Monastery Sunsets in Sierra de Andújar — Red Deer, Fallow, and First Ibex
The group
Four hunters — two from Denmark and two from the UAE — decided to meet in the middle for their first shared European hunt. The Danes had hunted across Scandinavia and eastern Europe; the Emiratis were used to travelling for adventure but had never hunted in Spain.
They wanted a trip that felt serious in the field but comfortable enough for their partners to join next time if it became a tradition.
Why they came to Huntica
The group had no shortage of options: Spain is packed with outfitters, fenced estates, and “package” driven hunts that all look similar online. They didn’t want to guess which finca lived up to the photos or risk ending up somewhere that felt more like a theme park than a genuine hunt.
Huntica’s promise of hosted presence and Huntica Approved Ground — places personally hunted and vetted by the founders — made the decision easier. They wanted a host who spoke both “serious hunter” and “international traveller,” and a lodge where the experience between hunts mattered as much as the stalks themselves.
Hosted on Huntica Approved Ground
Huntica hosted the group at El Encinarejo in the Sierra de Andújar — a premium lodge literally inside the hunting area, perched on the mountainside with a view across the valley and the famous monastery of Virgen de la Cabeza.
From the terrace, the group could glass the hills while drinking coffee at first light and watch red deer move across the slopes as the sun went down. When it was time to hunt, they stepped straight into vehicles or onto the tracks just below the lodge; there were no long, dusty transfers to reach the ground.
Alex hosted the trip, coordinating with the local outfitter team that manages more than 5,000 hectares of hunting territory and associated mountain areas for Ibex, Chamois, and Arrui.
Moments that became stories
On the first evening, instead of pushing one more drive, Alex called an early stop and took the group back to the lodge terrace just as the lights of the monastery began to glow on the opposite hill. They watched deer move through the valley as the sky turned from gold to deep blue — a decision the group later said “set the tone” for the whole trip.
Midweek, one of the Emirati hunters admitted he’d been quietly dreaming of an Ibex for years but hadn’t wanted to derail the group’s plan. Alex and the outfitter adjusted the itinerary by a single day, moving two hunters into a nearby mountain area while the others stayed on Red Deer and Fallow from the lodge. That day ended with a clean Ibex taken on a steep, glass-and-stalk approach that the group now refers to simply as “the climb.”
On the final night, instead of packing in silence, the group asked staff to leave the dining room and moved their drinks outside. They sat under the stars with a view of the monastery lights and took turns telling the story they’d remember most from the week. It wasn’t just about the animals — it was about how quickly four hunters from two very different countries felt like a single group of friends.
The results
Over six days, each hunter took their primary Red Deer or Fallow target, with shared Wild Boar opportunities that added excitement to evening hunts. One hunter secured his first Spanish Ibex on the adjusted mountain day, and everyone experienced both the “lodge inside the ground” comfort and the challenge of real stalks on varied terrain.
The group left already planning an alternating rhythm: one hosted Huntica trip in Spain, then one in Africa, every two years — inviting partners and close friends as the circle grows.
In their words
“You walk out of the lodge and you’re already in the hunt — then you come back to a view you’d expect from a five-star hotel.”
“I thought Spain would feel like a showpiece. This felt like real hunting, with real ground and real people — plus a host who took care of everything we didn’t even think to ask about.”
Hosted by Huntica
This hunt was hosted by Alex Hohne at El Encinarejo in the Sierra de Andújar, on Huntica Approved Ground. The itinerary was designed by the hour around the group’s mix of experience levels and goals, balancing serious hunting with time on the terrace, at the fire, and under the monastery lights.