Hugh Jacks Hunts Spain

Hugh Jacks (AL, left) and his guide Pichi (right) took the first of six trophies on Hugh’s November 2003 trip to Spain:Tthis Cantabrian Chamois at 9 a.m. on the first day of hunting.

Thirteen days traveling 3500 miles into six mountain ranges of Spain produced six Capra animals along with great new friend and some of my best hunting memories. Hunting buddy Dennis Campbell and I landed in Madrid only to quickly separate and head off in different directions; he for three ibex, a chamois and a European mouflon, and I for the four ibex and two chamois. My guide, Pichi, had guided for Fernando Saiz since he was 16. He was now the ripe old age of 24 and about to get his law degree. We bonded quickly as I found out he liked hunting better than law, and George Bush better than Al Gore.

We wasted no time and headed for the village of Ancilas in the state of Castilla Leon, nestled in the heart of the Cantabrian Mts. and the home of the Cantabrian chamois. We checked inio the small and charming Presa Hotel, typical of the five others that would follow during our trek across Spain. The next morning, we were in the mountains with our local game keeper Santos, and soon spotted a band of chamois. We decided there were good ones in the band and worth a climb to get a closer look. We never got close to the group, as Pichi spotted a wolf crossing the mountain and that led him to see alarge, lone chamois the wolf had in his sight. I beat the wolf to the chamois and was veryexcited since it was a great trophy. It had a broken leg and would have soon died. It was only 9a.m. and we had our first animal.

This Beceite ibex was taken by Hugh Jacks (AL, front right) in Spain, November 2003. His guide was Pichi (front left) and he hunted with outfitter Fernando Saiz.

The next day we drove eight hours to Morella, a walled village near the Mediterranean Seawhich was built by the Romans around 500 B.C. It turned out to be themost interesting village of the trip and we spent the next day touring since we were a day early for the hunt. We stopped being tourists and started being hunters again the next morning as we met our game keeper Adolfo. The first day was slow, as was the second, until a few minutes before dark when our luck changed and a 300 shot took our second trophy. Aldolfo had rounded up his buddies from the village to scout for us, and they were as excited over the hunt as we were. We had glassed all day and had it pay off in the last minutes with a Beceite ibex.

The next adventure took us into the Pyrenees Mts. very near the French border to the resort village of Nerin. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon one day ahead of our scheduled hunt. After a very late lunch, we decided to scout the area for our morning hunt. We never, of course, scout without a rifle. We spooked a very good Pyrenian chamois that disappeared over a heavily snow-covered mountain in front of us. The game keeper, Silverio, commented that we would try to find him in the morning, but Pichi said that we should make a stalk to take him before dark. Pichi led us on a 90-minute stalk that brought us right out on top of where the chamois was bedded down. A 200-yard shot stated that the third animal of the quest was ours, and we were now two days ahead of schedule. The great bonus of this hunt was the beauty and majesty of the mountains. I hope to return someday.

Hugh Jacks (AL) took this Pyrenian chamois in Spain, November 2003. He hunted with Fernando Saiz

Our marathon really got interesting as we drove 16 hours and arrived at Grazelema, in the Ronda Mts. Even though we arrived at 3 a.m., the hotel manager was waiting for us and was actually pleasant even at that hour. Hunters, however, don't get concerned with little things like sleep, so two hours was fine.

Raul, the local game keeper, met us to start our hunt for the Ronda ibex. A few minutes before dark, as we were about to make our descent to the village, Raul suddenly dropped to the ground and signaled me to crawl to him. A little over 200 yards before us were a dozen ibex with two shooters and one heart-stopper in the group. The sundown shot was good and the photographs, field dressing, “can you believe it” comments and the trip down the mountain took place in the dark as we looked down on the village lights. It is moments like this that make me never want to stop hunting.

D.Hugh Jacks (AL, right) and guide Pichi (left) with Hugh’s Ronda ibex taken in Spain, November 2003. Hugh’s outfitter was Fernando Saiz.

Grazelema was the most charming village we visited. The police even forgave our parking ticket. If I may regress a little, all the small hotels were very hunter-friendly and went out of their way to accommodate our every need, from early breakfast to packed lunches to allowing us to use their freezer for our trophies (just don't tell the other dining guests). All the game keepers knew their territory, were good hunters and had very positive attitudes toward us and the hunt.
Such was our game keeper Paco for the South-eastern ibex, as he worked as hard as any guide I have observed. It paid off on the morning of the second day of the hunt as we made a beautiful stalk to within 80 yards of four bedded Southeastern ibex and took the biggest one. We now had five of the six needed to complete our Spanish Capra Slam and our thoughts turned to the Gredos Mts., where we would hunt our final animal, the Gredos ibex. Our Gredos hunt got off to a slow start as fog and rain blanketed the mountains. We made the most of the situation at a local pub, as our game keeper owned it and invited some of his friends to come from the village and keep us company. After many, many cups of coffee and a great lunch, the fog lifted and we headed into the mountains.

This Southeastern Ibex was taken in Spain by Hugh Jacks (AL), November 2003.

We soon spotted a lone Ibex and decided he would do just fine. Our stalk lasted for an hour and brought us above the Ibex. When we were within a few hundred yards of where we thought he was, we realized we were where they were! We could hear the blows of horn against horn, and all smiled as the ibex we wanted would be much easier to take since he was fighting for his territory. We popped out right over the fight and estimated it would be an 80 yard shot. I can't remember a more exciting hunting moment, as I had to watch them fight for over 20 minutes before they were tired enough for me to get a sure shot. Then our quest was over. It was hunting day #13 of the 15 scheduled, and I had four beautiful ibex and two chamois.

F.Hugh Jacks (AL, left) went to Spain in November 2003 with the plan to hunt four ibex and two chamois. This Gredos ibex was the sixth and last leg of that marathon hunt that took him 3500 miles and 13 days to accomplish. His guide for the whole trip was Pichi (right).

Our final night on the road was spent at Pinos Altos, the 500-year-old hunting lodge of Fernando Saiz, our outfitter in Spain. He had a group of American wing shooters there, and at dinner that evening, Fernando introduced me to his guests and told them about the hunt Pichi and I had just completed. He commented that when we booked with him at the SCI convention in Reno I had asked if they were willing to attempt all six animals on one hunt. He replied that they would try, but I was the first to ever request that, and should not get my hopes too high, as everything would have to work perfectly to pull it off.

Well, things did work perfectly and they did pull it off, as we drove 3500 miles from north to south and east to west without much rest, but with an excited optimism throughout the rrip. In the process, I experienced the most memorable, satisfying, and enjoyable hunt of my life. Femando Saiz and his staff know how to give their clients a complete package of hunting, social, and cultural experiences. They commit to and succeed in delivering that package to everyone who hunts with them.