The Consell de Mallorca has announced plans to offer ten days of woodcock hunting on its public estates during the 2026-2027 season, following a successful pilot programme last year. This new regulation, published in the Official Bulletin of the Balearic Islands (BOIB), will require hunters to register in advance and will allocate spots through a lottery system.
The first registration period will open on 28 October and close on 3 November 2026. Interested individuals can sign up via the Consell de Mallorca's Electronic Headquarters to enter the lottery for hunting days on 12, 19, and 26 November. Two additional registration periods will follow: from 18 to 24 November for December hunting days, and from 23 to 29 December for January and February 2027.
Participants will have the option to choose which hunting days they wish to attend, while the Hunting Service will assign the specific estate based on availability and organisational needs. Hunters can participate individually or with a companion, in which case both must hunt together throughout the day.
After each lottery, the Hunting Service will contact successful applicants, who will have a maximum of one day to accept or decline the spot. Any declines will be filled according to the lottery order. All activities will be supervised by environmental agents from the Consell de Mallorca.
Participants must hold valid hunting documentation, adhere to the agents' instructions, and report their catches to assist in managing and monitoring hunting activities on public estates.
The regulation also includes the revival of traditional thrush hunting using nets in the public estate of Tossals Verds. To facilitate this, at least six traditional hunting sites will be rehabilitated, with a maximum of twelve planned, focusing particularly on historically significant locations.
Participation in this hunting method will be coordinated through hunting associations that are part of the Hunting Council, which will manage the schedules among their members. These organisations will also collaborate in locating, preparing, cleaning, and maintaining the hunting sites in coordination with the environmental agents of the Consell de Mallorca.
