La Moncloa Lodge

Thrilling Driven Partridge at a Breathtaking Spanish Estate

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Species

Red-legged Partridge

Recommended Length

Three shooting days

Season(s)

January, February, October, November, December

Trek is pleased to introduce you to Spain’s La Moncloa Lodge, the most impressive new hunting lodge we have seen in many years. In addition to experiencing La Moncloa’s spectacular setting, you’ll enjoy three days of Spain’s exceptional driven partridge shooting. This is a superb adventure for non-hunting companions as well, delivering a comprehensive Spanish cultural experience and numerous sightseeing opportunities.

Lodge proprietor Dario Vallano Sr. designed La Moncloa to deliver an experience that is elevated above all others in Spain, where typical hunting lodges were formally working estancias modified to accommodate hunters. By contrast, La Moncloa was developed exclusively for hunters, with exquisite attention detail, including common areas adorned with African game.

With over 40 years of industry experience, Vallano was among the pioneers of driven partridge shooting in Spain. Accordingly, La Moncloa’s hunting operation is well equipped to provide a thrilling hunting experience you’ll remember for a lifetime.

You’ll fly into Madrid Barajas Airport via overnight flight from any number of hubs in the U.S. Upon arrival in Madrid, you’ll be met by the El Despenadero team, and those who are bring their firearms will be assisted in the retrieval process. Once all luggage has been gathered, your group will be transferred just over an hour south to La Moncloa Lodge. Dario Vallano and his son Dario Jr. will be on hand to welcome you to their new lodge, and then the festivities begin with cocktails, appetizers and dinner.

The lodge is ideally located in the Castille de la Mancha region of Spain, an area that is historically renowned for exceptional partridge shooting. The region’s signature olive groves, forest and farmlands provide a variety of drive options and challenging shooting opportunities. Drives to the field each day are around 15 minutes, maximizing your hunting time. Over three days of shooting, the lodge’s team of beaters will produce consistent droves of birds flying fast and furious over our line.

Wake up each day will be around 8:30am with breakfast at 9:30 am with departure for the fields thereafter. Most drives are only 10 minutes from La Moncloa. With more than 5000 wild acres the topography of El Despeñadero with olive groves, forest and sowing’s lands as well as deep ravines from which we drive extremely high shoots produces a big variety of drives what presents a great challenge ensuring a top partridge shooting quality. Our partridge presents an impressive fast, courageous and high flight providing some of the most challenging partridges in Spain.

This is a very typical Spanish driven shoot in that each day you will have four drives drives starting with the first drive at 10:30-11:00 followed by an elevenses ( a popular European custom of drinks and snacks). Then after the second drive there will be a sit-down lunch followed by a third and fourth drive with more elevenses, snacks and drinks.

The shooting line will be spread out and organized by the game manager so your spot in the line will be rotated from drive to drive. Each shooter will have a “secretary” who is in charge of carrying your guns, ammo and setting your blind as well as keeping count of your birds. In addition to the secretary you will have a loader that will keep shells in your gun and ready to hand off to you as the shooting gets heated. There will be 40 – 50 “beaters” who will literally drive thousands of partridge over the line making the shooting quick at the fast flying birds. Many consider the red legged partridge as one the sportiest of all upland birds. Be ready to shoot about 7 boxes a day and shoot 3 – 4 shells per bird using two guns loaded each time by your loader, of course.

Non-shooters will be hosted throughout their stay and will enjoy an itinerary customized for their interests. The historic city of Toledo is located in close proximity to La Moncloa.

This expansive two-story lodge houses a number of spacious common areas, fireplaces and 10 bedrooms with private baths. Additionally, La Moncloa provides multiple dining areas, a private chef and kitchen staff, and at least two servers during meals, which will consist of authentic Spanish cuisine and local wines.

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