Hunting in Spain, history and characteristics

Spain is an ideal place to hunt, but also to spend unforgettable days off. As well as the many opportunities it offers to win some of the best trophies in Europe, you can also enjoy the sheer beauty of its diverse natural surroundings. Its green mountains in the north, its magnificent beaches and its deep forest will excite you. It is a land of crafts, of beautiful traditions, and of exquisite gastronomy. If you decide to go on a hunting trip in Spain, you will not only experience exciting hunts, but you will also enjoy its many charms.

Would you like to know Spain?

At Cazatur we are pleased to organize vibrant hunts in Spain and other types of activities so that you get to know this beautiful country in depth. It is an ideal destination to take a non-hunter companion, together you will discover the wonderful corners and its great culture. In addition to hunting, any non-hunter is welcome to come along, as they will be escorted during the whole trip, and be able to enjoy our exclusive HUNTOUR®, parallel sightseeing and touring programs, visit the most interesting monuments around the areas, enjoy the Spanish cuisine, local wines, shop and at the end get to enjoy our culture and lifestyle at its best.

It is worth knowing Spain!

In Spain hunting is a great tradition, it has many years of history. They understand this activity differently from the rest of the world and feel a great passion for it. There are numerous reasons to hunt in Spain, in this post we are going to discover them all.

Brief history of hunting in Spain

Hunting in Spain is very important, it is practiced by almost a million of its inhabitants and 80% of its territory belongs to hunting areas. Knowing its history you will understand the reasons for such importance.

After the civil war, hunting served to feed many families to survive the conditions of poverty and famine. Very few hunting licenses had been issued in those days, but it was well regarded socially. Between 1960 and 1980, big game hunting began to prosper due to the abandonment of the mountains and the increase in income and hunting demand. Hunting began to be an activity that fostered social, political and financial relationships. Due to this, infrastructures began to improve, the first fences and the first partridge farms appeared.

In 1970 the Hunting Law appeared, it was very restrictive but necessary, because until then it had hardly been regulated. When this law comes into force, the preserves are created, the closed seasons are marked, and the huntable species are limited. It is from here when the criticism of this activity begins to increase. The mechanization of agricultural work, the appearance of phytosanitary treatments and land concentration ended up reducing small game hunting. In 1989 another law appeared, the one for the Conservation of Natural Spaces and Wild Flora and Fauna. In addition, the autonomous communities acquire their own powers for hunting laws. Currently, large game hunting continues to boom and small game hunting continues to decline due to the aforementioned conditions.

Data on hunting in Spain

Spain has an area of ​​50 million hectares, and 80% of its surface is devoted to hunting activities. Among these lands, 72% are private hunting reserves, and the rest are sports, social and local reserves, as well as hunting reserves and controlled hunting areas. There are currently approximately 827,000 hunting licenses, and they are still on the rise after years of decline. If we analyze hunting by autonomous communities, we observe that Andalusia leads the number of licenses issued, followed by Castilla la Mancha and Castilla León.

Hunting in Spain accounts for 0.3% of GDP, and also the creation of 186,000 jobs each year, both direct, indirect, and induced. Clothing and accessories, auxiliary animals such as hunting dogs, gun licences, hunting licences, hunting cards and shares, hunting clubs, civil liability insurance, armory and ammunition, etc. These are just some aspects that encompasses the expense of each hunter in Spain. But, you also have to take into account expenses for travel, restaurants and hotels.

Reasons to go hunting in Spain

Spain is the perfect place to combine hunting and tourism. It is one of the favorite destinations of many international hunters. We are going to see the reasons why you should go hunting in Spain.

• Great scenic variation: Spain is a very beautiful country due to the beauty of its different landscapes. Its quality beaches, the green mountains, or its large forests and meadows are ideal for relaxing while contemplating wild nature.
• Its unique hunting method: This country provides its visitors with the possibility of knowing a unique way of hunting, although it is always faithful to traditional European ways. It’s a fair pursuit of indigenous wild game in the purist traditional European style.
• Huge cultural heritage: You can take advantage of your free moments to contemplate its great artistic treasures. We assure you that it is worth it.
• Great hunting possibilities: There are many and of great quality the hunting species that you can hunt in Spain. The famous Pyrenean and Cantarctic chamois, roe deer, mountain goats, wild boar, mouflon sheep in some areas, deer, red deer and fallow deer.
• Excellent trophies: Spain is a country where you can find some of the most precious trophies in Europe.
• Exquisite gastronomy: The food of Spain is varied, healthy and delicious. Its wines are world famous for the quality of the grapes that go into their production. In your spare time you can visit the most famous restaurants wherever you are to taste authentic delicacies.
• Good weather: Although it is true that temperatures and rainfall vary greatly from one place to another within the country, we can consider its climate to be temperate. In winter it is not excessively cold and summers are quite hot.

Characteristics of the Spanish hunt

There are two very good seasons for hunting in Spain. One is in spring, between the months of April to July, with May and early June being the best. The temperature during those months remains mild to warm. During this period, you will be able to hunt Pyrenean and Cantarctic chamois, roe deer, mountain goats and wild boar, as well as mouflon sheep in some areas.

The other season is in the fall, which runs from September to mid-February. The bellowing time of the game occurs in the fall, with the spectacular roar of the red deer, from mid-September to mid-October, followed by the growl of the fallow deer and the rut of the mouflon sheep. The month of November is the best time for the Ibex.

The oldest and most traditional hunting method in Spain is the spanish montería. It is a driven hunt where approximately 200 hounds beat the thickest hounds by chasing the animals. Various shooters are located in various strategic places, but always taking into account their safety.

The Spanish government requires that visitors at a Spanish consulate certify that they are a good find hunter in their country of origin and also provide information on the weapon they wish to import. You must obtain an official document for the temporary importation of weapons.

Conclusions

There are numerous reasons why you should come to hunt in Spain. It is a perfect destination to combine unforgettable hunts and tourist activities. Hunting in Spain is worth it for its great variety of hunting possibilities, its excellent trophies, and its unique way of hunting. In addition, in your free time you will be able to taste its exquisite gastronomy and its wines, you will enjoy its culture and traditions, and you will visit the most beautiful natural surroundings in the world.

Live great experiences in Spain!