro camera (with extra SD cards) to utilize and remember the hunts. I came back with hundreds of photos, and dozens of GoPro video clips which I am still sorting through. 

I also typed notes and reminders in a note on my phone, which will be useful in remembering details about the trip in the future. Anything from the location of the hunt, weather, other hunt or travel specifics, and how many and which types of birds were harvested each day.

Enjoy the Adventure

While on your trip, enjoy the entire experience. Get to know your fellow hunters at the lodge. Everyone comes from different parts of the country, has unique experiences, and hunts different species all around the world. Really get to know your driver/guide for the week. It is more enjoyable to get to know them on a personal level, and you might never know when they can do something above and beyond for you as a visitor. 

If you have time, have your driver/guide take you out and enjoy the local food. Other hunters at the lodge had gone out with their guides on previous trips to experience the best local food and drinks. While we did not have this opportunity, we would make time for it on a future trip back.

In reviewing my trip, preparation was the key for experiencing a rewarding and memorable hunt in Mexico. When you take on this type of adventure, plan early, pack light, properly prepare your birds, document your trip, and enjoy the entire experience. You won’t regret it.