Hunting Chamois in the French Alps
Camino Real Hunting Consultants: hunting in the Alps since 1997.
Anyone who knows us is perfectly aware about how passionate we are at Camino Real Hunting Consultants for mountain hunting, especially when it comes to chamois. Being able to arrange a chamois hunt in Europe, regardless of the country or region, is always exhilarating as it reminds us of the very first international hunting adventures.
Among the different European destinations in which chamois hunting is possible, France and the amazing Alps, have always caught our interest. We hunted in the French Alps for the first time back in 1997 and what it started as a friend’s trip, it turned up being an annual adventure in our calendars to which, more and more friends and clients would join us every season. Every year, just in the region of the Hautes Alpes, close to the border with Switzerland, we would arrange between 16-20 chamois hunts.
The shortest 800 miles ever driven.
This season, the pandemic brought all of us to a general standstill, forcing us to postpone most of our bookings. For the first time in many years, we thought we would have to decline our annual hunt in the Alps. After weeks of uncertainty, continual rescheduling, rearranging other hunters and constant back and forth, France decided to open its hunting activity, hence, lighting a ray of hope that we were determined to take advantage of.
Without hesitation and in a matter of days we got everything sorted out. On this occasion, the hunt would take place in the Haute Provence region, located in the southern part of the Alps. This hunting territory seems very convenient as it lies just a few hours away from the international airports of Nice and Marseille. Given the current situation, the evident hustle and bustle of any airport would definitely be something to avoid. Therefore, we opted to load every single piece of equipment in the truck and go for it. Such was our excitement that the more than 800 miles which separated us from the mountains went quicker than the blink of an eye.
Welcome to mountain paradise.
After a long 12-hour drive, we arrived at our final destination: a beautiful mountain village located at the foothills of the Alps. Its streets, partially covered in snow, had already been decorated with typical lights which reminded us that Christmas was just around the corner, adding an even more special atmosphere.
Upon arrival, our partner welcomed us fraternally and affectively, offering us all their best. After unloading our stuff from the track and taking a few minutes in what it would be our house for the next couple of days, we walked to Erik and Martine’s home for dinner. Erik, a professional dentist, preferred to spend an important part of his life working as a professional hunter in some of the most fascinating countries in Africa. From the very beginning, they both make you feel like home. After so many months of negative vibrations, the fact of being there having dinner in such a wonderful company at the beautiful fireplace, surrounded by Erik’s hunting dogs was the best feeling we could remember in a long time. A delicious dinner consisting of mouflon lasagne cooked by Martine and the planning of the hunt was the end of a long and exhausting day.
The hunt: ten out of ten.
The different hunting territories lie about 20-40 minutes away from the lodge and the access by road is quite smooth even in the worst weather conditions. According to previous conversations with the hunting guides, we would head towards the higher grounds trying to look for chamois above the tree line, making it a proper Alpine hunt. We would leave the track at about 5,250 feet and go up to approximately 6,890 feet, which was not a big deal. The landscape, different to the Haute Alpes that we already knew from previous hunts, was equally breath-taking.
Among the territories directly managed by our outfitter, there are some areas which do not require an outstanding physical condition. This can be very convenient as it allows us to adapt the hunt to almost any level of difficulty that the client is willing to assume.
Shortly after gaining some altitude, we began to spot the first groups of chamois. Despite the bad weather conditions of snow and wind, it is surprising to see the youngsters playing right in the border of the ridges with total confidence. Adult individuals, in their pitch black-long hairs offered a stunning view difficult to forget. With the rutting season already over, it was amazing to see such a rich population of chamois during the whole trip. Unfortunately, we had to pass on some extraordinary adult males a few times following the advice of the guides, as they were genuinely concerned that we would not be able to retrieve the trophy due to the heavy snow and rugged terrain. Instead, we decided to take pictures, enjoy watching the different groups and continue hunting looking for a better chance.
During our two hunting days in difficult conditions, the snacks prepared by Martine were delicious and it helped us pushing ourselves to the next level looking for the right chamois. The hunting guides -true professionals-, were knowledgeable about the different hunting grounds and more importantly, they had the right skills and expertise to judge any chamois. This particular aspect is many times taken for granted, but when it comes to chamois hunting, believe me, not every guide knows how to distinguish a young buck from and old one. But above all, their camaraderie and charm made our trip to the Alps, once again, something to remember. With regards to the overall results, the pictures shown will give you an idea of how much fun we all had.
Why France? Why through Camino Real Hunting Consultants?
Apart from the vast extension of hunting territory that our partner manages, the amount of chamois that we saw during two days of hunting despite the climate conditions, the professionalism of our guides, the food and the accommodation, as well as the friendly atmosphere makes of this place the perfect destination for any mountain hunter looking forward to accomplishing a chamois hunt.
We are already anxious about getting ready for next year. And you, would you like to join us for the experience?
Wishing you all a happy hunting and looking forward to meeting you soon.
Alvaro Mazon (Junior).
