Mongolian Eagle hunters in History
The hunting is one of the integral pieces of nomadic life. The nomadic hunters one of the unique traditions is what they use raptors in the hunt. The eagle hunting tradition has begun from central Asian nomadic past 6000 years ago.
Therefore, Mongolia is the best country which can retain eagle hunting. The culture of hunting raptor has already started since Turkic, and remain on stone statues of that time.
The French herald Rubruck wrote in the journal of the arrival in Mongolia from 1253 to 1255 that nomads used to take raptors with wear eye bracket on their hands.
Moreover, Marco Polo wrote his journal, that Great Khan and his ten thousand soldiers used to hunt with 500 falcons Nowadays raptor or eagle hunting is one of the pieces of the national culture. In 2010, UNESCO inscribed Falconry to its Representative List of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
The nomination of falconry is a multi-national submission that was supported by the Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO as well as the Association for Eagle Hunters of Mongolia, which commended eagle hunting as an ancient cultural practice of the Kazakh people that has been transmitted over generations.
Modern Eagle festival in Mongolia
Nowadays, eagle hunting is not just a tradition but also has attracted the attention of foreign tourists. “The Golden eagle festival” become twice a year to protect eagle hunting tradition and increase tourist. In Mongolia, Eagle festival has organised since 2000.
It is hosted in every first seven weeks of October in Bayan-Ulgii province on the annual Autumn Fair Altai Mountains, while in the spring it becomes Ulaanbaatar city. You can discover this amazing culture and customs with our Mongolia tours.
The golden eagle festival organises the same competition. The first of all, participants wear nationality clothes that Kazakh ethics unique dresses and do horse parade while sitting own domestic eagle on the hand. The next, main activity of the festival become that check eagles hunting ability.
Finally, eagle hunters call own eagles from the mountainside when eagles locate on top of a mountain. Moreover, judges give a point and choose a winner which eagle most quickly come on the owner’s hand with a beautiful fly.
Furthermore, eagles hunt an unnatural animal to check eagles hunting and eye ability. Currently, there are almost 400 eagle hunters in Mongolia. 80% of all eagle hunters are 30-70 years old, and they learn eagle hunting tradition from father, relatives and friends. You can meet them in our western Mongolia tours.
Two hundred sixty of all eagle hunters feed 1 to 6 eagles and the highest until 50 eagles. In Bayan-Olgii province, Mongolian Falconry Association established in 2002.
Moreover, there are 380 members in Mongolian Falconry Association. In recent years, eagle hunting amateurs are increasing, so people are supporting eagle hunting and recycle scrubbed feather of an eagle to increase eagle hunter’s income.
Mongolian Falconry Association contracted about buy scrubbed eagle feather for 15 years with All Japan Archery Federation.
They buy longer than 25sm feathers to make archery. The eagle hunters use so many details that tree to sit eagle, eagle’s eye bracket called “Tomaga”, trough, foot tie, tether, triangle tree to sit eagle on the hand, tube to drink, stomach cleaner called “Koya”, small unnatural animals, foot and claw protection, diaper, trap, and other details.
About Mongolian Eagle hunters
Eagle hunters wear unique clothes that Kazakh ethnic sheepskin pants, coats, and unique hat. There are many kinds of hunting — for example, new snow hunting, a day hunting, half day hunting, game hunting. The hunters go hunting with team members.
The eagle has a very acute eye so the eagle can see from 500 to 1000 meter high. If the eagle does not come back, the hunters can show new meal and meat and call eagle.
Moreover, as soon as eagle come back, hunters touch eagle back and give new meat. The all-world raptor hunters usually use eagle, falcon or hawk too. Mongolian eagle hunters have specific other countries, hunters because they use Golden eagle. The golden eagle lives on the peak where people and other wild animals cannot touch.
The golden eagle hunts marmot, mammals, rabbit, fox, white gazelle, lamb, kid, falcon and another animal. There are 5000 to 6000 in Europe, 15000 in Asia, and 20000 golden eagles in North America. In Mongolia golden eagle usually live in Altai Mountain, Khuvsgul and Khentii province. The hunters choose generally female eagle because of them.
Some Facts about Eagle
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Moreover, they feed eagle which learns fly and hunt. Because those eagles are calmer, learn quickly, do not shout and do not attack people, children and domestic animal when comeback live on nature.
The hunters usually catch eagle to feed by trap or cage. In recent years, people prohibited to catch an eagle from the nest.
The hunters put back eagle on nature when usually eagle is 5 to 6 years old. That is necessary to reproduce and grow eagles. The golden eagle lives 30 to 50 years.
When hunters catch wild eagle, housewife welcomes them with milk and food sample. After hunter brings wild eagle, he touches eagle, introduces environment, sits on hand, and take eye bracket.
The eagle is raptor and wild animal, but the eagle is brilliant. They know the owner by voice and like to talk with the owner.
Moreover, they know the launch time. After eagle calms down, the hunter goes hunting with the unnatural animal to learn hunting.
Moreover, the hunter does exercise that sits on the hand. The hunters reduce eagle feed before going hunting from August. Every day drink water.
If eagle fattens, the eagle cannot hunt. Alternatively, if the eagle is skinny, the eagle cannot endure preys.
If eagles starve, they attack by children. If hunters can match eagle feed, the eagle can be lively and movement. During the sleep, the eagle always covers the face. Because an owl is the only enemy of an eagle and they attack each other.
An eagle attacks to owl during the day. However, an owl attacks to eagle then broke eagle neck. So, an eagle always covers the face during sleep.
Eagle festival in Mongolia tour
If you want to make a Eagle hunting tour, we are the Mongolian travel agency, can create your unique trip in Mongolia. We also have other Mongolia tours, and while you travel, you can try the Eagles land with other destination, local nomadic family and we can help you create a tour for you.
Just write an email to us, we will plan your tour with you and let’s create your happiness together.
We offer you the below tours:
Western Mongolia tour: discover Eagle hunters
Khuvsgul lake tour (including Tsaatan community)
Discover the vast Gobi desert and sand dunes
Horseback riding trail
Visit the national park
Discover the Khuvsgul lake
Discover the Mongolian culture
Horse or camel tour
We also work with a local travel agency such as eagle hunting show
Mongolian Travel Agency
We are Enza Tours LLC, the official tour operator, and we create Mongolia tours.
Our customers will discover the nomadic Mongolian people, the great Gobi desert, reindeer community, ancient Mongolian capital, Mongolian customs and traditional Mongolian food. In addition to that beautiful nature will amaze the customers. Our customers give high-quality testimonies about our Mongolia trips.
Our Tour Guides: Our experienced staffs are working in the inbound tourism field for recent years continuously. Guides are all professional people who speak fluently English, German, Spanish.
Our guides have a broad knowledge of the customs, history and culture of Mongolia. Some of our guides had been living in Europe and Asia countries. For this reason, you can communicate with them easy and open.
Our Drivers: We at Enza Tours LLC! We already consider that your safety and enjoyment are the most critical considerations on our trip as well as standard. We offer comfortable and reliable Russian van, safe Japanese jeeps and Korean cars and buses, and our professional drivers have from ten to over twenty years of experience.
