There is no single hunting season in Spain. Each autonomous community publishes its own dates, and the lawful period also depends on the species, method and approved plan for the hunting ground. For the 2026-27 season in Castilla-La Mancha, the general period is 15 September to 31 March for non-migratory game birds such as red-legged partridge, and 8 October to 21 February for deer and wild boar. Wild boar has a separate control period for authorised waits.
These dates are a planning guide, not permission to hunt. Travellers interested in driven partridge shooting in Spain at El Despeñadero should confirm the available date, licence, insurance, firearm paperwork and the estate authorisation before travelling. El Despeñadero’s own estate in Toledo is dedicated to partridge; references to boar and deer below explain the wider Spanish calendar rather than the quarry offered there.
When is hunting season in Spain
The short answer is usually autumn and winter, but there is no national opening day. Spain’s autonomous communities publish annual orders that set dates, species, methods, days of the week and limits. A date that is lawful in Castilla-La Mancha may be closed in another region, and a regional open period does not automatically authorise every method or every hunting ground.
To identify the correct hunting season in Spain, start with the location of the shoot. Then check the species and method against the current regional order and the ground’s approved hunting management plan. Temporary restrictions can also be introduced because of fire risk, weather, disease control or conservation measures.
Castilla-La Mancha dates for 2026-27
El Despeñadero is in Toledo, so Castilla-La Mancha is the relevant legal reference. The table summarises the general periods set out in Castilla-La Mancha Order 83/2026 (and detailed on the Castilla-La Mancha hunting periods website). Opening and closing dates are included. The approved plan for the ground, authorised modality and any specific resolution still take priority.
| Species | General period | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Red-legged partridge | 15 September to 31 March | Included in the general period for non-migratory game birds. Male-decoy hunting has separate dates, and authorised commercial grounds may operate under specific rules. |
| Deer | 8 October to 21 February | The species, sex and method must be covered by the approved plan. Special population-control measures may apply in designated areas. |
| Wild boar | 8 October to 21 February | A special period from 22 February to 7 October applies to authorised daytime or night-time waits under Article 12. It is not a blanket year-round opening. |
This table answers the calendar question for Castilla-La Mancha in 2026-27, but it should be refreshed when the next regional order is published. The order remains the legal source; an organiser’s availability calendar cannot extend a legal period or replace an approval.
Partridge season in Spain
Within the wider hunting season in Spain, red-legged partridge is generally an autumn and winter quarry, but the dates vary by region and by form of hunting. In Castilla-La Mancha, the 2026-27 general period for non-migratory birds runs from 15 September to 31 March. The separate male-decoy modality runs from 10 January to 20 February in the listed municipalities below 800 metres, and from 23 January to 5 March elsewhere.
Those dates should not be copied to every partridge offer. Driven shooting, hunting over dogs, male-decoy hunting and activity in an authorised commercial compartment can be subject to different conditions. The estate’s approved plan and current authorisation are therefore as important as the regional calendar.
Wild boar hunting season in Spain
Anyone researching the wild boar hunting season in Spain should check both the ordinary big-game period and any special control measures. In Castilla-La Mancha, the ordinary 2026-27 period is 8 October to 21 February. From 22 February to 7 October, the order permits a special period for authorised waits or hides, by day or night, under the conditions in Article 12.
This does not mean that every hunter can pursue wild boar throughout the year. The ground, method, timing, firearm documentation and management objective must all be lawful. Montería, stalking and a population-control wait are not interchangeable simply because the quarry is the same.
Deer season in Spain
The hunting season in Spain for deer also depends on the region, sex and method. Castilla-La Mancha places deer within the general big-game period from 8 October to 21 February for 2026-27, subject to the approved management plan. Separate control action may be allowed in areas covered by the order, but that exception must be checked rather than assumed.
The rut does not by itself define the legal deer season. It can influence when stalking is attractive, but the annual order and the ground’s authorisation determine whether a particular date and method are lawful.
How to verify a shooting date
Before treating any online calendar as final, run the date through these checks. This is the safest way to answer when is the hunting season in Spain for a particular trip.
- Identify the autonomous community and province where the shooting ground is located.
- Open the current regional hunting order and check the species, dates, permitted days and modality.
- Ask the organiser to confirm that the quarry and method appear in the ground’s approved hunting management plan.
- Check for emergency restrictions, special control resolutions and any conditions that apply to commercial hunting grounds.
- Confirm your licence, insurance, firearm documents and written permission for the exact day.
Planning a partridge shoot at El Despeñadero
El Despeñadero specialises in driven partridge shooting on its private estate in Toledo. Its team can coordinate licences and paperwork, insurance, gun hire, cartridges, transfers, loaders, accommodation and meals. Guests should still confirm their date and documents before travel, because service coordination does not remove the legal requirements that apply to each hunter.
The estate’s own quarry is partridge. Boar and deer appear in this guide only to explain the wider hunting season in Spain. As noted in El Despeñadero’s frequently asked questions, any big-game shooting arranged by the team takes place through partner estates, so that activity should not be described as part of the El Despeñadero estate programme. For current partridge availability, request the shooting programme directly from the organiser.
Frequently asked questions
When is the hunting season in Spain
There is no single national date. Most major partridge, deer and boar periods fall in autumn and winter, but the autonomous community, species, method and approved plan determine the exact lawful dates.
Is hunting open throughout the year in Spain
No. Some regions allow specific control activities outside the ordinary period, such as authorised wild-boar waits, but these are conditional exceptions rather than a general year-round season.
When is partridge season in Castilla-La Mancha
For 2026-27, the general period for non-migratory game birds, including red-legged partridge, is 15 September to 31 March. Male-decoy hunting and authorised commercial grounds have separate conditions.
Can I hunt deer or wild boar at El Despeñadero
Not on the El Despeñadero estate, whose programme is dedicated to partridge. Its website says the team may arrange big-game shooting with partner estates, so the location, organiser and applicable dates should be confirmed separately.
