With my feet barely touching the ground after a ‘flat-out’ shooting season in the UK, I found myself boarding an early flight from Manchester, bound for Seville. I was travelling to meet a team of roving guns booked in to shoot back-to-back partridge days at Los Melonares (“The Melon Groves”).

This stunning estate sits in the hills 45-minutes north of Seville and holds some dramatic terrain, making it one of the most exciting partridge shooting destinations in Spain.

Arriving at Los Melonares

We entered a long, winding track from the tarmac, and this took us on safari-like drive towards the finca. Andalucia had received unprecedented rainfall in the weeks prior, and as a result the foliage was a deep, lush green and took on an almost tropical appearance. The main house appeared, perched on a hilltop with its distinctive terracotta roof and white and yellow painted walls. We were welcomed by Pachi, the estate owner and Jeronimo, the shoot manager.

The lodge itself is a beautiful traditional hunting lodge with an incredible taxidermy exhibition featuring some very exotic species! After a wonderful dinner and drinks, the team retired for the evening, brimming with excitement for the next morning’s sport.

Partridge shooting at Los Melonares

After loaders and secratarios (secretary who counts and marks the fallen birds) were introduced to the team, we mounted up into the Land Cruisers and set off for the first drive. The guns crossed a heavily eroded stream and were placed on their pegs in a tight gulley. A horn began the drive and soon after red-legs began to burst over the treeline.

This was snap shooting at its finest – birds were driven in small cuvees which made for a nice tempo. Interestingly, I noted the estate provided cartridges were shot size number 7. I discovered over the course of the trip that they proved to be remarkably effective, even as long ranges. It appears that this shot size has been all but forgotten for game shooting, when it was in use for the past century. A partridge is a small bird, and I believe that pattern density holds more importance than shot size and weight. Having witnessed the effectiveness in Spain, I will certainly be using 7’s myself when I get the chance back home.

Another fast-paced drive followed with the height of presentation going up a level. The variation in type of shots surprised me; there were driven, long crossing in front and birds down and behind the line. You really did need your head on a swivel to address all these shots. With the weight present in, and length, of the drive, you really can select a particular angle and distance you wish to master.

Superb Spanish hospitality & signature drives

With a pause in the action, the team sat in the field for ‘taco’ – a light Spanish version of elevenses. One learns that when amongst Spanish hospitality, you are never far from jamón, and I don’t think it’s possible to become tired of it! It must be said that Andalucians know how to accommodate guests. The quality of the food is exceptional and the setting in which it is consumed are breathtaking. They manage to strike a perfect balance between a relaxed, family feeling and sophisticated, polished service.
The afternoon brought a Los Melonares signature drive: Palmera. This brought some serious testing shooting; the birds were high but what made them especially difficult to connect with was the movement. Some strong wind produced a drive where not a single bird took on a straight trajectory. For those that may assume that the partridge are ‘easy’ in Spain, I would challenge them to be happy with their performance as the horn blew at the end of this drive.

A final snappier, more traditional drive finished the day with the guns in higher spirits after retrieving and placing their toys back into the pram. We trundled our way back to the house, along the rutted and rain damaged tracks and headed for lunch.
We sat on the terrace with a magnificent view overlooking the luscious, verdant valley. A delicious three course meal was enjoyed, complemented with Rioja from the region. This was a perfect precursor to a late afternoon siesta.

With the team refreshed from their powernaps, we met for drinks in the drawing room and discussed the fantastic day of sport behind us. The guns were all strangers to one another only 24 hours prior: it is amazing how a common love of country sport can bring people together and create familiarity in the space of a day. Jokes were shared and mild ribbing fired over the dinner table, completing a spectacular Spanish partridge experience.

Day two at Los Melonares

We mustered for breakfast and a sense of ‘keenness’ was tangible in the room. The guns took on a more laid-back manner this morning, as they had got to know one another and knew what to expect from slick operation on the estate.
The shooting began and the quality continued. The drives consisted of a masterful of snap shooting and higher elevation, where birds really needed some ‘chunky’ lead. My favourite drive of the trip came third: Barranco. The topography here was breathtaking. A deep ravine leading down to incredible vista of the lower ground below, really demonstrating our elevation. Birds were pushed across the valley and drifted down towards the lower pegs. They quartered and curled overhead at a serious height and definitely required some footwork to execute an effective shot.

Why Los Melonares needs to be on your list

With shooting drawn to close, we sat down for our last lunch. What an unforgettable 2-days at Los Melonares, our hosts Pachi, Jeronimo and all their staff were hospitable beyond words. The catering and facilities were faultless, and I would state that the shooting would be hard to match anywhere in Spain and would give any UK partridge shoots a serious run for their money. Not to mention it is quite pleasant being out in shirt sleeves in 20-degree warmth in February!

Some recognition must go to the city of Seville. I spent 3 nights here with my good lady after wishing the team farewell. It now has taken the top spot as my favourite Spanish city. The food, architecture and general ‘pace of life’ is infectious. Its compact size allows for ease of exploring on foot. I would certainly recommend combining a few nights either end of your shooting trip here and it will appeal hugely to any of your non-shooting guests!

Book your partridge shooting trip at Los Melonares

To enquire about availability or to book your partridge shooting trip in Andalucia, please contact Adam.Bromfield@roxtons.com.