Nicaragua is fast becoming the next big hot spot for high-volume wing shooting. Being one of the best kept secrets for Ducks and Doves in Central America for many years. Hunters are now seeing the advantage of Duck and Dove Hunting in Nicaragua. The ease of bringing firearms, the beauty of the country, the modern cities, great food, friendly people, beaches, high volume of waterfowl, doves and pigeons are just the appetizers. With most of the high volume duck and dove hunters going to Argentina, Nicaragua's main course of attraction is the cheaper airline tickets, flight time of only 3 hours from Houston or Miami, direct flights with no transfers, no delays. A group of guys, can come down for a weekend hunt, be back home ready for work on Monday morning, all at HALF the cost of going to Argentina. The sacrifice being, Nicaragua has around 60% of the birds that Argentina has. BUT, harvesting 300 to 500 birds per day, is still a more than satisfactory high volume shoot. Especially according to moderate bag limits in most other countries.
'So, with that being said, as Nicaragua is fast becoming popular for high volume wing shooting, everyone wants to get their piece of the action. We are seeing more and more outfitters, guides, booking agents and just individuals offering hunts to willing foreigners. While most foreigners looking for a hunt just assume, if they have a website or an advertisement they must be a legally licensed company. NOT SO. Recent events we here at Nicaragua Hunting Adventures have encountered, and with confirmed incidents being reported in the Duck and Dove Hunting community, we can see a problem that is fast arising, and only looks to get worse as time goes on. Not only are problems occurring with non licensed outfitters, but also problems with some licensed outfitters hunting on private lands, government lands, and fields that they have no permission to be in. All in the hopes to grab any chance of getting their clients a good hunt at what ever risk. Problem with this is, the risk is being put on the foreign clients, and they don't even realize it. Let me explain more how this works :
" THEY ARE ONLY 4 PERMITS FOR DUCK AND DOVE HUNTING OUTFITTERS IN NICARAGUA"
All Duck and Dove Hunting Outfitters in Nicaragua are required to have a licenses to operate. The governing body for all hunting activities in Nicaragua is Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA). Established in 1979 by the government. They are in charge of environmental protection and of the study, planning, and management of the Nicaragua's natural resources. It was formerly known as the Nicaraguan Institute of Natural Resources and the Environment (IRENA). They are ONLY 4 permits for Duck and Dove Hunting Outfitters in released in Nicaragua. Nicaragua Hunting Adventures are proud to say that we are 1 of the 4 Outfitters. The well know Outdoors man's Buck McNeely came and hunted with us, and even aired us on his television program. We had to go through an extensive due diligence with Buck's legal team before we could even host him in our company.
" HOW GUNS ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO HUNTING OUTFITTERS IN NICARAGUA"
To explain more how hunting and guns are related in Nicaragua, first one thing needs to be realized up front. Its simple and easy, and they are no exceptions. A foreigner CANNOT own, or carry a firearm UNLESS they are a resident of Nicaragua. So in essence when you bring your guns here, you are getting a permit to use them only in the presence and guidance of a licensed gun dealer in Nicaragua. So, simply said, you are putting your guns in the control of the gun dealer in Nicaragua. While they are your property, you may not carry them without the presence of the gun dealer or one of his authorized staffing. You may not use them outside the intended reason for bringing them to Nicaragua. Example, you can not bring them for Duck and Dove hunting, and use them, or have them outside that type of hunting program. Your guns will always stay with the Outfitter, not with you at your hotel. Or at least that is the way it is supposed to be. All guns, shells, and licensing are governed by DAEM . DAEM refers to DAEM (Departmento de Armas, Explosivas, y Municiones) office of the police. Military is also involved in this department. So you can see how guns are directly related to hunting outfitters in Nicaragua. Having a firearm without a permit is automatic confiscation, jail time and a fine on top of it.
" THESE ARE THE PROBLEMS IN WHICH YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR AND BE AWARE OF "
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As I stated in the beginning of the article, we are seeing first time events, and also an increase in repetitive events, since this influx of outfitters, guides has been happening. For example :
OUTFITTERS TAKING HUNTERS ON GOVERNMENT LAND OR FIELDS THEY DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION Just recently a booking agent, had sold a group of hunters a hunting package. In turn, he sent them to one of the outfitters here in Managua. Sad part to this story is the outfitter was in fact licensed. The outfitter took the hunters onto some government land, which is protected from all hunting. Needless to say, the authorities stopped them, and the outfitter boat, decoys were confiscated. He was fined, and another sad part, was all the hunters firearms were confiscated, all jailed and charged, and was big deal to get out of all of it. Another time, again, booking agent had sold a group of hunter a package, and again, in turn sent them to one of the proclaimed outfitters here. The proclaimed outfitter took them into fields that they had no permission or lease to be on. One of these fields happen to be one of our own. While we were not aware of this because we were hunting another property, the field guard noticed them and ask them for their field passes. Of course they did not have, and were ask to leave the fields. While this incident did not involve any police, it could have, and it could have been a big deal for the foreign guests. |
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GETTING STOPPED IN ROAD CHECKS WITHOUT THE PROPER GUN PERMITS OR LICENSEE.
To be clear, even us, Nicaragua Hunting Adventures being in business over 50 years, and one of the pioneers of Duck and Dove Hunting in Nicaragua. We also have to go through road checks, field checks, and clear out all our paperwork with the police or military. This is one of the things you could experience while hunting here in Nicaragua.
Some recent events with so called proclaimed outfitters, have surfaced recently where the group of hunters and proclaimed outfitters were stopped in road checks, or in field checks, where guns were confiscated and foreigners arrested for reasons such as :
To be clear, even us, Nicaragua Hunting Adventures being in business over 50 years, and one of the pioneers of Duck and Dove Hunting in Nicaragua. We also have to go through road checks, field checks, and clear out all our paperwork with the police or military. This is one of the things you could experience while hunting here in Nicaragua.
Some recent events with so called proclaimed outfitters, have surfaced recently where the group of hunters and proclaimed outfitters were stopped in road checks, or in field checks, where guns were confiscated and foreigners arrested for reasons such as :
- The guns provided by the outfitter to the hunters were not properly documented or permitted.
- The guns that the hunters brought permits are ok, but the outfitter does not have the proper paperwork showing he has the authority to be in possession of those guns.
- Ammo is not permitted properly, or amounts are not within acceptable limits.
- Hunters allowed to take firearms back to their hotels, (in most cases on hunters leaving early in morning going back home, and the outfitters do not want to deal with taking the guns to the airport for the hunters ) where police are called and the hunters guns are confiscated and hunters arrested.
- Outfitters allowing hunter to carry guns on special holidays, or government events were their is a gun ban, and no guns are supposed to be in use. Again, guns confiscated, and hunters jailed.
" THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE BUT ARE FACTS OF LIFE "
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While NATO announces Nicaragua being the 2nd safest country in Central America, and other organizations saying it is the safest country. The fact is, its still a developing country with all the struggles a developing country will face.
Also, while most of the scenario's mentioned above can happen anywhere, and rarely happen here in Nicaragua. They are still some things you might not realize, but are the facts of life here in Nicaragua. |
- Nicaragua is a poor nation, with a lot of poverty, and developing government and police. Corruption is still very rampant, and the chance to make some extra money is very tempting to individuals from all walks of life.
- Thinking the outfitter has everything in order, and its all his responsibility is the normal thinking. It does not always work in developing countries. You are the foreigner, which means dollar signs. Which means, you are going to be at fault, even if common sense says you should not be. They will follow the money. Most outfitters will get slap on the hand, while the hunter is the one who will burden the cost of getting out of the mess. Then, trying to prosecute the outfitter, well, the travel and lawyer fees would be more than you could ever get. Again, you are outsider trying to fight within another county. Very difficult.
- Do you have a license, can I see a copy?
- Please give me the local police department name and number that will issue my permits ?
- Are you the person named on the gun permit? Are you the one with the gun licenses?
- Can I have references who hunted with you recently.
- Have you had any big name celebrity outdoors men hunt with you?
Best thing is just choose the correct outfitter, with the correct credentials, and all of these problems will disappear. You will need not to worry with any of them. BUT, for those of you who do not take the time to listen, or are to stubborn, or think things will be ok. Dont complain later, when you loose that firearm that you might never see again, or will cost you 3 times its worth to get back. Or when you are setting in that Nicaragua jail, and believe me, you don't want to be in a Nicaragua jail. You can think where you went wrong, and how much of your savings are you going have to spend to get back home. All when you could have just taken the time to ask a few simple questions, and little extra effort to find the right company to deal with.
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