IBEX - Spanish Ibex Hunts

GREDOS IBEX

The Gredos mountain ibex is possibly the best known to the international hunter.

It inhabits the mountains of the Central System – Sierra de Gredos across the northern and southern slopes which are very different in hunting terms as the southern area is far more rugged.

There is a permanent population of some 10,000 animals and an exceptional quality of trophies.

The trophy of this type of male is characterised by its lyre-like shape and dark coat – some adults being almost totally black in winter.

The adult can reach a weight of 100 kg.

The best time to hunt them is in November-December during mating season when it is easier to approach the large males.

The Gredos trophy may be as long as a metre to the tip of the horns, with bases of 28 cm.

RONDA IBEX

The Ronda mountain ibex is the smallest of the four varieties that inhabit Spain. Its skin is lighter and with fewer black patches than any of the other three types of ibex.

8 year old adults will have the same thickness of coat as one of 4-5 in the southeast, such as Granada or Almeria. It has short hair.

The characteristic trophy is the so-called “veleto”, i.e. almost straight upwards with very little curve and nearly closed – similar to an alpine Ibex.

Although in the highlands of Ronda large males have been hunted, a good trophy is one that reaches some 60 cm, it being difficult to obtain 65-70 cm though occasionally one is taken down. In addition, the bases of the horn tend to be some 22 cm.

Hunting of this type of mountain ibex takes place in Sierra de las Nieves, Sierra de Grazalema, Antequera and the surrounding country.

BECEITE IBEX

The Beceite type mountain ibex is found throughout the provinces of Teruel and Castellon and Los Puertos de Tortosa-Beceite in north-east Spain – from which they get their name.

It is a corpulent male, like the Gredos, weighing up to 100 kg.

Its trophy is distinctively open with the horns sloping backwards towards the tip. This is the so-called “plane” – the horn can be up to 90 cm long.

After the Gredos type, of the four breeds in existence in Spain, this has the darkest coat.

The best hunting season for this animal is during November and December.

SOUTHEAST IBEX

The southeast mountain ibex can be found throughout eastern Andalusia and can be seen in the provinces of Granada, Almeria, Jaen and the eastern area of the province of Malaga.

The southeast mountain ibex is less corpulent than the Gredos and Beceite males, an adult weighing about 65-70 kg while the others tend to be 15-20 kg heavier.

Regarding the colour, the chest, stomach and hindquarters can be pitch black in the winter months – though not as black as the Gredos male which can be almost completely black all over.

In terms of horn shape, these males have the greatest variation in shape – amongst which Ronda, Gredos and “ram-style” (similar to the ram or mouflon, with closing of the horns on top).

The trophy of the southeast male may be as long as that of the Gredos but the base of the Gredos might reach some 28 cm, while the southeast male commonly reaches 24-25 cm.

The quality of the average trophy lies around 65-70 cm, with some bigger ones taken down each year.

PYRENEAN CHAMOIS

This is a larger animal with a bigger trophy than the Cantabrian chamois.

Its name derives from the area it inhabits.

The mating season of the Pyrenean chamois starts in the first week of November. The best time to hunt it is from the end of October to the end of November.

It can also be hunted in spring.

You need to be in good shape to hunt it; shots are generally taken from 250-300 metres away.

We hunt on both private estates and government controlled lands, always obtaining very good trophies.

CANTABRIAN CHAMOIS

The Cantabrian chamois is an animal that looks like a goat, weighs some 35 kg and is very agile and able to pull away from a hunter in a matter of seconds.

Short reddish coat in summer; long dark coat in winter.

The horns are short, not exceeding 25 cm in height, and end in the form of a hook in the males, something which is less pronounced in the females.

The Cantabrian chamois is the smallest in the world at some 25 kg.

Its mating season is in November, the period in which the best males can be hunted.

It is found in the north of Spain, in the provinces of Leon, Asturias and Cantabria.

In general, aside from in a few hunting areas, you need to be in good shape to hunt chamois.

A shot at a chamois is typically at more than 250 metres distance, so it is necessary to have a good rifle and scope.