So here we are again in sunny Spain,
with Fran and Jose from Corju Hunting
And we're hunting ibex.
Now as you can see behind me
this is some of the most beautiful terrain I've ever had the privilege of hunting in.
but not only is ibex hunting special in its own right,
but today is a very very special day.
Today is my birthday, I'm 21
again.
It's been an absolute privilege.
What more could you want on your birthday?
As you can see
These rolling hills will test the strengh of even the strongest hunter,
let alone somebody who's probably not had enough sleep.
That said it is a special day and Wildy put a huge amount of effort in this morning
However,
they're sitting in places which are very very difficult to get too.
This area we're hunting in now
we know is really good in the spring,
groups of males tend to come here in the spring,
because they feel relaxed in this area.
Very few people
come to this area, well there is no real reason to come here
but hunting.
Jose,
is a fantastic hunter.
He knows the layout of the ground and the ibex, it's like he's got a sixth sense.
I think he's half ibex himself. We go around, we go up, we go down,
he gets to a little bush, looks around it, pops his head up, sure enough the ibex are in front of us.
Doesn't matter how far away, they always seem to be in front of him.
We back off, we go down and we go around
then up again. And sure enough we're another 100 yards closer.
But, in front again, he's unreal.
He's a talented talented man.
The ibex were
1200 yards away when we first spotted them this morning when we were all glass.
Looking across the valley
it looked like a nice little easy stroll.
But the terrain up here, as you can see or you have seen.
It's quite challenging, it's defintely up hill.
Very thick bushes, thorne bushes and
rose-marie, kind of grabbing at your ankles
sapping strength with every stride. Just after you finish going down
you end up going back up and then back down and Wildy
a big stout fella, he's not made for mountains.
But he did extremely well.
Then we got across
the ravine from where the animals were laying, and they were basking in the sun.
But,
they've got this sixth sense, they can just
feel when there's danger close by and they stood up all looking around,
couldn't quite see where we were but knew
something up.
They seem to know that you there,
we were quite a long way away, across the valley, the wind in our favor
everything was correct,
but these guys seem to think, I'm not quite sure, a little wag of the tail
and they're moving.
You've got to be so much more prepared, you can't just
sit and wait. When they're there they're there, they will present the shot
you get your chance, you take it.
high in the lungs, both lungs,
3 or 4 steps forward.
And then it tumbled down.
And all I can say is
just the elation that was in his face.
There is something really special about hunting in mountainous terrain.
It's not like going to high season waiting to harvest animal for the
freezer.
There's something almost spiritual about it and with this being his birthday
it made it extra special.
He's an 8-year-old management ibex, beautiful shape, because he's really open
and a special trophy because the tips
point differently, one turned back and the other
opens up.
So it was a perfect management ibex because
not symmetrical and at the same time a beautiful trophy that
Steve Wild will never forget.
Happy birthday to you,
seeing as it is my birthday, I think I might have a little light refreshments this afteroon or tonight
and then again, I might have
two when normally I only have one, so today I think I'm going to have two.
And I'm not have to see what the morning brings to see how we go back for the rest of the weekend.