Last week we published Hunting Ibex in Spain, part I, in which we talk about the preparation and equipment when hunting ibex in Spain, setting out and moving across the mountain and about the search, location and qualification of the trophy.

Today´s post will talk about what happens after we spot the Spanish ibex that the hunter is going to shoot at, the approach and the stalk, the preparation and the shot and the collection of the trophy.

The approach and the stalk

Once the animal is located and qualified and if after its qualification you and the outfitter/PH decide that it´s the one you are going to shoot at we will go on to the next two phases of the hunt:

• The approach: Begins while we are still far from the animal with the aim of shortening the distance
• Stalking: get even closer or very close to the animal, when the sense of sight, hearing and smell of the animals must be fully taken into account. Keep in mind that the degree of sensitivity varies greatly between one game species and another and even among the same species depending on their location, age and genetics.

If the animal sees us we must keep absolutely still and freeze even if we are facing them because if  we hide immediately they will hide as well, but for good. Often the animals will be uneasy, but not yet fully aware of their danger. They will have glimpsed or scented something not identified. In this case we must restrain ourselves and allow them to get comfortable until we continue our quest.

The preparation and the shot when hunting ibex in Spain

The normal situation is the one in which the game is still, bedded, standing or moving slowly and unaware of our presence. The hunter knows that this is the part when everything becomes personal, between him and the game. He knows he should not support his rifle on a rigid surface because of the recoil so he will use a backpack, a stand or a tripod. This is when the adrenaline pumps in.

15 shooting steps for the Spanish Ibex:

1. Check your pulse and try to remain as relaxed and calm as possible
2. Get comfortable 
3. Be still and adjust your shooting position
4. Check your scope constantly
5. Ask for distance
6. Calculate the drop
7. Check that there is no obstacle in front of the barrel
8. If shooting at a group, make sure you know which one you are shooting at; coordinate with the PH
9. Place the index finger on the trigger very gently
10. Align the animal with the cross hairs
11. Breath in deeply and hold it for a moment then let it out little by little
12. Wait for a few seconds while correcting the movement of the scope hairs
13. Start squeezing the trigger gently while carefully maintaining the aim until the shot takes you by surprise
14. After firing, continue to observe through the scope
15. In case of second or following shots, reload immediately and shoot only when the animal becomes a reasonable target, that is: the animal is still

Collection of the trophy

There are several things that could have happened when shooting:

• The hunter might have know that he had missed
• The hunter might not know if he had hit the target or not
• The hunter can be sure that he had wounded the ibex either from the sound of the bullet or because of animal´s movements

If our target is lying on the ground with its companions close by it is better to wait until they leave and then get closer.

In case the animal is wounded but still walking we start tracking it carefully using dogs that were trained to follow blood.

Hunting ibex in Spain is not an easy task, but not impossible either. If you have any questions or would like to book your hunting trip for a Spanish Ibex with Caza Hispanica in Spain do not hesitate to contact us at info@cazahispanica.com. We look forward to hunting Ibex in Spain with you.