Hunting with eagles calls for patience, but at the very edge of western Mongolia lives a small hunting tribe of Kazakh origin that knows the noble art. The eagles are caught when they are very young, and they are trained to catch hares, foxes and in rare cases even wolves. The unique hunt takes place in the mountains and only during the winter. The hunter is located near the top of a high mountain, and when he spots a hare or another animal, he lets loose the eagle, which dives for the prey. The eagle often makes many attempts before succeeding, and if the prey is big, the hunter also helps with a shot from a gun.
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 A proud eagle hunter ready for hunting. |
 Usually the men hunt together in groups of 2-3 people. |
 Ready to let loose the eagle. |
 The children from the nearby village have got a lift in the jeep. |
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 From the top the hunter can easily see when a hare or another prey turns up. |
 It takes several years to train
an eagle for hunting. |
 The hunters are transporting themselves on horses during
the hunt. |
 Inside the home of an eagle hunter. |
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 After some cups of tea you
easily get warm again. |
 The children help with practical doings. |
 Shoeing a horse. |
 Going back to home with fresh water. |
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 The village residents get water from a central well. |
 Sunset in the village. |
 Storeroom with sausages. |
 The houses in the village are heated up by wood burning stove. |
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 The big glove protects the hunter from the
sharp eagle’s claws. |
 The blinkers are
removed before the
eagle is let loose. |
 During the winter
the eagle lives inside
the hunter’s house. |
