Spain
The Royal Spanish Hunting Federation (RSHF) occasionally offers their "T2" qualifying bowhunting courses. However, these courses are not currently mandatory anywhere in Spain (they are "recommended").
As the NBEF Chairman and the only IBEP Instructor in Spain, I can confirm that IBEP courses are also not mandatory anywhere.
After consulting with NBEF a few years ago, I decided not to offer IBEP courses to ensure that NBEF does not interfere with the RSHF's "T2" bowhunting courses.
In the Basque Autonomous Community, it is mandatory for anyone wishing to bowhunt to possess an updated RSHF federative card. This regulation can be met by federating with any of the 19 Regional Hunting Federations under the RSHF.
To the best of my knowledge, only in the Andalusian Autonomous Community is it mandatory to be federated with the RSHF and possess a "T2" qualifying card if someone wishes to join the Andalusian Hunting Federation (SCAES-FAC) urban boar culling team.
To register for a SCAES-FMC (Madrid Hunting Federation’s SCAES) event, it is necessary to meet certain requirements, including possession of either a "T2" qualifying card or an IBEP qualifying card.
This means that if someone needs an IBEP course because they wish to bowhunt in an area where an IBEP qualifying card is mandatory or preferred—or if they want to attempt to join the SCAES-FMC—I can organize it. Therefore, at this time, there is no need for additional IBEP Instructors in Spain.
Additionally, anyone wishing to bowhunt in Mallorca must possess an official and recognized international bowhunting qualifying card to obtain a Mallorcan Hunting License. This means that French, Danish, and IBEP qualifying cards are recognized and valid in Mallorca.
According to the current Spanish weapons law, anyone in possession of any type of bow (except toy bows) must have an updated federative card related to archery or bowhunting. As of now, only three federative cards are accepted:
- The Royal Spanish Archery Federation (RSAF-FITA) card.
- The National Field Archery Association (ANAB-IFAA) card.
- The Royal Spanish Hunting Federation card.
For bowhunters, it is strongly recommended to have the Royal Spanish Hunting Federation card to avoid legal issues. When the National Police or Guardia Civil encounter someone with a bow who does not possess a federative card, the bow is confiscated. Recovering it typically involves a lengthy and complicated 12-month legal process.
Therefore, I advise anyone planning to bowhunt in Spain to become a federated member before arriving. This can be done online through any of the 19 Regional Hunting Federations. The cost is not excessive—approximately €42 for the basic card and €60 for the top-tier card. By obtaining the federative card, you also receive the mandatory Hunting Insurance Card.
In summary, to bowhunt in Spain, Spaniards, residents, and foreigners alike must comply with the weapons law by:
- Obtaining a Hunting Federation card.
- Securing the Hunting License for the chosen community.
- Acquiring the Hunting Insurance Card, which is included in the federative card.
The same requirements apply to non-residents as to Spaniards and residents.
It is highly advisable for non-residents to become federated before arriving in Spain through any of the 19 regional hunting federations. This ensures compliance with Spain’s very restrictive weapons law, particularly when traveling by car, via Spanish airports, trains, or public transportation buses.
Non-resident bowhunters typically bowhunt in Spain while being outfitted by the owners of the visited Coto (private hunting land). In these cases, the legal requirements should be arranged and resolved by the Coto owners or the hired Professional Hunter.
Weapons control in Spain, as in the rest of the EU, has significantly increased. Currently, there are three known cases of confiscated bows:
- A North American bowhunter was found in Zaragoza Railway Station last May with a bowhunting bow and no federative card (neither the RSHF, ANAB, nor RSAF card). His bowhunting equipment will not be released until May of the following year.
- Two horseback archery bow owners are awaiting 12 months to recover their bows.
- A Kyudo bow owner initially had issues at Madrid Airport, but as he was Japanese and had no arrows in his possession, he was allowed to pass through baggage control.
Once in Spain, bows must be transported as follows:
- Recurve or longbows: Carried in a long, soft bag.
- Takedown or compound bows: Carried in a durable canvas bag or rigid plastic case.
- Arrows: Carried in a separate rigid plastic tube without field points or broadheads screwed in.
- Field points and broadheads: Carried in a separate box.
When traveling by car, only recurve and longbows are permitted inside the vehicle. Takedown bows, compound bows, and arrows must be transported in the vehicle’s trunk. If stopped and inspected by the National Police or Guardia Civil Traffic Agents, having a compound bow and arrows with attached broadheads inside the car may lead to detention under suspicion of poaching and charges for illegal weapons possession.
Like Spaniards and residents, foreigners must follow all the existing bowhunting regulations of the visited Autonomous Community.
Spain has 19 Autonomous Communities, each with its own hunting and bowhunting regulations. Every spring, these communities update their respective hunting laws, which are then published. Hunters and bowhunters must review these updates to determine if the regulations have changed or remain the same as the previous year.
For non-residents planning to bowhunt in Spain, the hired Professional Hunter (PH) or the Coto (private hunting land) owners are responsible for ensuring that all legal requirements are met. Before your visit, confirm that the Coto you plan to hunt on has included the "bowhunting option" in their respective Technical Hunting Plan (HTP). If they can provide you with the HTP papers showing bowhunting as an included option, you are in the clear. However, if they cannot provide these documents, do not bowhunt there, as it could lead to serious legal issues.
Bowhunting regulations are generally similar across the 19 communities. The standard requirements include:
- A minimum draw weight of 50 pounds (for both traditional and compound bows).
- The use of broadheads is allowed, except for barbed ones in certain communities. Both fixed and mechanical broadheads are permitted.
Educational bowhunting courses are not mandatory at this time but are recommended. In the Balearic Islands, possessing a qualifying card such as the French, Danish, or IBEP card is mandatory.
For Spaniards and residents, a basic hunting course provided by each Regional Hunting Federation is mandatory for beginners, whether they are firearm hunters or bowhunters. However, for non-residents hunting in Spain under the guidance of Coto owners or hired PHs, this course is not required. Still, it is beneficial to bring your national hunting license to demonstrate that you are already a licensed hunter or bowhunter.
Regarding big and small game species, each Autonomous Community determines:
- Which species are classified as game animals.
- When it is legal to hunt or bowhunt them.
- Where hunting or bowhunting can take place.
Some National Reserves in Spain allow bowhunting—most of them do—but a few do not permit bowhunters.
In the Reserves that allow bowhunting, Spanish wild ibex and chamois are the two primary species hunted with a bow.
For your information, Spain does not have social hunting lands. Instead, hunting areas are classified into four types:
- Private Cotos.
- Municipal Cotos.
- Community Hunting Reserves.
- National Hunting Reserves.
As explained earlier, each Autonomous Community in Spain has its own hunting and bowhunting regulations.
Typically, a minimum draw weight of 50 pounds is required for bowhunting. Fixed and mechanical broadheads are accepted, except for barbed broadheads, which are prohibited in some regions.
Possessing an updated federative card is mandatory for anyone—Spaniards, residents, and non-residents—who wishes to own, transport, or use any type of bow in Spain.
In the past, these regulations were not strictly enforced. However, over the last two or three years, enforcement has significantly improved, and encountering a security control as a bowhunter can present serious challenges if the regulations are not followed.
To become a federated member of the Madrid Hunting Federation and comply with Spanish weapons law, I have attached the Federation’s URL.