Spain: Monteria Driven Boar Red Deer and MouflonOutside Days

Boars-in-motion-SLIDER

Overview

The driving of big game in Spain has a history equalling that of the better-known eastern European destinations with all the Spanish pomp and ceremony of a long-held tradition.
Boar, red deer and the odd mouflon are driven in this way, known as a monteria.

Monteria tend to take place on enclosed hunting estates, fenced ground that is a far cry from the British parkland style: the fenced areas range from 6,000 acres to in excess of 22,000. While the traditional monteria involves large numbers of guns, often 20 to 30 are needed to cover the decided hunting area, some of the estates are now providing sport for smaller numbers with a couple able to provide a day’s sport for as few as six guns.

Once the traditional meeting and breakfast has been enjoyed, pegs are drawn and each gun is ensconced on a peg with their secretariat (a hybrid of the British loader, minder and stalker), the sport begins.

The perrero or dogmen release their dogs: each is in charges of his own rehala or pack, with most consisting of about 20 animals. A full monteria has 10 to 15 rehalas, so it’s time just to stand back and what as around 200 dogs start to move the game. If you’re lucky, you will have drawn a peg that gives you a good vantage point over a large area.

Not only does this allow you to watch what is going on throughout the hunt, but also means you can often take shots at stationary animals as they pick their way across the landscape.

If you’re unlucky, and my Spanish friends are quick to tell me I’m wrong and it’s a matter of mindset, you get drawn on a wide fire break and have to be a lot sharper shooting at the game as it crosses. Just think of each animal as a crossing rabbit and ignore the fact that you’re holding a rifle and not a shotgun.

With only one drive in a day on most estates, it can last up to three hours during which the game can come at any time. You need to be awake, alert, properly dressed, and take full advantage of your secretariat’s experience and eyes.

Holding full concentration for the duration, listening for any slight rustle that might herald the arrival of game, is a challenge. It never ceases to amaze monteria virgins how quietly a big boar can run through the undergrowth.

Considering that a single peg can account for multiple animals (many of which are trophy size), with numerous opportunities afforded over the single drive, monteria are surprisingly affordable.

Add that to the possibility of tying in a monteria with a day’s driven partridge or walked up rabbits (with bags in the hundreds), and top it all off with the possibility of a multi-venue experience, and a trip to Spain begins to take on the air of an extraordinary adventure.

All within a two hour flight of most British airports.
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Fact File

SEASONS

October to February

KIT & CLOTHING

Rifle should be in the .300 range or above.

Telescopic sights should be of variable magnification down to 1.5

There will be long spells of standing waiting, in the start of the season the weather can be very warm by January it can drop below freezing so suitable layers are in order.

This is a formal event so for English guns tweed breeches and UK shooting gear are not out of place.

GROUP SIZE

12 – 30 plus guns, we can normally take smaller groups and add them to existing teams

AIRPORT OF ARRIVAL

Madrid

VISAS & LICENCES

If travelling from within the EU no visa required. From outside the EU visas issued at the airport, where a fee may be charged.

Hunting licences arranged by Outside Days.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

None

INSURANCE

We ask all our clients to ensure they hold third party liability insurance.

For foreign trips we recommend that individuals take out holiday insurance.

TIPS

Tips to the guide are recommended

CURRENCY

Euro

TIME ZONE

GMT +1

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