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Hunting with golden eagles in Mongolia

Hunting with Golden Eagle is one of the most dramatic and primal relationships between man and animals. In the remote mountains of western Mongolia the tradition is alive and well. Fox, rabbit and wolf are hunted for their fur and for the challenge they present. See this rather disturbing video if you are interested of a hunt of a wolf with a golden eagle:

Mongolia Today – Hunting with Golden Eagles

Hunters choose either to snatch a young, few months old chick from nest at mountain tops or lure a young birds with pigeons and trap them.

“Eagle chicks are more tame as they used to humans and do not attack children or sheep. While grown ups are more aggressive and better hunters,” says Sembai, well known hunter from Nogoon Nuur soum. In early summer hunters go to mountains to find eagle nests and snatch an young chick. To catch elder birds hunters lay out a net baited with fresh meat and wait for the bird to come feed and entangle itself.

“Once I tethered another eagle next to a large carcass near the place where I saw a good bird. Eagles are jealous and when she saw an intruder fiesting on her territory she could not stand it and came down. That is how I caught this bird,” shares Manai, one of the local hunters.

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