Morocco unveiled: Driven Barbary partridge in the Atlas Mountains

Country profile - Morocco

The Kingdom of Morocco is a North African country that borders the Mediterranean to the North, the Atlantic to the west, Algeria to the east and the Western Sahara to the south. The country occupies nearly 446,000 km2 and has a wide range of environments and landscapes, though the main features are the coastal plains which give way to the Atlas Mountains which form the spine of the country. 

The cuisine, culture and architecture reflect the country’s long history as a key strategic location, having been part of the Phoenician, Carthaginian, Berber and Roman Empires in antiquity, and later the Umayyad, Portuguese, French and Spanish empires. The population is split roughly 60/40 between Arabs and Berbers.

Sporting history

From the earliest populations of hunter-gatherers (who evidence suggests even predate Homo sapiens as a species) right through to the present day, Morocco has a long history of hunting. 

Mosaics found in the Roman settlement of Volubilis depicts a variety of hunting scenes, including a man with a hunting dog and another hunting geese with a bow and arrow, while falconry in the region has a long history, possibly dating back to the 7th century.

In the 19th and early 20th century European and local hunters targeted Barbary or Atlas Lion (now extinct in the wild) as well as a wide variety of other species. In recent years interest in hunting in Morocco has grown, with visiting teams taking on walked up quail, driven Barbary partridge and driven boar.

Species profile: Barbary Partridge

A member of the pheasant family, and more specifically the same genus as redleg and chukar partridge, the Barbary partridge is somewhat larger than redlegs, but smaller than a pheasant. As well as the size, the Barbary partridge is distinguished from their European cousins by its slightly different plumage.

The species is native to North Africa where wild populations thrive in the scrubby, hilly terrain of the Atlas Mountains. In recent years driven partridge shooting in Morocco has been growing in popularity with international game shots, in part thanks to the great value that shooting in Morocco represents but also thanks to the challenge that these birds present.

Shooting style

The majority of partridge shooting in Morocco is done in the driven format. Making use of the natural landscape features of the rugged terrain, the birds are pushed over a waiting line of guns who are accompanied by their loaders. 

Ollie Severn of William Powell Sporting, who run trips to the exclusive El Koudia estate near Marrakech, describes the shooting as “Right up there, in every sense! The combination of steep terrain and these strong birds ensures challenging shooting with an average shot ratio of 5:1 - enough to challenge the very best.”

With deceptively fast and agile birds, the shooting is high octane. El Koudia employs a head gamekeeper, whose experience of running shoots in the UK, France and Morocco means that he is well-placed to make the most of the birds and 12,000 acres of deep valleys and rocky hillsides that make up the estate.

Although there is a wild population of Barbary Partridge in the area,  the estate team release reared birds what Ollie calls “the traditional English style”, with birds given plenty of time to naturalise ahead of the season starting.

The birds are presented in a traditional driven style, with guns often positioned well below the flushing points. The shooting can be fast-paced, and the loaders add to the excitement by doubling up as spotters, calling the birds for their guns.

Add to this the dramatic views and you have the recipe for a shooting experience that will last in the memory for years.

What to expect on a driven Barbary Partridge trip

On a typical Willim Powell Sporting trip, teams of eight guns are collected from their accommodation and are driven to the shoot lodge, which is perched high up in the mountains. Here the team meet the estate team and their loaders. 

“Our visiting teams typically shoot back to back days,” explains Ollie, “with each day consisting of an expected bag of 250 birds over four or five drives. Between drives, guns enjoy refreshments in the field, with three drives in the morning, and one or two after lunch, which is taken in the stunning stunning traditional Berber tent atop the mountain."

He adds: "You can expect all the shoot day hospitality that you would at a high-end shoot in the UK, but with a Moroccan twist.”

Local impact

You will no doubt be aware that Morocco recently suffered a significant earthquake which caused enormous damage and thousands of deaths. Although the area where William Powell operate their shoot was unaffected, Ollie highlights how important the income from shooting parties is to the local community both before and after the tragedy. 

“The area is relatively low-income, with many of the residents engaged in small-scale agriculture,” he explains. “As well as bringing income in terms of employment, the shoot has invested significantly in the local infrastructure, including a big project to install solar panels and a solar water pump, which has helped to improve the lives of the community and their agriculture.”

Other activities

Morocco offers the visiting gun plenty of exciting shooting, from walked up quail over pointers to driven wild boar. For non-shooting guests the city of Marrakech is well worth exploring, with the souks and markets providing a cultural experience like no other. 

“Our guests have the choice to arrange their own accommodation or to stay in the gorgeous Azaren retreat just outside Marrakech. The fully-staffed estate has a swimming pool, spa/hammam, tennis court and a yoga studio, while the staff can also help to organise treks, cycle tours, and golf,” says Ollie. “It makes a wonderful, if very luxurious, base camp!”

Costs, getting there and logistics

Morocco is about a 3.5 hour flight from London, with daily flights into Marrakech and Casablanca. “Getting guns into Morocco can be somewhat challenging,” says Ollie, “but our packages include both gun hire and cartridges, as well as airport transfers. Flights are arranged separately.”

“We offer two packages - one with accommodation and one without. For teams who secure their own accommodation, the price, including gun hire, cartridges, airport transfers and all shoot day hospitality comes out at £57.60 including taxes. With accommodation the price works out at £79/bird, so it represents excellent value.”

Best time to visit

The shooting season runs from Mid-October until Mid-February. With temperatures even at this time of year between 20 and 28 C this is a great time to be in Morocco.

To find out more about shooting Barbary Partridge in Morocco, visit William Powell Sporting or contact Ollie.