Hunting Portugal

So what is information on hunting Portugal doing on an African hunting safari website??

Well, Portugal has now become our new home country and we feel we must bring her hunting industry to the attention of our international visitors. Portugal does not usually spring to mind as a top European hunting destination so we were delighted to find a strong Portuguese hunting culture and great numbers of high quality game animals and birds, all of which remain quite untapped by overseas hunters.

So when you next transit in Europe on your journey to or from Africa, instead of shopping or sight-seeing, why not spend a few days on safari in Portugal and take a magnificent red deer trophy?

Unfamiliar with Portugal? Watch this video...


Portugal: The Wild Side

Portugal Hunting Game Animals

Portugal Hunting Seasons

  • Red Deer & Fallow Deer - The season is open all year. Most hunting is conducted from August to the end of February. Influenced by the rut, the best time for trophy red deer is usually from last week of August to the end of October and for trophy fallow deer from the end of September to the end of October.
  • Wild Boar - From October to the end of February. They also may be hunted from a blind at night throughout the year.
  • Partridge - From October to the end of January
  • Driven Partridge & Pheasant - From October to the end of January
  • Duck - From October to the end of January

Portugal Weather

  • Portugal enjoys hot, dry summers. September averages +/- 20 days with a maximum temperature above 25°C (77°F) and 10 days above 30°C (86°F) with occasional days reaching 40°C (104°F).
  • From November to February average rainfall which mainly consists of short showers, is around 10 days per month and temperatures can reach 20°C (68°F) during the day, with icy cold nights and early mornings where temperatures may fall to below 0°C (32°F).
LISBON WEATHER

Portugal Map



Portugal Hunting Laws

  • Any non-resident hunter must buy a hunting license to hunt in Portugal
  • The Portuguese hunting license is valid from 1st June to 31st May
    (1 year/season)
  • To apply for a Portuguese hunting licence, the overseas hunter needs to provide proof of his residence in another country (Passport) and an equivalent hunting license from the country of residence.
  • An overseas hunter also needs to buy hunting insurance for the same hunting season
  • Portuguese hunting insurance has a minimum coverage of 100,000 Euro damages on a third party
  • To avoid losing hunting time on arrival to obtain these documents, the outfitter will get them in advance if the hunter provides a copy of his hunting license in his country of residence and his passport or ID card. This is a free service.

Importing A Hunting Firearm Into Portugal

EU Resident

The hunter must have a European Firearms Pass which he just needs to show when his firearms are checked by police officers on arrival at a Portuguese airport. This check is usually done in a few minutes and there is no charge. If the hunter enters Portugal via a land border post with Spain, there is nothing he is required.

Non-EU Resident

A non-EU resident must apply for an Authorization of Temporary Importation of Firearms issued by the Portuguese police. To do this....

  • Complete and sign 4 documents - DOWNLOAD HERE. These are in Portuguese and essentially are documents referring to personal identification, firearm identification details, export/import permission and reasons for requiring the firearm.
  • Provide copy of firearms license issued by the origin country
  • Provide copy of passport
  • Provide copy of document that prove he is the owner of that firearm
  • Provide a letter of invitation from the entity that promotes the hunting event stating start and ending dates
  • Indicate how long he intends to stay in Portugal with the firearm
  • Pay a small fee for each firearm

The non-EU hunter MUST be in possession of the 'Authorization of Temporary Importation of Firearms' on arrival in Portugal. If he does not comply with this the firearms are seized and held by the Portuguese police.

When the hunter with firearms arrives Portugal, they MUST be accompanied by an authorization of exportation issued by the authorities of the origin country.

The oufitter can apply for the 'Authorization of Temporary Importation of Firearms' prior to the arrival of non-EU hunters if they provide the necessary documents at least 40 days before the start of the hunt. There is a charge for this service, plus the applicable fee(s) related to the number of firearms to be imported.

  • All ammo must match the firearms caliber
  • There is no limit on the number of firearms that can be brought into Portugal.
  • A maximum of 250 rifle rounds for each calibre and 2000 cartridges for shotguns.
  • Non-EU residents should inform the outfitter of the amount of ammo they intend bringing when applying for the 'Temporary Import Permit of Firearms'. The ammo will be checked at the airport.
  • For each 1000 of rifle ammo or shotgun ammo, there is a charge for the import permit.
  • When not hunting, the firearms must be transported in a locked gun case. The ammo must not be in the same case. The rifle in the gun case must be disassembled in such a way that doesn't allow immediate use.
  • No suppressors/silencers/sound moderators are allowed. Fully automatic guns, self-defence weapons, as well as those of military type or appearance, are prohibited.
  • For hunting purposes, any semi-automatic weapon, may only accept a maximum of 2 shells in the magazine/deposit plus another one in the chamber.

Taxidermy In Portugal

No need to worry about taxidermy in Portugal. There are several fine taxidermists in Portugal who were trained in South Africa and the USA. In fact, most Portuguese hunters bring their African trophies back to be finished by them.

They are experienced with global regulations regarding shipping raw trophies or mounted trophies to any country.

Our outfitter will transport the trophies to the taxidermist at no extra charge.

Portuguese Firearm Permit Documents

Authorization of Temporary Importation of Firearms | Document 1 | Causa do Pedido

Authorization of Temporary Importation of Firearms | Document 2 | Identificação Individual

Authorization of Temporary Importation of Firearms | Document 3 | Identificação de Armas ou Munições

Authorization of Temporary Importation of Firearms | Document 4 | Autorização Prévia de Importação/Exportação/Transferência

Check Travel With Firearms for information on specific airline firearm regulations, particularly for TAP, the national Portuguese carrier.

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Page Updated: May 2020



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