Mountain deer hunting

The deer or red deer is one of the most emblematic species of our Iberian fauna along with large mammals such as the wild boar or the roe deer, as well as one of the most sought after and dreamed of animals by great hunters. In Spain we can find deer in many parts of our geography, from north to south, but the hunting method in hunting has nothing to do with stalking in the rainy mountains.

More and more nature lovers are leaving behind the crowds of the hunts to fully immerse themselves in solitary hunting. This type of mountain deer stalking has gained value and in this blog we tell you a little more about this ungulate, hunting areas, customs and tips that will surely make your stalking an unforgettable experience.

Meet the deer and its antlers

In the Peninsula there are those who speak of two subspecies of deer, the first in the southeast and smaller in size and the other subspecies is the one that occupies the rest of the territory. It has not been proven with certainty, because, as with the goat, its morphology varies depending on temperature, geography, diet and other factors. What is evident is that there is a clear sexual dimorphism both in size (females smaller as in other mammals), and in the antlers that males have. Both are covered with brown or red hair that becomes more grayish in cold weather, just like the roe deer.

Their antlers evolve over the years and acquire a series of names:

• Gabato: young, first-year deer, still without antlers.
• Vareto: it has antlers but no antlers, they are two rods that come out one year old.
• Fork: it is the two-year-old male with a small branch at the base or highest of its horn.
• Deer: when it has a rosette and six or more points.

The king of the mountains. Where to find it?

As we have mentioned previously, the hunting deer is not the same as the mountain stalking deer, which is what interests us in this article. This ungulate can be found in various parts of the geographical features of Spain, including the Palencia mountains, the Cantabrian mountain range, Cazorla (Jaén), the Boumort mountain range (Lleida) or in Zamora.

The best time to hunt it is during the rut , in winter the deer “disappear” as if they had been swallowed by the earth, which is why in autumn you have to take advantage of the fact that they are after the females. They are territorial animals, so it is not surprising to find the same deer in the same cutting as the previous year and even more so when they are older. It must be taken into account that at this time the females rule, who are chased by the male, so it is not surprising that he is scared and the next day he returns to be with the deer.

These large ungulates leave marks throughout their territory, the clearing is the clearest, but in autumn, if we are curious and good hunters, we can see how they have peeled the trees by scratching (even leaving hair in the so-called nooks), footprints and rolling in ponds or fountains.

Large males spend a lot of energy in disputes with others, so a good place to look for them is in the shade of a tree or in a shade seeking coolness. Although it must be taken into account that the most adult deer are the ones that are most cautious and careful when it comes to letting themselves be seen or leaving tracks. The bellowing of these oldest mammals is usually late in the afternoon.

In this episode of our series “Hunting Without Limits” you will be able to enjoy our hunting day in search of a deer from the wild mountains of Palencia. Will we be able to get hold of it?

winter stalking

If you don't want to focus on the rut and decide to fully immerse yourself in a sub-zero stalk, you should know that the big males who finish their rut will disappear in the depths of our mountains. The cold makes them eagerly wait for the first rays of light at dawn, so you have to look for them in the sunny dawns. With the wind, what you are sensing happens, they take shelter in shelters, but without leaving the cliffs far away to flee in an alert situation.

If you want to know more about high mountain stalking in Spain click here .

Author: María Balletbó