I'm headed down there again on 9/18, with a group of five friends.
1] Our September is the start of their "off season"...off means its hunting time here, so not as many folks want to go down there. Their prices (for the base hunt) drop 25% or more. Shells will still be the same price. There are still plenty of birds!!!!
2] No such thing as free shells. There are packages that include a minimum number of shells, then you pay over that. $11/box is good right now, $12/box is average, anything over too high. Some of these packages offer those shells at their 'list' price, some may be a 1$/box less in the package, but it is a form of gambling... if for any reason you cannot burn them all, you still pay for them all. Most places will NOT let hunters pool or share those shells unless it is negotiated that way before hand. Maybe 1 out of 5 people, that have never been before, find their body cannot stand 2500, or even a 1000, rounds over the course of three day. IMHO, the first timer should go with the lowest shell price per box that they can negotiate, instead of a package with a big built in number of shells. That also lets you better compare price of the packages. As the number of hunters in your group increased, you may have better luck negotiating a better deal. Excluding shells, the "Not Included"s can range from $300 - $400 to over a $1000, some ready carefully and compare.
3] As advised: RENT! There are a lot of expensive shotguns that cannot hold up to the punishment. Taking a gun did not used to be a hassle, but there seems to be some changes with domestic airlines transferring firearms to international airlines. I talked to a fellow at the Outdoor Show last month that missed his flight because American forced him to claim his checked gun, then recheck it on LAN.
4] Heed the GLOVES and good hearing protection warnings. Guns will be too hot to handle and your thumbs will be raw from shoving shells in. Comfortable boots or high top shoes! You will not be sitting around between shots.
5] Take several different recoil reducers. I took a vest with gel bad and a strap on pad on the last trip. Being able to alternate between them was like changing shoes after a long day at work work. This year I'm taking one of those shits with a moldable fiberglass Shields that fits in a special pocket. Worked will shooting one round of sporting clays, but I find out if the fiberglass can hold up to a few thousand rounds.
6] Don't over pack for the days you will be spending hunting. Wake up, shoot, change into shorts, drink & easy, pass out dead tired. Repeat. Go to airport. Depending on who you hunt with and when your flight arrives, you may not be going to the lodge before you start shooting...it makes it easier to find your fellow hunters in the boarding lounge.
7] Save up until you can go without worrying about the shell bill. A 1000 rounds a day really is easy...if your shoulder does not give out. I'm budgeting for 2500/day this time. If I shoot less, I'll feel like I got off cheap.
8] Speaking of give out, unless your really in good shape, I recommend a specific exercise for a month before going. Get a little 10# dumbbell from Wally-Word. Practice holding it at eye level, in your non-dominant hand, with your elbow not quite locked, for a couple of hours a day while you watch TV. That shotgun will get heavy after a couple of hours at your shoulder.
Where to go?
From what I have seen and the many folks I have talked to that have been to other lodges, the price differences are most related to how far you travel to the dove fields and the quality of the accommodations. Do you want to stay in the equivalent of a 5 Star hotel, where your waited on hand & foot during your dove hunt,or does a comfortable private room, good food served family style, and plenty of local wine and spirits fit the bill. My take: I'm going to hunt and will gladly save a couple of hundred bucks. We're going to one of the middle priced lodges and it is plenty nice for a hunt camp.
While folks that have been to multiple lodges will definitely each have a favorite, the only real negative comments I have ever heard were about BA outfitters where you stay in a BA hotel, then drive a total of 3+ hours a day to\from the fields.
Almost forgot: Many say this is a bucket list item, but its more like a drug! I was already planning the next trip and figuring out how to pay for it on the plane home! i've been saving three years for this trip.
