In Mongolia, hunting with eagles is a tradition brought in by Kazakhs who migrated to Mongolia to escape from the Communist regime in Kazakhstan, when the nation was a part of the Soviet Union. Hunting with eagles is usually a family tradition and children as young as 13 are taught how to do it properly.
But training eagles to hunt requires effort since they are highly intelligent creatures that can easily form strong emotional bonds with their masters. There are many varieties of eagles, but the Mongolian Kazakhs prefer the majestic Golden Eagle. The Golden eagle is a graceful creature, with sharp talons and a wingspan of over two meters. A fully grown bird can weigh as much as 10 kg.
Step 1
Eagles are taken from their high eyries when they are mere eaglets; in most cases female eaglets are preferred because they grow larger .
Step 2
- Hunting with eagles necessitates a great deal of planning and training. The first rule in teaching an eagle to hunt is to show it the same level of care and tenderness as if it were a newborn. Never scream or cry around the eagle because it could get frightened. If not, the bird may fly away and never return.
- The trainer must also keep the eagle on his hand with a hood over its head for lengthy periods of time in addition to constantly humming, singing, and conversing to his bird. The hood helps to keep the eagle calm and reliant on its owner.
Step 3
After the eagle is adequately trained, the eagle hunter brings his pet to a location with an abundance of prey and a good view. Once he spots an animal, he removes the hood from Eagle’s eyes and points it in the direction of said prey. The eagle then flies away to hunt its food. This bird can take down pray much larger than itself including foxes, wolves, hares, etcetera.
Step 4
Despite the eagle’s usefulness, the hunter does not retain it indefinitely. He understands that the eagle must be returned to nature so that it may contribute to the preservation of wild species. As a result, after years of service, the eagle is set free one final time. This time, rather than capturing the eagle, he will release him.
To become an eagle hunter, one must first train for years under the guidance of a more experienced eagle hunter. The process is long and difficult, but ultimately rewarding. Once an eagle hunter, one can take part in hunts and even compete in eagle hunting competitions. Eagle hunting is a time-honored tradition of Kazakh people in Mongolia, and becoming an eagle hunter is a great honor.
If you want to see the Mongolian eagle hunters in action, you can visit Mongolia in winter to see the Golden eagle festival.
Golden eagle festival is a great event to witness traditional eagle hunting. It is usually held in Bayan-Ölgii province in western Mongolia. The festival attracts many tourists and eagle hunters from all over the world. During the festival, there are various competitions such as eagle hunting, falconry, and horse racing. The event is a great opportunity to see the skill of the eagle hunters and learn more about this fascinating tradition.
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