{"id":4877,"date":"2021-02-09T08:32:52","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T08:32:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/?p=4877"},"modified":"2024-06-20T10:06:42","modified_gmt":"2024-06-20T10:06:42","slug":"in-search-of-mouflon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/in-search-of-mouflon\/","title":{"rendered":"In Search of Mouflon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Very Special Hunt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Listening as the field awakens is one of the most extraordinary experiences in nature and is what I most enjoy when I go hunting. This time, I went up into the mountains on what hunters refer to as a \u201cselective\u201d hunting trip \u2013 I was in search of mouflon that were out of the ordinary. I traveled to the Sierra de Montoro, specifically to La Loma de la Higuera farm, where my love of hunting was born, as I spent a large part of my childhood in this beautiful country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you call yourself a good hunter, you must carry out selective hunting in order to manage your land properly. Sick and deformed animals must be culled to keep the population healthy and of the highest quality.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Spain.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4889\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Spain.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Spain-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 98vw, (max-width: 1199px) 64vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>My uncle Rafa, the manager of the farm, and Crist\u00f3bal, the senior keeper, had located several mouflon whose horns wound inward more tightly than usual. As the horns grow over time, this can result in an agonizing death for the animal as the horns dig into its neck and cause an infection that kills it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We started hunting in the areas favored by the animals before sunrise. Mouflon are very elusive and hunting them requires great stealth. We spent a lot of time scanning the terrain with our binoculars. The early hours of the day, before the sun has risen over the horizon, is when I appreciate the optical quality of my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zeiss.com\/consumer-products\/int\/hunting\/binoculars\/conquest-hd\/conquest-hd-8x56.html\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.zeiss.com\/consumer-products\/int\/hunting\/binoculars\/conquest-hd\/conquest-hd-8x56.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ZEISS Conquest HD<\/a> and I\u2019m sure to spot any animals that nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/PilarCupoLibre-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4886\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/PilarCupoLibre-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/PilarCupoLibre-450x600.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/PilarCupoLibre-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/PilarCupoLibre-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/PilarCupoLibre-640x853.jpg 640w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/PilarCupoLibre-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/PilarCupoLibre-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/PilarCupoLibre-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 98vw, (max-width: 1199px) 64vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>We walked for a while, seeing various groups of animals, but none that had the required selection criteria. After looking for a long time and carefully assessing the horns of each of the mouflons that we saw, which is an essential part of proper management and for which the best tool is a good pair of binoculars, we spotted a group with several females and one male grazing beneath an oak tree. We looked closely to make sure that it was one of the animals we were looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We approached slowly, hardly making a sound as we did. The animals did not notice us, even though we were in an open area with very little vegetation to conceal us. I quickly mounted the gun rest and prepared the magnification of my <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zeiss.com\/consumer-products\/int\/hunting\/riflescopes\/conquest-v6\/conquest-v6-3-18x50.html\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.zeiss.com\/consumer-products\/int\/hunting\/riflescopes\/conquest-v6\/conquest-v6-3-18x50.html\" target=\"_blank\">ZEISS<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zeiss.com\/consumer-products\/int\/hunting\/riflescopes\/conquest-v6\/conquest-v6-3-18x50.html\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.zeiss.com\/consumer-products\/int\/hunting\/riflescopes\/conquest-v6\/conquest-v6-3-18x50.html\"> V6 scope<\/a>. I corrected the ASV turret a few clicks and used the 12x magnification to train the sight above the mouflon\u2019s elbow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The mouflon was about 221 meters away. The light wasn\u2019t optimal, but thanks to the quality of the lenses and the reticule, with its very fine lines, I was able to aim with great precision, making for a very special and happy sunrise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The job was done. We had culled an old animal, one with malformed horns and one that would make for a good meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Muflonselectivo-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4885\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Muflonselectivo-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Muflonselectivo-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Muflonselectivo-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Muflonselectivo-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Muflonselectivo-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Muflonselectivo-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Muflonselectivo-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/Muflonselectivo-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 98vw, (max-width: 1199px) 64vw, 770px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you call yourself a good hunter, you must carry out selective hunting in order to manage your land properly. Sick and deformed animals must be culled. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":4884,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"topics":[76],"yst_prominent_words":[233,304,913,1256,1266,51,62,87,170,171,174],"class_list":["post-4877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medium-range","topics-medium-range"],"acf":[],"author_meta":{"display_name":"Pilar Escribano Reina","author_link":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/author\/pilarescribanoreina\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/02\/mouflon-1491313_1920-600x382.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/category\/medium-range\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Alpine Hunting<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Alpine Hunting<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 5 years ago","modified":"Updated 2 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on February 9, 2021","modified":"Updated on June 20, 2024"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on February 9, 2021 8:32 am","modified":"Updated on June 20, 2024 10:06 am"},"featured_img_caption":"\u00a9 Marcel Langthim on pixabay.com","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4877"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4877\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4905,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4877\/revisions\/4905"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4877"},{"taxonomy":"topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics?post=4877"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/hunting\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=4877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}