hunting season in Galicia

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hunting season kicks off 19th october this year, in Galicia (dates are similar in the rest of Spain).

So, if you hear what appears to be shots in the distance (hopefully), no worries, it's the hunters out. That said, you may want to be a bit more aware of your surroundings in wooded areas, in the mornings and at the weekends; as this is when most Spanish hunters do their thing.

For the record, I cannot recall a single case of a pilgrim getting hunted.

 

[Mark Lee]

Having grown up in a hunting culture in the US, I would wonder as I walked both Caminos, how much hunting the Spanish do? As you go through some sections there are so many deer crossing signs and one morning on a section of the Camino in Galicia, a deer crossed the path about 50 meters in front of me. That was very cool. Also I saw so many mounted deer antlers and boar heads in cafe/bars in and around Galicia.

 

[peregrina2000]

I've walked the Primitivo once in early October, and the real benefit for me was that in the morning at 6:30 or 7:00 the cafes were open so the hunters could get their breakfasts before heading out. I am not sure, but I think that the big trailers of dogs behind their trucks/cars meant that they were hunting jabalíes.

I did often wonder about whether the Camino passed through their hunting grounds, but the shots I heard were always pretty far off in the distance.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[t2andreo]

Based on my outdoors experiences in several countries, I recommend wearing outer garments, including ponchos, parkas, and head gear, of colors NOT found in the environment so you contrast against the green and brown background. The brighter the garments are, the better.

Buffs and similar microfiber headgear are available in day-glo colors, and white. I have seen them while in Decathlon as well. Check on the Decathlon hunting aisle...yes they usually have one. Also, other hat styles are available in international orange and the safety lime-green-yellow neon color (my favorite).

If you wear subdued or dark colors, you blend in with the environment better, like camouflage. This is not a good idea, especially during hunting season. Even a bright white poncho, hat, or parka is preferable to something in a subdued, earth color. it is not so much the actual color, as much as it is the contrast the color creates against the background to bring you to a hunter's notice in the distance.

I am confident that experienced hunters know where the Camino paths are and take care to avoid them. Someone trained in firearms safety also knows where their bullet will go (direction) once the trigger is pulled. Besides, hearing the gunshot is a lot like thunder and lightning.

If you heard the gunshot, the bullet did not hit you. The bullet usually travels faster than the speed of sound, except in the case of shotguns.

With lightning and thunder, you see the lightning flash before you hear the thunder for much the same reason. In the US, we are taught count between the lightning flash and the sound of thunder. Each one second means the lightning (the bit that can harm you) is at about 5 miles (@ 8 km) away.

Just as an FYI, while shotgun (smooth bore) rounds have a range in tens of yards generally, bullets from rifles can travel more than a kilometer. Even the tiny bullet from a .22 caliber hunting rifle (used for small game) can travel up to 1.5 km if it does not hit anything.

So, being VERY visible is a good idea. Be careful out there. The Camino continues to be extremely safe and I am NOT trying to warn anyone off. I am just trying to share some helpful advice. This is a wonderful time of year to walk the Camino.

I hope this helps someone.

 

[Mark Lee]

From the videos I saw on YouTube, it appears as though they primarily hunt the wild boar with dogs. When done that way the dogs are either used to push the boar to a hunter on a predesignated stand, or the dogs catch or hold/bay the boar for the hunter until he arrives. As far as deer hunting goes, it seems they hunt from stands overlooking likely areas deer utilize. Either way, there is probably a very low chance of a peregrino crossing paths with any hunters. If it is like in the US most hunting is done early in the morning or the last couple of hours before it gets dark. Doubt if you will run across any Spanish hunters around mid-day.
As stated by another poster, I'm sure the hunters avoid the Camino path. They've been hunting there for generations and have areas they know they will be the most successful.

 

[tyrrek]

I don't remember seeing hunters while walking, but that's probably due to the time of year. While picking litter during winter they are a common sight on the Meseta.

One of the most common signs you see by fields all along the Frances is 'coto privado de caza' - 'private hunting ground'.

 

[peregrina2000]

One of the most common signs you see by fields all along the Frances is 'coto privado de caza' - 'private hunting ground'.

Hi, Tyrrek,
Your comment reminded me of something I heard long ago, and I just have no way of knowing if it was true or a story.

I have heard that the designation of "coto privado de caza" (which, as Tyrrek says, is very prevalent in all sorts of terrain along all sorts of Caminos) is used by the landowners as a way to prevent "the public" from acquiring a right to walk over private land. That is, that if your land is designated as hunting grounds, the public will never acquire a right of way across it, presumably because you were first to reserve your right to shoot all around on it. Conversely, if you leave your land open and unmarked, then the public can, after the requisite number of years of open notorious usage, acquire the right to walk across your property. What this person told me was that in the vast majority of cases, no hunting ever takes place on these "cotos privados de caza", but that it serves only the purpose I described as defeating the public right of way.

Does anyone know whether this is true? So much of my knowledge of Spain comes from what ordinary people tell me on the villages along the way, and I rarely have any ability to know if it´s true or false!

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[tyrrek]

Hi, Tyrrek,
Your comment reminded me of something I heard long ago, and I just have no way of knowing if it was true or a story.

I have heard that the designation of "coto privado de caza" (which, as Tyrrek says, is very prevalent in all sorts of terrain along all sorts of Caminos) is used by the landowners as a way to prevent "the public" from acquiring a right to walk over private land. That is, that if your land is designated as hunting grounds, the public will never acquire a right of way across it, presumably because you were first to reserve your right to shoot all around on it. Conversely, if you leave your land open and unmarked, then the public can, after the requisite number of years of open notorious usage, acquire the right to walk across your property. What this person told me was that in the vast majority of cases, no hunting ever takes place on these "cotos privados de caza", but that it serves only the purpose I described as defeating the public right of way.

Does anyone know whether this is true? So much of my knowledge of Spain comes from what ordinary people tell me on the villages along the way, and I rarely have any ability to know if it´s true or false!

Buen camino, Laurie

That certainly sounds feasible, Laurie.

 

[Dreamwalker33]

Walking west 2 days from Sarria, we heard the gun shots and were told that hunting season had begun. Also shots were fired to keep birds off their crops.

Hunting season kicks off 19th october this year, in Galicia (dates are similar in the rest of Spain).

So, if you hear what appears to be shots in the distance (hopefully), no worries, it's the hunters out. That said, you may want to be a bit more aware of your surroundings in wooded areas, in the mornings and at the weekends; as this is when most Spanish hunters do their thing.

For the record, I cannot recall a single case of a pilgrim getting hunted.

 

[Tincatinker]

'Coto Privado / Reserva (de casa)'' hunting reserved, is the commonest method of preventing "free" hunting over land. It's not so much about rights-of-way as a right to hunt. The birthright of every freeborn Spaniard. There is of course some semi- feudal history bound into this. The right to hunt vests in the land-owner, not the occupier, so the peasant on his patch has no more rights than the pheasant on said patch. If those rights are not asserted by the land-owner then there is a potential free-for-all. You will see signs "Coto Reserva" with some sort of licence number attached, or the name of the parish / commune, that generally means that hunting is licenced, and controlled by a local co-operative.

Under an ordinance dating back to 1086' pilgrims are not classed as game and therefore cannot be shot without prior permission.

Now is the time to request Perdiz Asado for those pilgrims tired of Lomo & chips.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Now is the time to request Perdiz Asado for those pilgrims tired of Lomo & chips.

In a pear tree for the season?