The Mongolian Eagle Hunter is perhaps the greatest symbol of nomadic life in Mongolia, but what secrets do they hold?
Perhaps one of the most famous symbols of nomadic Mongolia is the eclectic image of a local nomad with an eagle resting on his arm.
However, you might be surprised to know that most eagle hunters in Mongolia are, in fact, Kazakh.
And eagle hunting, far from being a common skill amongst nomads, is held in high regard within the culture with many training for years in how to hunt using these incredible birds.
Many of our Mongolian adventures out to the western part of the country include a visit to a local eagle hunter, far from the tourist traps you’ll find elsewhere in Mongolia.
We delve into the true eagle-hunting heartland and meet with the people keeping this tradition alive!
On one of our adventures, we even cross the vast Mongolian steppe to attend the annual Golden Eagle Festival to watch these amazing hunters compete against one another.
So, read on to find out more about the traditions of the eagle hunters, and how you can experience it for yourself!
Eagle Hunting
The practice of Eagle Hunting is common across the Eurasian steppe, originating in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, where you’ll also see this practice continued today.
The practice began as a method of hunting small animals, such as foxes, for food, as well as for gathering animal pelts, used traditionally for clothing during the dark Siberian winters.
Eagle hunters continued living this nomadic lifestyle well into the 20th century when many Kazakh hunters fled across the border into Mongolia. Communist reforms began taking hold in Soviet Kazakhstan, and many worried they would be forced to give up their traditions and join collective farms.
As a result, much of the western Bayan Olgii Province is, today, made up of a Kazakh diaspora with religious practices, culture and tradition distinct from the rest of Mongolia.
It’s in this region today that over 200 eagle hunters continue this traditional practice, using their trained birds to hunt across the mountains, valleys, and steppe of western Mongolia.
Hunting on Horseback
Traditionally, eagle hunters travel on horseback.
From the horses, they release their trained birds to catch Corsac Foxes, Red Foxes, and Hares, especially during winter months when the golden-coloured fur of the animals is easily spotted against the snow.
The eagles used by the hunters are not pets, far from it.
Instead, they are mostly juvenile birds that are trained and used by the hunters for around 7-8 years before being released, allowing them time to mate naturally in the wild. Thus limiting the practice’s impact on the local ecology.
Finding an Eagle
Hunters will source an eagle's nest with more than one egg and wait for the eggs to hatch.
They will never take birds from a nest with only one eagle chick.
Once the eggs hatch, they take a single chick from the nest to be trained up as a hunting bird.
Generally, females are preferred as they’re bigger.
After an eagle’s service is up, a special ceremony is held to celebrate its release. The head of the family, often the eagle hunter himself, will slaughter a sheep or lamb and take it to a high place such as the peak of a mountain and leave the eagle with the carcass.
It’s said that an eagle hunter can recognize his eagle from afar. On occasion, during harsh winters, released eagles may return to their former hunter and circle looking for food.
Golden Eagle Festival
Every autumn, hunters from across the province gather together near the city of Olgii to celebrate the Golden Eagle Festival.
This is a chance to show off their eagle hunting skills and attempt to prove their bird's superiority over their contemporaries.
Activities include taking the eagles up to the high mountains which surround the festival area and releasing them to dive down the mountainside and catch a lure. They are often pulled by a horse or a truck, and return it to their hunter on the mountain.
Live bait is not used in the festival.
There is also a stunning opening ceremony in which the hunters display their magnificent eagles on horseback, and many other festivities besides.
This is one of the few chances each year for local nomads to meet and fraternize with other people from the region.
So, expect a celebratory atmosphere present throughout the festival.
How To Visit the Eagle Festival
In September, we run an adventure to visit the Golden Eagle Festival in the Far West.
Beginning in the nation’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, we’ll cross the vast steppe of Mongolia. We traverse mountains and rivers, perilous ravines, and vast open lakes.
After an incredible road trip through the heart of Mongolia, our trip will culminate in a visit to the Golden Eagle Festival itself. A chance to rub shoulders with these incredible people, and meet their elusive hunting birds face to face!
This is really an experience which must be seen to be believed, and an incredible reward for our multi-day expedition across some of the most beautiful landscapes the country, and the world, has to offer.
Koryo Tours
Mongolia Tours
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