Barbary Sheep Hunt: Ashley’s Quest for the Perfect Trophy

On this occasion, we hunted with two friends from the United States who had come to Spain specifically for a Barbary sheep hunt in Spain. Each was eager to hunt one Barbary sheep, followed by a traditional and exclusive Spanish hunting experience, the montería.

Arrival at the Hunting Area: The Barbary Sheep Hunt in Spain Begins

After picking them up at Madrid airport, where everything went smoothly since they didn’t travel with firearms and planned to use ours, we headed straight to the Barbary sheep hunting grounds.

We arrived late in the afternoon, so it wasn’t worth heading out into the field immediately. Instead, we rested at our comfortable lodge located right in the heart of the hunting zone. A typical Spanish dinner of jamon, cheese, and wine helped calm the excitement and nerves for the next day’s hunt.

Before Dawn: Tracking the First Barbary Sheep

Before the sun began to paint the sky with the warm oranges of sunrise, we were already on our way to the highest parts of the hunting area. Our goal was to locate the first Barbary sheep and try to spot a trophy ram that would meet the expectations of our friend Ashley.

It didn’t take long to find a large group of animals, where we suspected there might be a big Barbary sheep trophy. Late October is rut season, so the rams were quite active. We waited for more light to properly evaluate the largest ram in the group, but once the sun was fully up, we realized that while it was a beautiful animal with impressive manes, it still had a few years left in the mountains.

An Unforgettable Morning Hunting Barbary Sheep in Spain

After deciding to pass on that ram, we moved to another area to locate a group of females and younger rams, where surely a dominant male would be present. Carrying backpacks with water and snacks, we walked along a scenic trail that winds through the favorite spots of the Barbary sheep.

We saw some young rams still lacking the testosterone to challenge others for females, but around midday, we finally found a larger group with a true trophy ram. This time, the animal was definitely worth the pursuit.

Strategy to Approach the Trophy Aoudad and Conclude an Incredible Barbary Sheep Hunt in Spain

The group was calm—females grazing and males sizing each other up without much intensity, as the rut had just begun. We had no rush. Although October days are shorter, we still had hours of daylight.

We decided the best approach was to circle the entire area and enter from behind the mountain—a two-hour trek but the safest option given the wind direction. Our local guide stayed behind to monitor the animals while Ashley, David, and I began the approach. Paco, the guide, kept us updated by radio on the barbary sheeps’ movements. We stayed patient, knowing we’d find a perfect shot from our planned position.

After nearly two hours of careful stalking, we were ready to make the final move in our Barbary sheep hunt in Spain.

Spotting the Barbary Sheep at 200 Yards from the Rocks

From the rocks where we planned to take the shot, we spotted the group of Barbary sheep about 200 yards away. They were relaxed and unaware of us, and the trophy ram was calmly feeding.

Ashley steadied himself, extended the legs of his Harris bipod, laid down, and after a few minutes calming his nerves from the climb, made a perfect shot. The ram fell within its own shadow, marking the successful conclusion of the first part of our Barbary sheep hunt in Spain.

A Beautiful Barbary Sheep Trophy, Photos, and Celebration Back at the Lodge

It took us less than 10 minutes to reach the animal — a stunning Barbary sheep trophy with magnificent manes, soon to be mounted as a full shoulder mount back in the United States.

Our friends were thrilled, and the next day it was David’s turn. We’ll share that incredible experience in another blog post soon!