Contributors to this thread:
Guys I will be leaving November 26 for Spain with clients and have a few spots open for ibex over there. We have great packages on singles billies or of course we can do the Spanish Slam of ibex in one trip too, this is a great fun hunt for everyone, lots of animals great food and scenery
Spanish ibex are awesome animals for bow hunting for sure. I shot my Gredos as 135 meters with a rifle, but could have probably gotten to 50 yards or less pretty easily. The chamois would be much more difficult!!!
Can we bring the meat back? How are they for table fare? What is the approximate cost of the hunt? Airfare?
Generally, a guy that's interested in a meat hunt probably won't cross the ocean. Is there any hunt across the ocean where you can bring the meat home? Is that a thing?
Since, well, this is the Internet, why not search air fare prices?
Spain is awesome. I have no affiliation with Pat at all. I'd encourage anyone that wants a trip they can take their wife/girlfriend with them on to consider Spain. Holly and I did our honeymoon there last year. She actually enjoyed our time hunting more than Mallorca! We got a Gredos ibex, cantabrian chamois, and a gold medal fallow deer and got to see/stay in some parts of the country few tourists get to visit.
Jake,
Illegal to import meat (raw or cooked/processed) or food from other countries.
Confiscated food helps to feed the immigration agents and their families at the US arrival airports. They put the confiscated food in a "special cardboard box" it does not go in a garbage can.
I got busted big time in Atlanta for packaged biltong and fresh apples.
Buffalo1, You can bring meat back from Canada and Mexico.
So is the meat/food importation rule a continent thing or because Canada and Mexico abut the US?
I brought meat back from New Zealand....and Halibutman, you are right...it IS the internet....so I can ask someone for a price as easily as I can look one up. I was just spitballing for prices....no need to get actual, specific quotes at this time.
Yup no problem at all guys and you can call me anytime anyone wants also. I never book any of my hunts on a slide scale or any of this extra inch stuff in any countries. For the Spanish ibex hunt I provide in Spain it is a all inclusive hunt no extra charges other than your tipping and whatever else ya want to buy. I am probably the cheapest guy in Spain but ya know what quality is extremely high and we thing bringing more hunters is better for us. For a gold medal beceite Gold medal GREDOS Sierra Nevada and Ronda grand slam of ibex im selling them at 26000$ this year, I can't promise that for next year as they will be probably 28000$ there is none of this day rate, centimeter scale, hotels food all the other stuff it's all included in my price and beleive me you eat like a king and treated like kings. We will be leaving December 2 with the first group I will be over there November 26.
So if anyone ever has any questions please just ask me as I'm wide open with any of my hunts ok guys.
Jake I have never had anyone want to bring the meat home so I would have to look into it but I honestly don't know the answer. Bud
Ibex is one of the most awesome species on earth, and high on my wish list, but I could never justify spending that kind of money on such a short adventure. :-(
I'm guessing there is no DIY option in Spain?
Approximately how much for a single species? Is the hunting free range or on an estate?
That's a really good price for gold medal heads of all four varieties. I paid some thing like 5000 euros for the package on my bronze Gredos.
All the places I've seen advertise mountain game (ibex and chamois) and all the places I've visited were free range. That is not true for mouflon, fallow, and Iberian red deer. The game over there is wayyyyy different than the game in North America. It's not as wary, even in free range scenarios, at least from my experience.
As a comment on the internet as a whole: use your search browser, whatever it may be, to look up things that are easily looked up. It's a strange brand of laziness to speculate, or ask easily answered questions on a forum when you can simply find the information in seconds with a basic search. I'm typing this post from a tiny computer I can hold in my hand. If I just hold the button at the bottom, and say out loud "search the web for flights from Houston to Madrid" it will display multiple links with prices. If I just type "IAH to Madrid" in the top line of the browser, it will allow me to input dates of choice of use a calendar to search fares across basically every airline at once, in the palm of my hand, on my couch, in something like 50 keystrokes. Why ask when it's already answered, for free, with basically no effort?
Thats one way to do it. Another is to ask a live human the question. If you don't want to answer that's certainly your prerogative, but being snarky about it just makes you look like an ass.
Yeah I understand medicinemann is fairly new to the internet, and to bowhunting as a sport. I'll bet he appreciates that tutorial.
That aside, looks like a great hunt gunslinger.
My posts are snarky? I'm an ass? You realize you're posting into a machine on this forum, probably being answered by someone you've never met... is that considered to be asking a live human??I'm not the one that asked two questions designed to point out that an American hunting in Spain is a "trophy hunter" that isn't eating his animals, one question that's answered supremely easily with a basic search and is destination/origin specific, and one that's relevant.
I was trying to contribute here, since I've been to Spain and hunted there. I think Spain is great. I also know the guy Pat is partners with, and he's great. I am tired of the internet, and the ridiculous people that live here. Thanks for reminding me of that.
I believe Jake was asking about total costs and bringing back meat out of interest, not his primary goal. Would be cool to serve your family and friends a Spanish Ibex filet! Airfare might be included or pre-arranged, maybe not. It was a simple question. Always bothers me when someone who is always helpful to everyone on this site (like Jake , who I don't know but has helped me and many others) gets a cheap jab. This is (or should be ) a fun, friendly and casual blog. The stick and string , or cable and cam, is a bond we all share. Let's leave the bickering to the Beltway in DC.
Anyway aside from all the bullshit the hunts all over the world I offer are free range except South Africa and some of New Zealand. Guys please call me at anytime at 780-621-7989 if you ever want to talk. And absolutely you can shoot a representative of that specie or bronze silver or gold. And for the representative specie it is a very. Cheap rate in them hunts starting around 4500$
Pat has anybody taken Ibex with bows on these hunts?
Well, bullshit or not, Jake can't help you here since he's never been.
I'm just tired of the internet and all the crap that comes with it. Good luck to everyone here. I hope you all go to Spain and have as much fun as I did.
Matt I know Jake very well he's a good friend and I have hunted many many camps that he has doing the super Slam it's all good guys.
Man people have taken the ibex with bows and with so many animals there it's a ton of fun. MY CLIENTS have. Not Killed with archery yet
Sometimes on a forum a relevant question asked on the forum helps, because an answer eliminates many people going and asking the same question.
Coming out and calling quite an accomplished person lazy can incite some ridicule.
Those hunts sure look like a lot of fun. Unfortunately outside of my budget, but I encourage many to do the hunt, take pics and video, and proceed to share here :)
Apuals, well said. Forrest
Well, APauls, you can bet I'll reconsider sharing here.
My comments about "a special brand of laziness" were broad and pointed towards everyone that's ever posted something like "does Montana allow lighted nocks?" If you don't see that as lazy behavior, where you're literally so lazy you won't do your own google search, then I'd like to know what you consider to constitute lazy behavior?
I've been to a whole lot of the same places too Pat. I'll probably finish up my super Slam before I turn 36, which was my goal once you finished yours. I can't beat Justin, since the ones left are really expensive and the patch hasn't been paying as well last couple years.
Good luck everyone. Hope y'all all go everywhere. If you do (or try to) you're likely to run into me somewhere.
Comes across snarky and elitist. Thats no bullshit. Lol
I ran a roller on an oilfield location today. If I'm considered an elitist, snarky ass by you guys for suggesting someone is lazy for not at least doing some basic reading.... all is lost.
Carry on with whatever it is y'all want from this.
I don't think Jake was trying to give anyone any info...... he was asking questions and "talking" to the folks that are actually offering the hunt. That's what internet FORUMS are for. Especially the bowsite.
Looks like a fun bowhunt. Spain I assume is OK with bowhunting? Some other countries in Europe start at frowning and span to an outright ban was my understanding?
Well as life flys by so fast as usual the time has come to leave, off one Mountian heading to another, clients are all ready to go to Spain
Halibut has a point. However, he does come off kinda smart ass. Now here is a full smart ass response. If Halibut hates the internet and the people on it so much, maybe he should stay off. Halibut, even more irritating than internet people, are real life people. Ask "real" people, especially young people a question, and the response it typically "google it." I don't know about hunting in Spain, but I was stationed there from Nov 1993 until Feb 1995 with the Coast Guard, on the Mediterranean coast about 100 KM north of Barcelona. That was possibly the best 2 years of my life. If you go to hunt, plan to spend some extra time and enjoy a great country and it's wonderful people. Be sure to check out Andorra also while you are there.
I did an Ibex hunt in Mongolia several years ago. Great adventure. Spain is on my short list that's for sure.
Well as life flys by so fast as usual the time has come to leave, off one Mountian heading to another, clients are all ready to go to Spain
Pat...We WILL visit about this hunt in Reno. Keep us posted!
7 year old Beceite Ibex
7 year old Beceite Ibex
Ibex Backstrap
Ibex Backstrap
Jake, where I hunted in Spain a few weeks ago, for Beceite Ibex, it would have been a pain to bring the meat back. In fact, most times the meat remains on the mountain. I was very interested in eating some, so we had a bunch of it for lunch each day. Very strong flavor and much much different than any other meat I've eaten. It was very good!
You can get a hunt for any of the species for much cheaper if you are not looking for a Gold Medal, or any medal. I hunted on a Representative package and could have shot a bigger one than I did, but I didn't go there for a trophy and size of the horns meant absolutely nothing to me, hell I used a borrowed bow and only had 3 arrows along. I was very thankful to have an opportunity at any Ibex within bow range. Additionally, I shot the "wrong" one as the one I was stalking was just under Bronze medal, but when I got to within 20 yards I could no longer see him and this one offered a shot so I took it.
Might be going back soon for another, this time I'd like a Gredos, and again a representative package for far less than a gold medal.
Can you fish for halibut in Spain after the hunt is over. Anyone know???
Great question Bou! Halibut fishing the seas off the coast of spain in a homemade canoe was high on my list of things to do after the Ibex hunt but I ended up not having enough time. Maybe after the next trip I can fit it in, or maybe set some trot lines for blue gills.
I'm curious Nick, why the borrowed Bow? Did you have issues with yours not showing up or damaged?
I didn't bring my bow with me to Europe, never realized I'd be able to go hunting while here... I got over here and realized then I'd have some time to hunt a bit. Luckily I was smart enough to bring my Scarpas just in case, figured if anything would allow me to get in the mountains, a good pair of boots would come in handy.
Wow, way to take advantage of your trip and get a hunt in, that's impressive in itself. Killing an ibex with a borrowed bow, Well that's above and beyond impressive! Way to go Nick!
Have hunted Spain a number of times — in a word “spectacular.” A true paradise. The nation has a deeply-embraced Hunting heritage, plenty of wild game with large tracts of land dedicated to hunting, and at least 13 huntable big game species available. The lands and herds are also very well managed and healthy. No sprawling commercial development and habitat destruction.
In addition to great hunting, Spain is also a prime vacation destination. The history, architecture, culture, beaches, mountains, castles, wineries, and spectacular food have something for everyone. Planning on meeting my wife for a post-hunt vacation on my next trip.
A word on weapons - importing a bow and arrows into Spain is simple and requires no special permits/paperwork; however, firearms and crossbows are an entirely different matter - they require pre-travel licensing from the Spanish Embassy here in the U.S. (doable but quite onerous).
Anyway this is a plug for hunting or even vacationing in Spain from a guy who’s really enjoyed it.
I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I think Halibutman was way out of line! Someone asked a question of someone that has actually hunted in Spain. I would do the same, rather than do some random google search for information that may or MAY NOT be accurate! GEEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For those that have hunted Spain, can you bring the horns and cape home with you or do they need to be exported at a later date. I have a Gredos trip planned for April.
Exported later...from what I've experienced, someone else might know better.
I plan to be hunting Gredos in Feb if everything goes as planned, can't wait, It's going to be fun!
Don’t believe “green” horns, skull caps and hides are currently allowed entry into US.
The export process requires a sort of veterinary certificate. It takes a couple of weeks to get, making it impossible to bring home trophies as luggage, unless you're there for a really long vacation.
Questions like this one are relevant and tough to answer with a search engine.
Guys the animals will need to be exported home, I am here now with clients, good luck to all that is hunting Spain.
