The Official Gazette of the Canary Islands has confirmed this week the roadmap for the island's hunting sector. Under the umbrella of the Island Councils Law and the regional hunting regulations, the Ministry of the Environment has authorized the opening of dog training grounds for the 2026 season. In the south of the island, this measure is seen as the starting gun for an activity that draws hundreds of enthusiasts from the Tirajana highlands to the Mogán ravines. Barranco de Los Vicentes, Ayataca, and Hoya de la Salvia are the authorized locations.
The calendar, designed by the Biodiversity Service, establishes a clear division to ensure the conservation of species. Since February 8th, hunters in the south have had permits for the winter season, during which work with dogs is strictly conducted without firearms. This phase will last until June 6th, serving as a prelude to the summer season, which begins just one day later, on Sunday, June 7th.
The island resolution not only affects hunting dogs, a key element in the traditions of the southern midlands, but also regulates the use of birds of prey. However, the regulations are unequivocal: all training grounds in the south and the rest of the island will be closed when the 2026 hunting season begins, in order to prevent overexertion of the game and ensure the orderly management of game resources.
For hunting groups in municipalities like Santa Lucía, Mogán, and San Bartolomé de Tirajana, this regulation is vital. The legal text stipulates that training must take place in clearly marked areas, the responsibility for which lies with the Island Council. This aims to reconcile the animals' necessary exercise with the protection of biodiversity in an environment as sensitive as the protected natural areas on the southern slopes, where the balance between wildlife and human activity is always delicate.
