Hunting in Spain

In the Neolithic, and with the discovery of agriculture, humans became sedentary and a significant change occurred in their way of hunting. Where previously humans had only hunted for food, they were now hunting to protect their cattle and crops from other predators. In the Middle Ages, hunting became a privilege as it was an activity enjoyed by kings and nobility, and this continued even well into the arrival of the industrialization in the 19th century. and her son Alfonso XII at a hunt in Albacete, 1881 In the 20th century, the decades of the 1940s and 1950s saw big-game hunting continuing to be somewhat elitist, while small-game was abundant across all sectors of society. With the devastation of the country after the Spanish Civil War, hunting allowed thousands of families to feed themselves and survive the terrible conditions of poverty and famine. Although in 1946 only 140,000 hunting licenses had been issued, hunting was socially well regarded even if conducted in absence of a licence. In the 1960s and 1970s, big game-hunting began to grow at an abnormal rate on the back of increasing incomes and hunting demand. Hunting was beginning to be seen as an activity that served as a fund to foster human, political and financial relations. In these decades the infrastructure began to be improved and the first fenced fincas (estates) and even the first partridge farms appeared. In 1970 the ambitious "Ley de Caza" (hunting law) was introduced. With the establishment of this law, more hunting reserves were created, stricter calendar seasons implemented and allowed species and numbers limited. The "Ley de Conservación de Espacios Naturales y Flora y Fauna Silvestre" (Law on the Conservation of Natural Spaces and Wild Flora and Fauna) was published in 1989 and the autonomous communities acquired the powers for enacting their own hunting laws. ==Modalities==

Big-game hunting The game species that fall under the umbrella of the term "big-game" sometimes differ from one country to another. In Spain, the benchmark is for species that in the adult state are larger than a fox (foxes are not included): wild boar, red deer, roe deer, Iberian ibex, Pyrenean and Cantabrian chamois, Fallow deer, mouflon, arrui and boc. Montería shot at a montería in Castile and León Of this modality of driven-hunt with over 300 years of history, there are two variants practiced in Spain. In the best-known variant, "montería española", practiced in almost the entire peninsula, the hunters (called "monteros") are placed in pegs surrounding a "mancha" (area of more or less thick forest where the animals take refuge) arranged in lines (called "armadas") that surround the perimeter. Once all the hunters are positioned, a series of "rehalas" (packs of around 20 dogs) begin to move the hunt through the "mancha" to force the game into the positions of the hunters so these may shoot them. In this variant, the different "aramdas" in which the pegs are positioned are given the following names depending on their position: • Cierre (closure): it is a line of pegs that closes the hunting area to prevent the game from escaping without a chance of being shot. • Traviesa: it is a line of pegs that crosses through the interior of the hunting area. In the other variant, the "montería norteña", more typical of northern Spain, before placing the pegs, the animal beds are searched with leashed dogs (mainly hounds). Knowing the location of the animals to be hunted, the pegs are placed based on the assumed escape routes etc. Once the hunt is over, the so-called "junta de carnes" (literally "meat gathering") is held, and here the "arrieros" (porters) will display the animals harvested during the montería so that the hunters can observe the general result of the event and take some pictures. Rececho with its respective tag (precinto), shot in "rececho" in Ávila Known in English as stalking, it consists of approaching a previously selected animal. It is the modality that requires the most physical effort from the hunter, since he must be travel some distances to locate the animal and reach an optimal shooting range, without the animal perceiving his presence. This modality is characterized by being the most selective of all. From the beginning, the hunter knows with certainty the animal he is looking for, as well as its sex and approximate age. Espera The hunter awaits in silence in a stand or position with clear visibility and shooting range to an area frequented by the animals. These may be lured using bait or different methods of attraction. Small-game hunting Small-game animals are those that are smaller than a fox (including) in their adulthood, most of which are birds, rabbits, hares and mustelidae. Caza en mano The small-game equivalent of a "rececho" or stalking, hunting 'in-hand' contemplates the hunter walking in search of the animal, normally accompanied by one or several dogs to help locate the game. Ojeo , c. 1930 The small-game equivalent of a montería, it is a type of driven-hunt where beaters and dogs will move birds into the pegs so that these may be shot by the hunters. Similar to the pheasant hunts in England and the rest of Europe. Red-legged partridges are the most common species hunted at "ojeos". The elevated prices and large amounts of shot birds (over 2,000 at times) that have become customary at "ojeos" in Spain are subject to some controversy. In 1959, dictator Francisco Franco and a group of hunting enthusiasts shot a record 4,608 partridges in one morning at Santa Cruz de Mudela. Reclamo This type of hunting, known in English as decoy hunting, involves the use of birdcalling and other techniques in order to lure the animal close enough to be shot. Cetrería in Valle de Ayora The hunt involving a bird of prey. Spain is known for its peregrine falcons, which are the most sought-after bird of prey. ==Finca==

A "finca" is the term used for estates in Spain, and typically one with a sporting lodge, farmhouse or estate building present, and often adjacent to a woodland or plantation. Due to its extensive size, Spain has thousands of private fincas, many over 1,000 hectares. The largest finca in Spain is "Valdepuercas" (18,000 hectares), and belongs to José María Aristrain, who was the owner of Arcelor prior to its merger with Mittal. Other very large renowned hunting fincas include "La Garganta" of the Duke of Westminster (15,000 hectares), "Las Lomas" of the Mora-Figueroa family (12,000 hectares) or "El Castañar" of the Duke of Pastrana (11,500 hectares). Prices of fincas have gone up significantly over time. In 2016, Sheikh Mansour acquired the finca "Los Quintos de San Martín", a 8,000-hectare falconry haven near Valencia de las Torres, Extremadura, for €55 million. ==See also==