Eagle Hunting in Mongolia

Hunting with Eagles 
Euro Asian nomadic people have a long tradition of taming birds of prey and hunting with them. However, this tradition was faded last century and only in western Mongolia in Bayan-Olgii province, eagle hunting tradition was kept alive persistently as its original way by the Altai Kazakhs. 
Today, Arab emirs, shahs, and nobles’ tame falcons and entertain them, while in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, in Xinjiang in China, and in Bayan Ulgii, Mongolia has falconry tradition still exist. 

About Eagle hunting in Mongolia
There are around 400 eagle hunters registered in Bayan-Ölgii, westernmost province of Mongolia. Mongolian Kazakhs use the Golden eagle for hunting and they primarily hunt red foxes.

Best time to see hunting with Eagles? When to meet with Eagle hunters?
The best time to see eagle hunting in Mongolia is only in winter, from late October to March, when the eagles have finished their yearly feather change, animal furs are most beautiful, and snow cover provides the best backdrop for spotting prey.

About Golden Eagle 
The golden eagle breeds at the age of 3-4 and build their nests in April on high cliffs. The eagle usually lays 2 eggs and hatches for 45 days. The chicks will be in the nest until the end of August. It feeds on voles, pheasants, squirrels, marmots, rabbits, corsacs, foxes, and birds, but sometimes catches calves, lambs, and goats such as gazelles, black-tailed deer, and Mongolian saigas, as well as falcons and cranes chicks. 

Hunting Eagle
Female eagles are mainly selected and hunters do not catch non-flying chicks. Eagles, which have already learned to hunt in the wild, are most suitable and relatively quiet and quick to learn, attack animals that are suitable for their strength, do not shout constantly, and do not attack domestic animals when returned to the wild.
According to the first survey of eagles in Bayan-Ulgii, 81 were taken from their nests, 101 were caught in traps, and 46 were caught in nets when their stomach is full after hunt. 70% of caught eagles were 1-4 years old, 18% were 5-6 years old, 6% were 7-8 years old, and 3.6% were 9-10 years old. This shows that around at the age of 5-6 years, they are released back into the wild. Eagles live 30-50 years.