Spanish Ibex Grand Slam I The first Ibex

With great excitement, we began the Spanish Ibex Grand Slam of our friend Bruce from Oregon, USA, a seasoned hunter with 79 years of experience and passion for the mountains.

Horseback riding hunt in Gredos

This hunt was special from the very beginning, as we decided to approach the hunting area on horseback. The Gredos Mountains are physically demanding terrain, and riding horses allowed Bruce to comfortably reach the areas where the Gredos ibex were located.

After preparing the horses and gathering everything needed to spend the day in the high mountains of Gredos, we set off on the adventure that marked the beginning of Bruce’s Spanish Ibex Grand Slam.

First Ibex spotted

After about one hour of climbing through the mountains, we finally spotted our first ibex. It was a group of young ibex in rut, actively chasing a female.

It was a beautiful moment to enjoy nature and a hopeful sign that this would be the first of many Gredos ibex sightings during the day.

A windy day hunting the Gredos Ibex

Although the day was sunny, strong winds made the temperature feel much colder—especially for Bruce and Bonnie, who were riding on horseback. Despite the conditions, the stunning landscape and the excitement of pursuing a gold medal Gredos ibex kept our spirits high as we aimed to start the Spanish Ibex Grand Slam on the right foot.

Spotting the target Gredos Ibex at 1,000 yards

Even from a long distance, through the spotting scope we were able to confirm that the Gredos ibex we saw at approximately 1,000 yards was the same animal we had been observing for several days prior to the hunt.

We tied up the horses and began our final approach on foot, carefully closing the distance.

Final approach and the first Ibex of the Spanish Ibex Grand Slam

After a tense and cautious stalk to avoid being detected, we finally reached a distance of 250 yards. Bruce took his time, settled in, and when he was confident, he made a well-placed shot. A quick second shot was needed to finish the animal cleanly.

Celebrating a successful Gredos Ibex hunt

Once we reached the ibex and admired it for several moments, we celebrated the success. After taking photos and enjoying a meal high in the mountains, we skinned the animal and began our return to the vehicles.