I flew from Mpls., MN to Phoenix and then to Hermosilla, MX. Hermosilla is a small international airport. The customs people were cordial. Only one out of our party of four had his bags searched, which amounted to the unzipping of his duffle bag and a half-hearted look inside. It was purely a random search. I have been treated far worse every time I have driven into Canada over the last 10 years. Our outfitter had arranged for our rifle permits well in advance of the hunt. A soldier read the serial # of each rifle to a customs agent. The outfitter had arranged and paid for luggage handlers who knew the customs agents and helped whisk us through. A smile from the customs and security agents and we were good to go. There were maybe 20 people on the flight, and I'd say all but 5 were hunters.
Hermosilla is a large city, with all the problems large cities have. We drove about 45 minutes out into the country. Everyone we saw smiled and waved at us. Ranchers, cowboys and their families, and anyone we met while hunting were always very nice. Our outfitter commented that we didn't see a military road block on the drive which he thought was unusual. The roadblocks check traffic for suspicious activity and if you have a firearm, they look at the firearm license. I don't speak any Spanish, but never felt uncomfortable the entire trip. The people working with the outfitters are very well paid by Mexican standards, the wages they earn help everyone in the region. I will return as often as I can because the experience as a whole was terrific.
At the airport waiting to return to Phoenix, we met many other hunters. A few had a great trip, many hadn't seen a deer. A common thread to their stories was their slick, fast talking Mexican outfitters with a glossy brochure, ads in magazines and excuses for everything. Many were upset that they were hunting high-fence properties. Our outfitter is from San Antonio, NM who has hunted Mexico for 30 years. He has dual citizenship so he can legally operate in Mexico without a Mexican partner. Many outfitters operating in Mexico are violating the law in that area. Most are down for a fast buck, some fame, and then they are gone. The ranches we hunted are under long term game management plans, habitat enhancement programs, and pride themselves on a quality hunt. These are working cattle ranches, not high-fence operations. Deer hunting adds valuable income to their operation and the ranchers know if the resource is over harvested, it will not return.
Scott
