DIY South Eastern Ibex in Spain
Contributors to this thread:Mountain Goat
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
This year I hunted an area near Valencia, Spain that is managed by Fly and Arrow owner Ivan Eady from Spain. I was not successful on my last years hunt for this specie in a different area. This hunt can be booked as a guided hunt or a DIY hunt were you get a Spanish hunting license, pick up the tags, book a hotel nearby and then rent a car to get to the hunting area not even 45 minutes from Valencia which is by the way a very nice tourist destination for the whole family. First evening I was shown the bounderies of the hunting area. I did hear ibex fighting (it sounds like splitting firewood with an ax) in a deep valley while driving through the mountains and also spotted a small billy near the road.
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
From: smarba
01-Dec-22
Sounds amazing already, keep it coming!
From: Treeline
01-Dec-22
Wow! This looks like one hell of an awesome hunt! Looking forward to this one!
I would love to go to Spain…
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
First day hunting I checked different areas but didn't see much as the weather was hot. In the afternoon and not far away from the road I watched a herd of ewes when suddenly a medium billy with 2 broken horns started to chase and check the girls. Not a trophy and I was not tempted to shoot him at first thoughts. But with more time watching him and since I was able to get more tags I took the oportunity and made a short stalk. The billy was bussy and excited and never saw me getting close. A 25 meter quatering away shot made him run for less then 60 meters when he dropped from a small cliff directly into the ditch of the road. From there I loaded the 70 kilo carcass into a 110 liter cooler and then loaded the cooler with the animal as a whole into the trunk. Easiest recovery ever. I drove to a different location to make the red work. Later at night we had ibex carpachio at the hotel.
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
From: WhattheFOC
01-Dec-22
‘Make the red work’ I might use that !! Keep it coming.
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
Next 2 days I hunted and hiked with my wife and I got close to another medium old ibex but just took pictures as he was chasing the herds ewes. I wanted to hold out for the muy grande.
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
From: Treeline
01-Dec-22
Excellent! Looks like good eats:)
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
From: M.Pauls
01-Dec-22
That’s awesome! Also a lot of metric! But seriously cool. Had no idea a guy could hunt in Spain DIY
From: JohnMC
01-Dec-22
That does look like fun. Matt I think he's doing that for you Canadians.:)
From: bowhunt
01-Dec-22
Wow That sounds like a neat adventure
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
Next day Ivan and his friend Yago joined me to help and scout. We did see a big one coming down from a cliff towards some ewes and I went up alone to get beneath him. I managed to do so and he was bedded just 25 meters almost straight above me on a ledge. I was able to see his head through the brush. There was a small opening in the brush to get the arrow through. I just had to wait him out to stand then I would have his vitals in that very opening. I waited and waited some more. Then he stood up and...my arrow fell off the rest due the extreme uphill angle. He beded again to stand up after 20 more minutes. This time I got the shot off. Too high and over his back. He was confused but still stood there. Another arrow on the string and another shot. Too high again. WTF. He ran to my right and stood above a steep cliff staring directly at me. I had another arrow nocked, aimed lower and at his throut and let go. The arrow hit his shoulder to the left. Shooting extreme angles does all that to you. I should have practiced those shots more. We searched for him the whole afternoon but were able to follow the blood trail just for 300 meters. Next day we did bring in a tracking dog ( Bavarian mountain blood hound) but the billy was alive and well as we followed his trail for over 1 kilometer without any blood on the ground and getting into the steep cliffs.
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
The valleys have lots of vegetation. Somehow I cannot get the pictures from my computer to my cell phone. SORRY but tomorrow you get the follow up.
From: Treeline
01-Dec-22
Beautiful country!
From: Pocoloco
01-Dec-22
DIY is posible in Spain if the outfitter or the person who holds the permits/tags trusts you to récord ALL shots, wounded animales and kills. And of course you have to know the hunting laws and play by them. Metric system: Just wanted to throw a wrench in there and see if some of you might learn a bit on conversions. LOL
From: In2dmtns
01-Dec-22
Great hunt. Thanks for taking us along.
From: HUNT MAN
01-Dec-22
Thanks for posting. Neat adventure.
From: bghunter
01-Dec-22
That is a bucket list hunt for sure. Be perfect hunting and sightseeing trip with the wife.
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
The big one looking over his ewes and later climbing down
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
The big one looking over his ewes and later climbing down
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Treeline
02-Dec-22
Beautiful animals in a beautiful place!
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
Searching for him. What amazing tracking dogs are the Bavarian Mountain blood hounds for this type of hunt
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
Midday we got a call from a local Hunter that he had seen a ver big one near the top of the mountain range. We drove up and parked the car. While I was taking my gear off the car Ivan had already seen him. He was walking behind a hot ewe. We quickly walked up to intercept them as they were not far. It was an absolute brute. Ivan gave the range: 40 meters. I had aleady aimed and shot....over his back. Next arrow on the string as they kept walking. 45 meters now. The shot...again over his back. I was confused, disoriented, mad, in disbelive and disapointed at myself at the same time. Not sure if any of you has ever felt this. They were now gone and onto the trees but others followed. Ivan told me to shoot the next one as it was also a big one. He looked much smaller than the brute (silvestre medal and I am sure high on the SCI bowkill list) and I got the distance 40 meters. I aimed then 5 meters lower as the previous shots all sailed above the other one. The hit was right into his heart. He ran a short distance, beded and then tipped over.
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
Ivan told me that the billy was at 45 meters and he gave me less distance. I myself also took off 5 meters. All my misses were above. This time the shot angle was not steep. After the red work I checked my bow. The practice heads were hitting where I was aiming. Usually I do not use the Rage ( original old ones) but normally the Slick Tricks 125. But because of the longer shot distances on this hunt I opted for the Rage. The O rings were new and the blades locked. I had used all my Rage with those shots and had not one left. Probablemente won't buy more anyway. So I will never know why all my shots were high. Ivan told me that I had rushed my first shot but on the second I took more time and my follow through was good. I however felt good on all shots and was on target. Strange things happen sometimes.
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
That same day we did see other goats but they were high and it was getting late. Ivan had his recurve and I wanted to assist him in getting his own trophy. The rut was 100% on. However, if I would see a silver or gold medal billy while he was not with me I would shoot him.
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
Next day we hunted two different ridges next to each other and were able to text each other if one would see animals on the other side and below. I took already pictures of a bronce size billy below us in the valley when I got Ivans message. The billy was checking some ewes and then walked towards me. I was behind a small pine well hidden and he was aproaching as if he would walk below the small bench I was standing on. He disapeared in a small valley and I stepped out to be able to shoot him from above. As I waited he apeared on the same bench I was standing on. I was out in the open and as soon as I turned a bit to draw the bow he jumped off the ledge and ran into the valley never seen again. If I would have stayed behind the pine I would have had a 5 meter shot. ??
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: orionsbrother
02-Dec-22
I’m in!!
From: Quinn @work
02-Dec-22
Congrats! Thanks for posting this, unique to us Americans, adventure.
From: JTreeman
02-Dec-22
Pretty cool.
Spent a day in Valencia once too, seemed nice the little I saw.
—jim
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
Next day was very slow and hot. Due to trh late rains the land was lush and green too. A predador had similar ideas. Lamb Meat for this golden eagle. Also a reason I didn't see many animals sometimes.
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
And then there were the fights between the goats. I had shot my Beceite Ibex a few years ago while fighting and this time I withnessed 2 medium goats fighting to exhaustion. Bad thing was I got there when they had almost finished their fight. One of them was out off breath and I could hear him sucking the air into his lungs and coughing.
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
The following days I was looking for the muy grande. I did spot 2 satélite billies and a little while later the the big horns close by just below the highest ridge tip. The only way to get there was along the ridge. Up there the wind was blowing directly towards them. Neetless to say they where gone when I slowly stalked there.
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
02-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
03-Dec-22
The last day of my 10 day hunt was initially slow. Very few animals seen. Then in the afternoon I was joined by Ivan again. We looked over a herd of ewes and lambo with some small and medium billies. Nothing to be excited about. Then suddenly Ivan pointed at a very big billy that was trailing a hot ewe. Ivan grabed his recurve and I the camera. Ivan got to 15 meters of the billy but there was a dense bush between them. The billy wouldn't leave until the ewe turned and walked quickly up a slope between trees and bushes. Ivan teied to follow them but they disapeared. Soon it was too dark to get to them. They were gone.
From: Pocoloco
03-Dec-22
From: Pocoloco
03-Dec-22
While guided hunts in Spain for ibexes are usually 2-3 days which I had done on Ronda (successful), Beceite (successful) and the South Eastern (unsuccessful) in the past I choose to try something different this time and do it my way. It resulted in more quality time in some beautiful country with my wife, great food and nice people and without the stress to get it done in a few days. I was helped with some intel from Ivan, local hunters and farmers from orange, kaki and avocado orchards. I also had planed the rut dates to almost perfection. Only things that made this hunt sometimes difficult were the too hot weather and the dense vegetation as the goats would hide in the deep valleys during the day. With colder weather goats like to sun on the cliffs and are easily spotted. Since the season runs into May it might be posible for me to be back in the spring to also look for some wild boar. Spain is definetly a prime bowhunting destination with many different big game species all over the country.
From: Pocoloco
03-Dec-22
One more thing: I am reading and learning from Bowsite for the last +15 years. I had to learn bowhunting basically by myself since I didn't had hunters or friends arround me to teach me the details. This is my first thread. So thanks to you all (unknowably) who helped me grow into a better bowhunter and maybe also a better man. Its good that Bowsite is a better place now with less politics. Hope it stays that way. Stay safe.
From: Ken
03-Dec-22
Great hunt and write-up. I am bowhunting for Gredos Ibex in May so this thread got me fired up!
From: dakotaduner
03-Dec-22
I really enjoyed that. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
From: Pocoloco
04-Dec-22
Ken. Best of luck for the Gredos. It is the only ibex left for me to take in Spain but I know I will be back for more there. Gredos mountains have usually a much more open terain with less vegetation.
From: bghunter
04-Dec-22
Great write up. I really liked the honesty too.
From: Zbone
04-Dec-22
Cool stuff, thanks for sharing, and CONGRATS!
From: Treeline
04-Dec-22
Thanks for the recap! Great info on hunting in Spain. There are definitely a lot of neat animals in Europe. Not many of us bowhunters will ever get over there though.
From: wildwilderness
04-Dec-22
Gracias
From: Shug
04-Dec-22
Very cool congratulations
From: Shug
04-Dec-22
Very cool congratulations
From: Beendare
04-Dec-22
Pocoloco, Great adventure, thanks for taking us along
From: goelk
04-Dec-22
Grazie ! great story and adventure. Can a trad hunter do ok ?
From: Pocoloco
04-Dec-22
Goelk, yes definetly. Ivan and I got real close to some goats. It has to be the rut though as that would be the only time these animals are acting stupid. There is also lots of cover that helps you getting close. It definetly helps hunting more days and being patient.
From: Treeline
04-Dec-22
Gonna have to look harder at hunting Spain… Have had a few invitations and speak the language but so hard to get away from all of our NA game animals! Not to mention the difficulty in planning a trip to Europe when we don’t get results back from a lot of states draws till July!!!
From: SBH
04-Dec-22
That’s cool man. Awesome adventure! Thanks for the post.
From: Bowfinatic
04-Dec-22
A unique adventure for sure Congrats on getting it done Thanks for the write up
From: SteveB
05-Dec-22
What a wonderful adventure! Congratulations and thanks for sharing!
From: Pocoloco
05-Dec-22
Forgot to tell that the ibex I wounded in the chest was seen 10 days after my departure alive and well altough still with a visible chest wound on its hide. My hunch was right when I thought that it was not a leathal hit. These animals are really though when you do not hit the center of the vitals. My Beceite ibex ran still 400 meters until he died although it was a doble lung hit. They have a very heavy bone structure and I suggest to stay away from the shoulder blade and the front leg. The rut for the Ronda and South Eastern ibexes is usually from the end of October to the beginning of December. Gredos and Beceite is usually one month later. For bowhunters I highly recommend to hunt the rut.
From: Traveler
08-Dec-22
Thanks for a great hunt report and lots of awesome pics.
From: fishnride
10-Dec-22
Well that was cool. Looks like fun!
From: Tracker
13-Dec-22
Great write up thanks for sharing. I would love to hunt Ibex in Spain. I was fortunate to hunt I bet in Mongolia in the 90's. Great time and my most appreciated trophy that hangs on my wall.
From: iceman
14-Dec-22
Very cool thread. Congrats to you and thanks for sharing it with us
From: Pocoloco
15-Dec-22
5 weeks after the hunt the euro mount of the big ibex got finished by Ivan. That was surprisingly quick. Appearently he does everything. LOL
