Duck Hunting in Uruguay - Country Facts
* Los Gauchos Outfitters has provided a Country Facts link for those who wish to find out a little it more about the history of Uruguay, and some of the social customs in advance of their Uruguay hunting trip. This particular page is going to focus on family life, and how some aspects are the same as they were in the beginning, and some have changed dramatically in Uruguay's transformation to the first-world.
Unlike many of the Latin American nations that were heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic Church up until only thirty years ago, Uruguay was not. Therefore, the size of the average family is smaller than those of its neighboring nations in South America. Why? The simple, but powerful power of birth control, and its widespread use in Uruguay kept population growth in check. Other less powerful, but very important factor was the burning desire for middle class families to ensure that the children that they did bear were able to get the best education possible, and having less children made this easier, more affordable, or both.
Our clients who are booking hunts for pigeon hunting in Uruguay, and dove hunting in Uruguay sometimes ask us how easy it is to adopt a child in Uruguay. We are not experts in this field by any means, but we do know that it is fairly easy to adopt a child in Uruguay, and that the documentation is more secure there (meaning one will have a better chance of not encountering legal repercussions from the parents at a later time, which are sometimes known to happen with adoptions in Argentina and Brazil).
In rural areas, such as the larger farms and ranches in the northern portion of the country, the birth rates were (and are still) much higher, mirroring those of other countries in South America. Life in the agricultural communities was typically dysfunctional by traditional standards, with many children being born out of wedlock. Migrant male farm workers were notorious for fathering children in many different towns near the ranches where they were employed that week, month, or growing season.
Not surprisingly, there is an imbalance of the sexes in these agrarian communities due to the fact that many of the women (often with a child or tow in tow) migrate to the larger cities, seeking work as maids in the households of wealthy families, or in hotels, while other work as hostesses and waitresses in restaurants.
We have many potential guests ask us why the dove hunting in Uruguay is so good. The reasons are many, but here is one of the simplest answers: bird hunting is not popular in this country. Sure, like young men all over the world, Uruguayan boys were taught to handle firearms, and learn to shoot—but bird hunting never became a real “sport” or passion for them. Most Uruguayans that hunt, choose to hunt big game with rifles for food, as opposed to, say, getting a group together to go pigeon hunting in Uruguay for sport.
In rural areas of the country, one way that kinship is maintained (for those who a religious) is though the appointment of a godfather when a newborn is baptized. Typically this is a way for a wealthy landowner to show respect for one of his ranch foremen who have done an exemplary job, and have performed years of service. This act is the only notable connection between the classes, since there are strict protocols between the interaction of the social elite and the peasants in the country areas—the connections were also found useful when the child became old enough to vote as well…as it created a loyal following for the elite who was the “godfather”.
We hope you have enjoyed this piece of “Country Facts” about Uruguay. To see more, visit us at
Unlike many of the Latin American nations that were heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic Church up until only thirty years ago, Uruguay was not. Therefore, the size of the average family is smaller than those of its neighboring nations in South America. Why? The simple, but powerful power of birth control, and its widespread use in Uruguay kept population growth in check. Other less powerful, but very important factor was the burning desire for middle class families to ensure that the children that they did bear were able to get the best education possible, and having less children made this easier, more affordable, or both.
Our clients who are booking hunts for pigeon hunting in Uruguay, and dove hunting in Uruguay sometimes ask us how easy it is to adopt a child in Uruguay. We are not experts in this field by any means, but we do know that it is fairly easy to adopt a child in Uruguay, and that the documentation is more secure there (meaning one will have a better chance of not encountering legal repercussions from the parents at a later time, which are sometimes known to happen with adoptions in Argentina and Brazil).
In rural areas, such as the larger farms and ranches in the northern portion of the country, the birth rates were (and are still) much higher, mirroring those of other countries in South America. Life in the agricultural communities was typically dysfunctional by traditional standards, with many children being born out of wedlock. Migrant male farm workers were notorious for fathering children in many different towns near the ranches where they were employed that week, month, or growing season.
Not surprisingly, there is an imbalance of the sexes in these agrarian communities due to the fact that many of the women (often with a child or tow in tow) migrate to the larger cities, seeking work as maids in the households of wealthy families, or in hotels, while other work as hostesses and waitresses in restaurants.
Uruguay Hunting – A Family Tradition? Not Exactly.
We have many potential guests ask us why the dove hunting in Uruguay is so good. The reasons are many, but here is one of the simplest answers: bird hunting is not popular in this country. Sure, like young men all over the world, Uruguayan boys were taught to handle firearms, and learn to shoot—but bird hunting never became a real “sport” or passion for them. Most Uruguayans that hunt, choose to hunt big game with rifles for food, as opposed to, say, getting a group together to go pigeon hunting in Uruguay for sport.
In rural areas of the country, one way that kinship is maintained (for those who a religious) is though the appointment of a godfather when a newborn is baptized. Typically this is a way for a wealthy landowner to show respect for one of his ranch foremen who have done an exemplary job, and have performed years of service. This act is the only notable connection between the classes, since there are strict protocols between the interaction of the social elite and the peasants in the country areas—the connections were also found useful when the child became old enough to vote as well…as it created a loyal following for the elite who was the “godfather”.
We hope you have enjoyed this piece of “Country Facts” about Uruguay. To see more, visit us at