# Hunting Spain



## MattPamplona (Nov 17, 2016)

Hi All, 

Anyone here hunts in this country? I have my hunting licence and a licensed long gun but don;t speak Spanish yet and find hunting with the local crew difficult since they speak no English and have a rather different hunting culture than I.

Cheers
Matt


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

How does their hunting culture differ from the UK?


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## MattPamplona (Nov 17, 2016)

I am not sure as I am from Germany. Have only hunted once during my student days in Scotland and that was a pretty posh affair.

To hunt in Germany you have to go to school for about a year and one is taught the ethics and technicalities of hunting. Here is Spain people get a gun and a dog and kill animals. It is also a group activity whereas in Germany most people go alone. It is not a fight with nature but an exercise in connecting with nature.

Do you hunt here?


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

MattPamplona said:


> I am not sure as I am from Germany. Have only hunted once during my student days in Scotland and that was a pretty posh affair.
> 
> To hunt in Germany you have to go to school for about a year and one is taught the ethics and technicalities of hunting. Here is Spain people get a gun and a dog and kill animals. It is also a group activity whereas in Germany most people go alone. It is not a fight with nature but an exercise in connecting with nature.
> 
> Do you hunt here?


I don't hunt but my observations of hunting in Spain are pretty much in line with yours (except they use more than one dog, and don't treat them very well either)


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## olivefarmer (Oct 16, 2012)

Hunting in our area disgusts me. 

The men set off in a line, with their badly treated dogs, and sweep across the hillsides shooting anything that moves. Partridge mostly always escape their efforts along with hares and rabbits leaving a bag of small birds from Thrushes, Blackbirds down to warblers. At lunchtime they retire to the local bar to eat food and drink and compare their bags. They also photograph the birds all laid out.

Somewhat naively, I asked what they did with the birds afterwards. The answer was they go in the rubbish skip. I asked why they don't hunt for wild boar. Too hard and not nice eating.


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Have you ever thought of taking up cycling, walking, golf or sailing?


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Roy C said:


> Have you ever thought of taking up cycling, walking, golf or sailing?


Or any activity that doesn't involve killing other animals for 'fun'?
Loads of outdoor pastimes to be enjoyed in Spain that don't involve harming other animals.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

MattPamplona said:


> I am not sure as I am from Germany. Have only hunted once during my student days in Scotland and that was a pretty posh affair.
> 
> To hunt in Germany you have to go to school for about a year and one is *taught the ethics and technicalities of hunting*. Here is Spain people get a gun and a dog and kill animals. It is also a group activity whereas in Germany most people go alone. It is not a fight with nature but an exercise in connecting with nature.
> 
> Do you hunt here?


Run that by me again... Ethics of hunting?









Back to the op...
It seems you have to have a test for a license in Navarra too (this from 2015)
*Cazar en Navarra: convocatoria de pruebas de aptitud para obtener la primera licencia *

http://sanguesaylabajamontana.blogspot.com.es/2015/02/cazar-en-navarra-convocatoria-de.html
I'm willing to bet it wouldn't be too taxing though


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> Or any activity that doesn't involve killing other animals for 'fun'?
> Loads of outdoor pastimes to be enjoyed in Spain that don't involve harming other animals.


Exactly

I especially like the old Spanish traditional game of Borracho irlandés ( Irish King) in which you go around town looking for men from Ireland and then buying them beer all day

More than happy to have a game with you


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Rabbitcat said:


> Exactly
> 
> I especially like the old Spanish traditional game of *Borracho irlandés* ( Irish King) in which you go around town looking for men from Ireland and then buying them beer all day
> 
> More than happy to have a game with you


I see you're getting to grips with the essential vocabulary on your learning Spanish App.


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## Gran Erry-Bredd (Nov 1, 2016)

I think you should go back to Germany as soon as possible.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Rabbitcat said:


> Exactly
> 
> I especially like the old Spanish traditional game of Borracho irlandés ( Irish King) in which you go around town looking for men from Ireland and then buying them beer all day
> 
> More than happy to have a game with you


Funniest post for a long time.ound:


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## mono (Jan 22, 2016)

MattPamplona. I would think that any hunters on this forum will PM you. Make sure you have at least 5 posts for this to happen


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Where I live, on the edge of a large Parque Natural (nature reserve), hunting is _very_ big business. I regard it as a necessary evil; too many deer and boar can damage the ecosystem and have to be culled, so why not profit from the activity. A lot of locals depend on the sale of game to ventas and restaurants. Hunting parties from abroad and from Spain's big cities also provide much needed employment for locals.

The revenues from hunting licenses help maintain the Parque for other users (hikers, mountain-bikers etc) and for the many varieties of wild animal that live in it. They pay upwards of €1000 for a licence to hunt _caza major_ (deer and boar) and around €300 for _caza menor_ (rabbits, partridges etc). Without this income I doubt the Parque would exist in its present form.

My observation of how hunting in my part of Spain differs from some other countries is that here, all the game gets eaten. While the hunters clearly enjoy the pursuit and kill, it's nothing like the big game hunts in parts of Africa where the "trophy" is everything. Killing a wild creature just for the sake of it is incomprehensible to me.

In answer to the OP's question, there are companies that organise hunts for foreigners so I assume English and German are spoken by the guides. Just google "Hunting in Spain" and lots come up.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

I live inside a Natural Park, privileged? I know! And the hunting season already started, mind you, only at weekends, it scares me a bit when walking the dog, I feel like they are after me rather than the ducks. The hunters used to put chains to cut off all the roads/paths in the park, ilegally, but after a few complains from us, the neighbours, Seprona has told them off. The Park is for everybody to use, walking, biking, etc so they think they own it by closing them all so not to disturb them. My cats really get very jumpy with the shooting, sometimes very early like 6am, or very late like 10pm, not sure what they hunt when it is so dark. 

I feel sorry for them really, (the hunters), as I see them most weekends all dressed nicely with their guns, how do they enjoy killing inoffensive ducks? I just ignore them when they tell me 'you can't walk around here'.... grown up people killing inoffensive animals. Can't they just point at an empty can of beans instead?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

olivefarmer said:


> Hunting in our area disgusts me.
> 
> The men set off in a line, with their badly treated dogs, and sweep across the hillsides shooting anything that moves. Partridge mostly always escape their efforts along with hares and rabbits leaving a bag of small birds from Thrushes, Blackbirds down to warblers. At lunchtime they retire to the local bar to eat food and drink and compare their bags. They also photograph the birds all laid out.
> 
> Somewhat naively, I asked what they did with the birds afterwards. The answer was they go in the rubbish skip. I asked why they don't hunt for wild boar. Too hard and not nice eating.


The man who lives next door but one to me goes out hunting most Sunday mornings at this time of year with his gun and dogs, who appear to be pretty well treated (they live in the house). He certainly hunts wild boar because we were a bit startled to see one hung up on his terrace one day (bearing in mind that we live in a big town rather than in the countryside). Often comes back with what look like braces of pheasants draped over the handlebars of his moto, too. I don't know whether the family eat them or they are sold to restaurants, but most certainly they don't go in the rubbish skip.


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## Gran Erry-Bredd (Nov 1, 2016)

The unspeakable killing the inedible.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Lolito said:


> I live inside a Natural Park, privileged? I know! And the hunting season already started, mind you, only at weekends, it scares me a bit when walking the dog, I feel like they are after me rather than the ducks. The hunters used to put chains to cut off all the roads/paths in the park, ilegally, but after a few complains from us, the neighbours, Seprona has told them off. The Park is for everybody to use, walking, biking, etc so they think they own it by closing them all so not to disturb them. My cats really get very jumpy with the shooting, sometimes very early like 6am, or very late like 10pm, not sure what they hunt when it is so dark.
> 
> I feel sorry for them really, (the hunters), as I see them most weekends all dressed nicely with their guns, how do they enjoy killing inoffensive ducks? I just ignore them when they tell me 'you can't walk around here'.... grown up people killing inoffensive animals. Can't they just point at an empty can of beans instead?


We were walking the dog round here once and were told that we'd better get out of the area as they were hunting. To be fair there were signs which we hadn't paid attention too. Anyway, what I mean is that they weren't going to stop shooting so by being there we were putting ouselves and our dogs at risk.
I wouldn't knowingly walk around a hunting area...


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

If you can't eat it, don't hunt it.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> We were walking the dog round here once and were told that we'd better get out of the area as they were hunting. To be fair there were signs which we hadn't paid attention too. Anyway, what I mean is that they weren't going to stop shooting so by being there we were putting ouselves and our dogs at risk.
> I wouldn't knowingly walk around a hunting area...


The problem we have here is that they've put up signs on all 'spare' land - even on land owned by my neighbours.

How does that work? Are they not allowed to walk on their own land anymore?

The 'hunters' even shoot towards my house - I've not yet noticed any pellets but I think it's only a matter of time.

My wife has suggested I make a denuncia but I'm not comfortable with that as I think they should be allowed to hunt - but responsibly.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> The problem we have here is that they've put up signs on all 'spare' land - even on land owned by my neighbours.
> 
> How does that work? Are they not allowed to walk on their own land anymore?
> 
> ...


snikpoh, it doesn't sound "right" to me. Hunting is dangerous. Accidents do happen and whilst you're of the opinion that they should be allowed, you did say "responsibly" which doesn't seem to be adhered to.


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## mecanico (Nov 21, 2016)

*for 'Fun'?*



mrypg9 said:


> Or any activity that doesn't involve killing other animals for 'fun'?
> Loads of outdoor pastimes to be enjoyed in Spain that don't involve harming other animals.


If your directing this 'fun' comment at all hunters then you are sadly misinformed!
I've shot & fished most of my life, fortunately I was born in the countryside & it's a part of every day life.
I do Not agree with blasting away at everything that moves, it appears from most of the comments that in Spain hunting is conducted in the wrong way.
I've seen the hunters in Malta & many have very much the same attitude, I've even seen rooms full of illegally shot stuffed birds, many of which were protected species. This is disgusting & gives hunters who genuinely care for the countryside & the sport a bad name.
Maybe it's time that we educate hunters in Spain? 
As a member of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation I know that I put & give more back into the British countryside than I take out. Anything (accept vermin) I shoot is eaten.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

mecanico said:


> I do Not agree with blasting away at everything that moves, it appears from most of the comments that in Spain hunting is conducted in the wrong way.


But aren't those comments from people who object to hunting full stop? I can only speak for my own region (western Andalucia) but it seems to be managed quite well here. Many of my neighbours depend on hunting for a living. There are poachers of course, and birds of prey get poisoned, but SEPRONA are pretty strict about quotas and the parties are well supervised. If not they would lose their licences.

I've heard horror stories about songbird slaughter in Malta. It even happens on the British military base there and nobody bothers to stop it. Here they are allowed to trap thrushes on one day a year, and they are a local delicacy. One of the few local delicacies I could never bring myself to eat.


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## mecanico (Nov 21, 2016)

*Good to hear positives on hunting*



Alcalaina said:


> But aren't those comments from people who object to hunting full stop? I can only speak for my own region (western Andalucia) but it seems to be managed quite well here. Many of my neighbours depend on hunting for a living. There are poachers of course, and birds of prey get poisoned, but SEPRONA are pretty strict about quotas and the parties are well supervised. If not they would lose their licences.
> 
> I've heard horror stories about songbird slaughter in Malta. It even happens on the British military base there and nobody bothers to stop it. Here they are allowed to trap thrushes on one day a year, and they are a local delicacy. One of the few local delicacies I could never bring myself to eat.


Hi, yes I think many of the comments are from people who want hunting stopped full stop. I love hunting & it can be done in the correct manner. Correct management & authorities being strict is a good thing, it's so good to hear that hunting is managed in a good way in your area.

My wife & I are planning a move to eastern Andalucia & I hope I can get involved with properly managed hunting.

Malta hunting is a farce! Corruption & illegal shooting is the norm on the tiny island. Even Chris Packham was forced to leave the island a short time ago!


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## olivefarmer (Oct 16, 2012)

mecanico said:


> If your directing this 'fun' comment at all hunters then you are sadly misinformed!
> I've shot & fished most of my life, fortunately I was born in the countryside & it's a part of every day life.
> I do Not agree with blasting away at everything that moves, it appears from most of the comments that in Spain hunting is conducted in the wrong way.
> I've seen the hunters in Malta & many have very much the same attitude, I've even seen rooms full of illegally shot stuffed birds, many of which were protected species. This is disgusting & gives hunters who genuinely care for the countryside & the sport a bad name.
> ...


that sounds a laudable idea but in practice will be difficult. I wouldn't use the word mafia as it isn't the right word but the hunters are the establishment (local mayoral representive, other village elders on committees and so on) . You would be trying to change scores of years of tradition and they could make your life quite awkward especially if you live within the community. Finally you need to remember as a foreigner you are very low down the pecking order regardless of how many years you might have lived here. Bit like if a person from Malta polled up in Wymeswold and campaigned to get the Quorn hunt stopped.

What is clear from the posters on here is that different types of hunting exist within Spain.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Personally I wish the poor animals could shoot back!!!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Rabbitcat said:


> Personally I wish the poor animals could shoot back!!!


That's the Rabbit in you talking presumably. The Cat part of you wouldn't agree, being a master hunter.


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