SPANISH PARTRIDGE SHOOTING
Spain
has the topography to offer superb red-legged partridge shooting, and the
standards of organisation and professionalism at the best shoots leave
little to be desired. The traditional Spanish partridge shoot used to be
conducted twice a year, and was regarded very much as a cull, without the
emphasis that is now placed on high and testing targets, or with a wild
population supplemented by released birds.
Some
of the steepest and most exciting topography for driven partridge shooting
is to be found in the glorious Salamanca region of Spain, where the season
is extended by law to include February and March. The Sanchez-Fabres family
employ 14 gamekeepers on three different estates, and each shoot day
normally consists of four large drives, broken by a typically generous
Spanish lunch, which is served under canvas by liveried butlers. Guns are
accompanied by a personal secretario to record both the number of shots
fired, and birds accounted for on a special chart that is presented to the
gun after every drive. It is usual for each gun to have the services of a
loader to assist in maximising opportunities. It is normal for a party of
eight guns to shoot for two or three days at a time, with an average daily
bag in excess of 400 birds.
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| Typical Salamanca topography | Las Ahijaderas Lodge | Bedroom Las Ahijaderas |
Guests
stay in the comfortable Las Ahijaderas Lodge, which is set in beautiful
rolling countryside interspersed with cork and live oak trees. Rooms have
been converted from stable blocks, and are spacious and centrally heated
with en suite bath and loos. The food is excellent with traditional Spanish
tapas served prior to a delicious dinner, which is accompanied by fine wine
and liqueurs.
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| Salamanca vista | Fighting bulls grazing at Pedro Llen |
