High mountain stalks

The experience of hunting in the high mountains is undoubtedly one of the most loved and desired modalities by a hunter. It is an accumulation of sensations, in which the slightest mistake can end up throwing away all the effort. In this blog you will learn tips for stalking, which species to stalk in Spain and where, as well as a recommendation of materials that cannot be missing from your day. But before all that...

What is a stalk? What species can I stalk?

It consists of looking for and stalking an animal until it gets close enough to kill it. It is a very complicated modality that requires a lot of time and physical skills. It is also the most exciting type of hunting, since any mistake can make you lose the trophy that you have been looking for so long.

In Spain there are stalks of all kinds, farms and spectacular landscapes and great professionals who will help you find your desired animal. The species that are most in the spotlight in this modality are:

chamois

It is one of the most characteristic species of the high mountains, its appearance is unmistakable due to its hook-shaped horns (both male and female). It is one of the great challenges for hunters, since many physical qualities are needed to face hard days in unpredictable weather such as storms or rockfalls from the peaks.
The chamois move in the early hours of the day, they are animals with diurnal habits that must be observed carefully with good binoculars . Once you have selected it, you have to try to get closer little by little and carefully with the changes in the wind. The ideal is to approach at a distance of 150 meters, to avoid mistakes and unnecessary injuries to the animal.
The ideal places to find them are mainly the Leonese mountains, Picos de Europa, Cantabrian mountains or the Pyrenees. In this video you will see a chamois stalking with a bow in the Picos de Europa.

ibex

It is one of the most beautiful and authentic hunts on the Iberian Peninsula, as well as being unique and emblematic of our country. People from all over the world come to Spain every year to hunt big trophies. There are four subspecies to stalk: Sierra Nevada, Ronda, Beceite, and Gredos. They can be hunted in the places that their own name indicates, as well as for example the Muela de Cortés or the Maestrazgo.
The best time to hunt an Ibex is in heat, which is when the large specimens come out of their remote summer shelters and make themselves seen more easily, already wearing their characteristic black winter fur. A piece of advice for hunting an ibex is to gain height from the herd, to make the entrance from the top down. In this video you will see an Ibex stalking in the Maestrazgo.

Roe deer

It is one of the stalks that raises the most passions, "the elf of the forest" is one of the species most appreciated by hunters. There are large roe deer hunting areas in Guadalajara, Teruel or Soria, although they are widely distributed throughout the Spanish geography. They are very curious animals and their antlers are of great interest to stalkers, who wait months and years behind the perfect specimen, studying their behaviors and preferences. The best time of the day to find them is at sunset, leaving the forest looking for more affectionate areas to feed, because they are animals with very fixed and territorial habits.

arrui

The arruís are an autochthonous species from North Africa, but they have found the perfect habitat in which to develop in the Mediterranean mountains of Murcia and Alicante. In these mountains, the shroud feels at home and if it discovers you ahead of time, it will not stop its career and you will lose the game you are waiting for. Males differ from females in the length of their wattles and the thickness of their horns, although both are large trophies.
The stalking of arruí, in open lands of the Iberian mountains, involves great doses of effort, with many hours of ascents and descents on very steep slopes that force you to negotiate the terrain repeatedly zigzag, taking long detours to reach the set in adequate conditions. .

mouflon

The European mouflon is one of the best adapted and most difficult animals to hunt. Its excellent eyesight, its ease to castle and the fact that it is a gregarious animal makes this stalking quite a challenge. The most spectacular stalking in the open is in the Pyrenees, where we can find them at different heights, so the hunt can be adapted to the physical condition of the hunter. The mouflon, being a species of Iberian big game, falls within the elite as far as hunting is concerned. This is due to his abilities in his wild state.