Spain Is Really Several Hunts In One.
Mark Peterson is a hunter, conservationist, outfitter and TV host who is working toward completing the Super Slam of North American Big Game three times, once each with a bow, muzzleloader and rifle, something that has never been done. His Spain hunt wasn't built around a single mountain range. It took him through four very different parts of the country, starting on the island of Mallorca for Balearic Boc (Mallorcan Wild Goat) across sharp, rocky ground. From there he hunted Iberian mouflon at around 10,000 feet in northern Spain, right along the French border. Next came Pyrenean chamois in the Pyrenees of northeastern Spain, before a trip west to the Cantabrian Mountains for Iberian red stag and Cantabrian chamois.
"There was a lot of moving throughout the trip, but that was one of the things I enjoyed most about it," Mark said. "We covered a huge portion of Spain and experienced everything from the rocky Mediterranean terrain of Mallorca to high mountain country along the French border."
The choice of Spain was deliberate. For Mark, anyone who wants the full experience of hunting Iberian red stag needs to do it in the animal's native range, where wild, free-ranging stags live in the habitat where the subspecies belongs. He timed the trip for the start of the roar, when stags begin coming out of the forests.
"Hearing the first roars echo through the mountains and knowing the rut was just beginning added another dimension to the hunt," he said.
The chamois were a draw of their own. Spain is the only place in the world to hunt the Cantabrian chamois, and it's also one of the premier destinations for big Pyrenean chamois. Pursuing both on the same trip, in two completely different mountain ranges, was a big part of the appeal.
"Instead of one type of mountain hunt, this trip felt like several completely different hunts put together."
— Mark Peterson
That's an accurate description of the ground. Mallorca was extremely sharp, almost volcanic-type rock that made him pay attention to every step. The mouflon hunt climbed to around 10,000 feet, through smaller rolling rock, broken mountain country and larger, flatter open areas. The Pyrenees were steeper with much thicker cover, which made both climbing and locating chamois harder. In the Cantabrians, the mountains rolled, with individual peaks rising abruptly out of the surrounding country.
Not every memorable moment involved a shot. Mark remembers the big Balearic Boc coming down the trail from the waterhole, and walking up on the mouflon to see how beautiful he was up close. He also remembers stags roaring at sunrise and the chamois moving across the steep, rocky mountainsides.
"Terrain that required us to carefully think about every step seemed almost effortless to them," Mark said.
One Boot For Every Kind Of Mountain
With terrain changing almost daily, Mark needed a boot that could do it all, and he's found that in the MFS-Vakuum® Hunter, the boot he trusts on mountain hunts around the world.
"It gives me the support of a serious mountain hunting boot without feeling overly stiff or heavy when I'm in easier terrain," Mark said. "On a trip like Spain, where the conditions and terrain changed almost every day, that versatility was exactly what I needed."
Chamois hunting shows why. A day often starts hiking through forest at the bottom of the mountain and ends climbing steep, rocky ground near the top. Mark also values ankle support, especially when sidehilling, climbing, or coming back down on uneven ground.
"My feet are comfortable from that first step through the forest all the way to the rocks at the top," he said. "When you're spending an entire day gaining and losing elevation, you want a boot you don't have to think about."
"These are boots designed by people who understand mountains because they have mountains in their backyard."
— Mark Peterson
Hunting the mountains of Europe made Mark appreciate Meindl's roots even more. In his words, the boots come from people who understand the steep climbs, the sidehills, the rocks, the long descents, and what your feet go through over a full day. "When I'm heading into the mountains, I don't want to be thinking or worrying about my boots," he said. "I want to lace them up in the morning and know they're going to take care of my feet all day."
The Pack-Out That Put Them To The Test
The moment Mark was most aware of his footing came after the mouflon. They were high on the mountain with heavy packs and a long hike back down.
"Descending a mountain on loose rock with a heavy pack is one of the trickiest situations you can face as a mountain hunter," Mark said. "Every step matters, and you need to have confidence in your footing."
The Vakuum Hunters gave him the grip and ankle support to feel secure with every step under the extra weight, and his feet stayed comfortable. That mix is what Mark says separates them from other boots he's worn. "They give me the grip and support I need when things get technical, but they still have the comfort I want when I know I'm going to be on my feet for hours," he said. "On that pack-out, I needed both."
On average, each mountain hunting day covered around seven to eight miles, with a couple of much longer days. One day in the Pyrenees and the mouflon day each topped 12 miles, with plenty of elevation change.
"By the end of those days, I was definitely sore and tired, that's just part of mountain hunting, but my feet still felt good," Mark said. "When I lace them up in the morning, I'm not wondering how my feet are going to feel eight or twelve miles later."
The MFS-Vakuum® Hunter is a 9-inch, uninsulated mountain hunting boot built in Germany around Meindl's memory-foam MFS-Vakuum® system, which molds to the shape of your foot. See the full MFS-Vakuum® lineup.
What Spain Taught Him
Mark has hunted in plenty of countries, and Spain still surprised him. What he didn't expect was how deep the hunting tradition runs, especially in the small mountain towns. "Hunting isn't just something people do there, it's part of their history and way of life," he said. He was also impressed by how carefully the land and its animals are managed.
"I went to Spain excited about the animals I was going to pursue, but I came home with a much greater appreciation for the people, the traditions, and the hunting culture that make Spain such a special place to hunt," Mark said.
His advice to anyone planning a mountain hunt starts well before the mountain. You can't control the weather or where the animals are, but you can control how prepared you are: get in the best shape you can, and bring gear you already know you can trust, especially your boots.
"Your boots should be broken in long before the hunt. When you're coming off a mountain in the dark, carrying a heavy pack after hunting all day, that isn't the time to find out whether you can trust your boots."
— Mark Peterson
Want to hunt Spain yourself? Book this hunt with Worldwide Trophy Adventures, or see all listings with this outfitter.
Follow along with the Notes From the Field series for more real stories from the ambassadors and photographers putting Meindl boots to the test — see the full blog.
