Eagle Scouts

Situated in the midst of a rolling, ruinous mass of mountains and glaciers, Bayan-Ulgii province in Western Mongolia feels like the edge of the world. A small pocket of Kazakhs have lived here for generations, hunting and migrating with the seasons. Unlike their fellow Kazakhs in Kazakhstan or China, their way of life has remained largely untouched by the surge and swell of changing dynasties. Ulgii Kazakhs ride horses, chase down foxes and train eagles to hunt with them. In many ways, these people are the last of their kind.

The Eagle Hunter Festival (Буркітшілер Тойы) is a celebration of everything Kazakh. Every October, hunters from all around the province gather to compete in games, tests of prowess and skill, chief of which is the training of an eagle. These eagles are stolen from their nests high atop the mountains and trained as they grow, or are trapped as adults and carefully conditioned to hunt with their new masters. With the help of their eagle companions, Kazakhs can hunt foxes, rabbits, and even wolves. It’s a fierce husbandry that has taken centuries to perfect.