Spanish Partridge Shooting

Over the last few years there has been no hard and fast rule for the weather in Spain or elsewhere for that matter! In a normal season you can expect to be shooting in shirt sleeves in October until mid November.

In December there is usually a hard frost which lingers in the bottom of the steep sided river valleys until it is melted by the mid day sun.

January can be quite cold and windy and by the end of the month into February you can be shooting in spring-like conditions again.

Clothing

In the Shooting Field there are no strict dress codes for shooting in Spain. English shooting tweeds are fine if it is going to be wet and windy, but they can get rather uncomfortable when the sun comes out! We suggest moleskin or cotton trousers, light cotton shirt and shooting waistcoat or shooting vest. It is sensible to take a lightweight water resistant wind proof coat and a stout pair of walking shoes or boots. It is possible to buy excellent Spanish leather ankle or calf boots in La Mancha from Tienda de Caze which is situated 112km from Madrid next to a Shell petrol station.

If it is very hot, you will probably be shooting in shirt sleeves and some guns prefer to have a shoulder pad to absorb gun recoil. It is possible to buy special shirts with built in sorbathane shoulder protection. A cap or hat is essential to keep the sun out of your eyes and sunglasses obviously help too. A leather glove and forend guards for your shotguns are important to prevent burning your hand! Ear muffs if you use them should be remembered and it is not a bad idea to bring a field bag to carry all those extra items which, if forgotten, can spoil your day's shooting.
At the Finca. It is up to the party leader. The Finca is quite smart and we normally suggest blazer and tie for dinner but the choice is yours.

Food and Drink

The Spanish take the more important things in life very seriously! A full cooked breakfast at the Finca with coffee so strong it will make you twitch, sets you up for the first drive.

At about 10.30am after the first drive, a table miraculously appears bedecked with fruit, local cheese - queso manchego, and mountain ham - jamon serrano, together with chorizo - a local salami, fresh bread plus red and white wine, sherry or more coffee if you are feeling particularly strong!

Lunch after the third or fourth drive is about 1.30pm to 2.30pm and preceded by a substantial selection of tasty eats - 'tapas', calamares, anchovies, olives, artichoke hearts, crab claws, spanish omelette, mushrooms, sausage, cheese, fried veal, etc!

Lunch is a serious affair served either inside a large tent of shelter if it is cold outside or indeed if the sun is too hot, or alternatively al fresco.

The afternoon's shooting is either one of two drives depending on the mood of the party.

Dinner is again preceded by tapas in the bar and is normally held at 9pm - again depending on your party's preference. Dinner is usually three courses and if any of your party are vegetarian or have special dietary needs, these can be catered for given advanced notice.