Cinegetics

More than thirty years ago, as a child, he first smelled the intense aroma of rock rose, touched the fur of a wild animal with his hand, and felt the weight of a rifle in his arms. Today, he has turned his hobby into his job, into his world. And he has done it with such passion that he wants and needs to show it to the world. That is why, in addition to carrying his gun and his backpack, he carries his video camera to film his adventures.

He does not go hunting, he goes out to experience nature. He leaves unblemished to wait or beat, to be patient at times and agile at others, to test equipment, recommend another, advise, sleep in the open, photograph a memory, obtain a trophy, or help obtain it. He returns alone, or accompanied, with empty hands and a full soul. His is a hunting activity with protocol, with method, with detail. It is hunting craftsmanship.

In these lines, Jerónimo Cuesta, founder of Cinegetics, tells us a little more about his exciting life and profession:

Hello Jerónimo, when did you know that you wanted to dedicate yourself professionally to transmitting the message of hunting?

It has never really been an objective, but rather life circumstances have led me to it. I was working in Singapore for a couple of years and there the idea was born that I did not want to dedicate my life to something that did not really fulfill me.

When I returned to Spain I asked myself the key question: "Who are you?" I wanted a life in which I did not have to "escape" on the weekends, in which Mondays did not exist and so I could keep a smile permanently.

Is there any ecosystem in which you feel more comfortable filming or hunting?

Every corner has its magic, but I must admit that I feel something special about the mountains of northern Spain. Those places far from man, with that immensity of stone and intact slopes that impassively guard their infinite wild corners, completely captivate me.

For you, as a human being, with ideals, beliefs, and feelings, does hunting have more to do with death or life?

Many hunters seek the challenge, more than the trophy. To feel alive again by accepting the rules that nature imposes -prey and predator- where all the senses must contribute to its success.

This activity has made me cry, laugh, tremble, suffer, fail, and succeed, in short, it has given me so much life that I wondered what to do to give back part of what it gave me.

That is why today I dedicate myself entirely to transmitting a message and a philosophy: to show the world that hunting has much more to do with life than with death, that it is not a sport, but an instinct that is born in the soul of all those who never lost the link with nature and its rules.

Do you have a canine companion? What is it like to travel with her so many miles?

For a couple of years now, I have been accompanied by Candela, a Bavarian hound, a breed specialized in following the blood trails of wounded animals.

I no longer consider going out into the mountains without her. She has been with me on many hunts, in many mountains and we have slept in the open air or a tent on countless occasions. When she was four months old, she started in the Pyrenees stalking Chamois, so she is very used to long journeys and hard days in the mountains, she already knows what she is going for and she behaves better every time. The bond we have created is very special.

What do you value most in hunting equipment?

When you spend so many hours in this sometimes hostile environment, where you can find snow, water, rain... I think the most important thing is the peace of mind of knowing that you have equipment that is up to par and that will not let you down. And for that, it is important to opt for the best brands that you can afford. It can be the difference between enjoying hunting or being subject to unforeseen events that ruin your day.

In clothing and footwear, I value comfort, resistance to abrasion from the terrain, and the quality of fabrics and membranes.

For me, the rifle has to be an extension of your body. Here I appreciate that the measurements of the stock, scope distances, size, and weight of the weapon are adapted to your physique. This greatly improves the experience and enjoyment of shooting, as well as precision of course.

Your days are normally in Spain, however, what is the furthest place where you have enjoyed hunting?

I find it very interesting to experience the hunting culture in other countries, you always learn new things. I haven't gone out as much as I would have liked. When I was fourteen, my father took us bear hunting in Romania where there is a high bear population and recently I was in Serbia hunting roe deer, which was a fantastic experience.

What do the words “ecology”, “conservation”, “species management”, and “biodiversity” mean to you?

I think that man has to play his role as a predator in the environment and to ignore this task is an irresponsibility that can have serious consequences. There is a strange interest in dissociating man from nature, as if we were from different worlds as if we were not part of the same system that interacts permanently.

For there to be real conservation there must be a balance. Today, human development has modified the environment so drastically that many species have decreased their population, and, on the other hand, others have increased it disproportionately. One hectare of land supports a maximum amount of animal load, and if that is exceeded, the flora would be affected and the chain consequences would be decisive for the conservation of the species.

Species management is essential if we want to achieve optimal biodiversity and I believe that this management, although it may worry some groups, inevitably involves hunting.

Which historical figure would you have liked to spend a day of adventure in nature with?

Which historical figure would you have liked to spend a day of adventure in nature with?

Our previous protagonist, Restaurante l’Algadir del Delta, left us with the following question: Do you know the Delta del Ebro Natural Park - the largest aquatic habitat in Catalonia, with a diversity of environments and more than 350 species of birds?

Well, the truth is that I have not had the opportunity to visit it, but it is something I would like to do. I know that effective hunting management is being carried out in the park, demonstrating that it is an activity that is not only compatible but necessary for a sustainable balance of the environment.

Where have you recently felt small in the immensity?

Where have you recently felt small in the immensity?

That feeling of “feeling small” is something I regularly seek out as I think it is important to be aware that we are a mere anecdote for the enormous world that surrounds us, and in those places, far from human presence, surrounded by such pure and wild nature, are where one hears one's inner voice with absolute clarity.

Do you have any hunting dreams left to fulfill?

There is a place in the world where I would like to hunt at least once in my life. Inaccessible, remote, and lost where wolves, bears, and moose roam through its immense forests far from the hand of man: Alaska.

Can I ask you to leave us a question for the next protagonist?

It is said that the two most important days in our life are the day we are born and the day we discover our purpose. Has that day come for you? Do you remember where and how it happened?