Vale do Manantio, Portugal
Driven Redlegged Partridge
While many people in the shooting world associate Driven Redlegged Partridge shooting with Spain, few have looked across the border to Portugal. The venue for this beautiful Driven Redlegged Partridge shoot is called Vale do Manantio – João Maria Bravo - the owner is a friend of ours.
Vale do Manantio is Joãos private paradise … a very comfortable 19th century house with beautifully decorated rooms … delicious authentic food and courteous staff.
The guns are positioned on shooting positions/pegs, spaced out approximately 30-40 yards from each other on a line (usually in a valley). The beating line at times starts a mile or more in front of the line of guns. Guns are accompanied at their pegs by a loader and a “secretario”, who assist by loading the gun (it is typical to shoot with a “pair of guns” – called “double-gunning”) and marking the birds shot, so the hunter can fully concentrate on shooting.
The varied terrain allows for very exciting presentations - variations of birds crossing the line of guns at all heights. Nowhere else though on the otherwise mostly arid Iberian Peninsula you will see partridge drives like at Vale do Manantio … due to the bordering lake the birds frequently are pushed over open water and when shot will be retrieved from the water.
A great number of guests are repeat visitors – returning to Vale do Manantio every year – guns and “non-shooting” accompanying guests alike !! The Vale do Manantio Estate is located in the Alentejo-region of Portugal close to the Spanish border enroute from Lisbon to Sevilla. It is situated along the banks of the magnificent artificial lake created by the Alqueva dam (the longest artificial lake in Europe - 90km long). Associations with Africa are common when looking down at the water with its soothing effect on mind and soul. Redlegged Partridge are indigenous to the Iberian Peninsula and hunting them by driving them over a line of guns with beaters is a very effective way to “harvest” and has a very long tradition. On a typical Driven Day at Vale do Manantio a couple of hundred birds get shot over 8 guns, all of which go to market the same day.
A typical shooting day at Vale do Manantio includes 5–6 drives, some accessible only by boat. The group departs after breakfast, enjoys a mid-morning “mini-taco,” and has lunch overlooking the lake, followed by one or two more drives. In October, guests may “shoot through” and have a late lunch, leaving the afternoon free for the pool.
Non-shooting guests can join in the field, meet mid-morning, or come just for lunch. October’s weather is perfect for swimming, walking, horseback riding, or visiting nearby towns, with Monzaraz being a highlight. Most drives are within walking distance of the house, allowing an easy return for a swim, steam bath, massage, or simply relaxing before cocktails and dinner.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1
- Arrive in Lisbon / Beja (private) - pm transfer to Vale do Manantio
Days 2 - 3
- Shoot Vale do Manantio
Day 5
- After breakfast – am return transfer to Lisbon / Beja airport
COST OF THE TRIP
• € 6.050 per gun (for 8+ guns) - includes 100 partridges per gun.
• € 48.400 for entire group (of 8 guns) - includes 800 partridges - (fewer than 8 guns - to be divided by number of guns).
• Acompanying "non-shooters" € 500 for entire stay.
PAYMENT TERMS:
• €2,000 deposit (unrefundable) at booking,
• balance 30 days prior to shoot
NOT INCLUDED: VAT (13%) applies to the above cost and additional expenses include a hunting license (€140), loaner guns (€75 per gun per day), ammunition (€170 flat fee per peg), and overbirds (€45 each, calculated based on individual results exceeding the total of 800). Also included are transfers to and from Vale do Manantio, as well as tips: €60 per day per peg for the loader and secretario, and €150 per room for the entire stay for the gamekeeper and house staff.