Forest Deer
| Length | Circumference | Beam | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1, 8 points (small) | 17¾ ins. | 3½ ins. | 16½ ins. |
| ” 2, 11 ” | 24¼ ” | 3¾ ” | 19½ ” |
| ” 3, 12 ” (royal) | 29 ” | 5¼ ” | 25 ” |
| ” 4, 13 ”” | 22¾ ” | 4¹⁄₁₆ ” | 22½ ” |
Mountain Deer
| Length | Beam | |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1, 12 points | 34½ ins. | 32 ins. |
| ” 2, 12 ” | 36 ” | 34 ” |
| ” 3, 15 ” | 37½ ” | 34½ ” |
| ” 4, 17 ” | 40 ” | 36½ ” |
Of the Spanish chamois there is little to be said. He is more or less common in the Pyrenees, where the French call him the ‘izard,’ the Spaniards ‘rebeco,’ and in the Cantabrian highlands, especially about the Picos de Europa, where he is ignobly slain by driving.
But the great prize of Spain to men of our craft is the ibex—the ‘Cabra montés’ of Andalusia, the ‘bucardo’ of Aragon. The Spanish mountaineers do not much affect ibex hunting, though there are a few hardy souls among them who, donning their alparagatas, or hemp-soled sandals, make a living out of this most fascinating of field sports.
The ibex is found on the highlands of Spain from Biscay to the Mediterranean, and from the Pyrenees to the Straits of Gibraltar, as also on the hills round Andorra, on the mountains of Toledo, and along all the elevated cordillera of central Spain; but its favourite haunt is the Sierra de Gredos. This lofty sierra is the highest point of the Carpeto-Vetonico range, extending from Moncayo through Castile and Estremadura, and forming the watershed of Tagus and Douro. It separates the two Castiles, and passing the Portuguese frontier is there known as the Sierra da Estrella, which, with the Cintra hills, extends to the Atlantic seaboard. Along the whole range of this extensive Cordillera there is no such favourite ground for the ibex as its highest peak—the Plaza de Almanzor. During the winter months the ibex are found on the lower slopes of the range towards Estremadura, but in summer and autumn herds of them, especially the males, make their homes in the environs of Almanzor. The best time for ibex shooting in Spain is during the months of July and August. Heavy snowstorms make sport in the winter dangerous and uncertain.
With regard to the specific distinction of the Spanish ibex, some authorities have held that the ibex of the Pyrenees differs from that of the Sierra Nevada and southern mountains, the former animal agreeing more with the typical ibex of the Alps.
Sir Victor Brooke, in a note just received, remarks, ‘The Pyrenean ibex are much larger beasts than those of the southern Spanish Sierras. In the Pyrenees they are scarce, and live in the worst precipices I ever saw an animal in—they go into far worse ground than the chamois, and are very nocturnal, never seen except in the dusk or early dawn unless disturbed.’