Driven spanish partridge shooting at el despeñadero

El Despeñadero provides a driven partridge experience that is set apart from the rest. The foundation that this world class shoot is built upon comes down to four very important things. The birds, the grounds, the hospitality and an understanding of how to put it all together to produce sporting days of the highest order.

Although the team at El Despeñadero has been providing shooting days for many many years, they seem to approach each new day as if it was their first. This feeling of freshness towards every shooting team, regardless of how many times they have shot with us before makes for a superb atmosphere and really fuels the excitement.

One of the most important factors of El Despeñadero’s success as a shoot are the birds. The Vallano family who are the owners of the shoot have a vast knowledge of the red legged partridge as well as how to get the best out of them as quarry. The Partridges are released each year in July and August, this gives them plenty of time to naturalise and build flight strength before the start of the season.

El Despeñadero has its own secret food formula made that introduces all the vitamins and essential proteins that the birds need. With the mix of this produced super food and the huge amount of natural food that the partridges can forage, it’s easy to see why they are such a challenge for shoot teams.

There are five full time game keepers working throughout the season at El Despeñadero. The keepers keep a close eye on the health of the birds and work tirelessly on regulated feeding regimes and preparation of the drives before each day begins.

What to expect

The estate is made up of 2500 hectares of classic Spanish terrain. The thirty plus drives that the shoot boasts is a mixture of sloped olive groves, deep ravines and wild scrubland. With such a diverse topography it means that El Despeñadero can produce both the finest traditional Spanish and high English style partridges that you will ever see.

Producing successful shooting days like this is about far more than just pulling the trigger. To maximise your experience a team of over seventy members are involved in making the cogs of your stay perfectly turn. As every member of this team knows, the devil is in the detail and no stone is left unturned in our quest to exceed your expectations.

Hospitality

El Despeñadero driven days provide you with the kind of hospitality that first class Spanish shoots are famed for. Traditional taco which is a deluxe version of our elevenses is taken in between each drive. Ibéricos is the first of the taco’s, this consists of Iberian ham, sweet meats and Chorizo’s. For the main taco you will have a hot and cold plate of different fish and meats, dishes often include partridge, rabbit, octopus as well as lamb, pork or beef with a delicious salad mix. Your last taco of each day will be a cheese table, here you will sample some of Spains most celebrated cheeses and as with all the other tacos this can be washed down with some fine Spanish wines, beers, spirits or soft drinks.

Accommodation

As you would expect from one of the worlds finest driven shoots, it has some of the most exquisite accommodation to match. The accommodation included in this package is a wonderful Toledo five star Hotel situated in the Imperial City. With first class rooms and stunning views you really couldn’t be better placed to experience the best of what Spain has to offer. The hotel restaurant prides itself on the providing some of the best traditional dishes from Castile-La Mancha such as its famed roast lamb or locally shot stewed partridge. You will be more than looked after during your non shooting times and whether you are relaxing in the bar or cooling down in the hotel pool this accommodation will complete your trip perfectly.

The Lodge

If you would like to take your accommodation to a whole new level we can also provide a private lodge that will rival any sporting lodge in the world in terms of luxury and comfort. The lodge and its five hectares of private walled gardens is situated in the centre of Toledo. The lodge has a total of 21 rooms featuring fifteen classic doubles, two deluxe & Jacuzzi and four private villas with their own gardens and jacuzzi. It’s three main buildings are surrounded by a big lake, gardens, olive trees all inclosed by an ancient wall making for an unbeatable setting for evening walks. Its large team of professionals looking after your every need are highly qualified and your private chef and catering team will delight your taste buds with some spectacular cuisine. If you would like to experience this unforgettable accommodation option please contact one of our team for availability and additional costs.