# Wolf hunting with Golden eagles



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I usually shoot craps in cutting and pasting so go to Youtube and write in Golden Eagles hunting in Mongolia.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re644qgnCtw


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## Terence Wright (Mar 5, 2009)

I have a friend here in NM who has spent a lot of time with the Kazak and Mongolian eagle hunters. Mostly they hunt fox. Their general philospy is to trap a eagle, fly it for 10yrs then release it. They say if you hunt wolves the eagle wont last ten yrs. They have to get control of the wolves jaws very quickly or risk being killed. The real experienced eagles make it look easy but they only get away with making a mistaek a few times.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

I saw one where they were catching sheep. Unbelieveable the amount of weight they can carry. The Eagle would grab the sheep, drop it off a cliff, then go down and feast. Pretty shrewd.


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## Skip Morgart (Dec 19, 2008)

Lynn Cheffins said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re644qgnCtw


 
Pretty amazing.


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## Alex Corral (Jul 10, 2007)

I wish I could see the video, but have to wait til I get home. Sounds interesting, but what's the reason for hunting wolves?


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## Terence Wright (Mar 5, 2009)

Howard Knauf said:


> I saw one where they were catching sheep. Unbelieveable the amount of weight they can carry. The Eagle would grab the sheep, drop it off a cliff, then go down and feast. Pretty shrewd.


The first golden I ever met was sitting on its perch on the lawn. It had picked up the lawn mower with one foot and was examining it with great interest. They are very strong indeed, they can exert a ton of pressure with their feet on prey.
On a dog-eagle note there is a falconer in PA that is hunting foxes with his goldie with foxhounds.


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## Drew Peirce (Nov 16, 2006)

Humbling to watch


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## Terence Wright (Mar 5, 2009)

Alex Corral said:


> I wish I could see the video, but have to wait til I get home. Sounds interesting, but what's the reason for hunting wolves?


Most European eagle falconers hunt hares, the Kazaks and mongols are different. Out in the sticks(95% of Mongolia) income is derived from sheepherding, wolves and foxes are enemy number one to these folks. They live in a harsh place with harsh realities very different to our own. Thier guard dogs double up protecting the home from thieves and the flock from wolves. Hunting wolves with eagles is something I am more comfortable with than shooting them from helicoters.


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## kristin tresidder (Oct 23, 2008)

just when you're starting to think that you do something cool with your animals....


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## Ben Thompson (May 2, 2009)

Terence Wright said:


> I have a friend here in NM who has spent a lot of time with the Kazak and Mongolian eagle hunters. Mostly they hunt fox. Their general philospy is to trap a eagle, fly it for 10yrs then release it. They say if you hunt wolves the eagle wont last ten yrs. They have to get control of the wolves jaws very quickly or risk being killed. The real experienced eagles make it look easy but they only get away with making a mistaek a few times.


If I hadn't just seen that video and someone told me a eagle could take a wolf I would have called them crazy. 

Of course I shouldn't be surprised from a country that produced Ghengis Khan.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

That's a pretty incredible video. I saw it a little over a year ago and remember it being the first youtube favorite of mine. I read up on it a little bit and found that it takes quite a few years to get the eagles to the point that we saw in the video. I believe they will actually take them as early on as the egg.

The music is interesting too if you look into it. Some of the sounds in it which appear to be musical instruments and/or whistling is really something called Mongolian throat singing. That's another interesting story on its own:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wHbIWH_NGc&feature=fvw


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## chris haynie (Sep 15, 2009)

wow! amazing to watch them work like that.

i used to love sitting and watching the hawks hunt in the canyon behind the mountain ridge i used to live on. it was better than TV or movies.


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## shawn murace (Feb 20, 2007)

I used to work at an avian and exotic animal practice. We would get a Russian Steppe Eagle in from a local sanctuary for checkups from time to time. For most raptors (hawks, falcons, owls) we could use heavy welding gloves to handle. For the eagles we woud use heavy gloves with steel bars running the length of the gloves to prevent a full grip with the talons. From what I understand if the eagle were to get a full grip on our arm it could crush the bone if it wanted to. Before I worked there I always heard "razor sharp talons" on tv documentaries and was amazed that they really are razor sharp. Incredible animals considering they only weigh around 8 pounds.


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## Katalin Bodzsár (Nov 18, 2009)

It's amazing :-o I never believed it... Now I'm afraid of that eagles :? (for me this kind of hunting is more acceptable than using guns and traps, but I' sorry that wolves...)


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## Michael Swetz (Jul 27, 2009)

Anyone want to try and protection train an eagle?


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## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

Ive looked into it, you can get an entry level harris hawk for $500 or less


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## Ben Thompson (May 2, 2009)

Matt Grosch said:


> Ive looked into it, you can get an entry level harris hawk for $500 or less


 I want to get one of those hawks from the Lord of the Rings movies. The ones that Gandalf rode on. I'm surpised they didn't eat the hobbits especially those two dumb ass annoying ones. Hobbits are pretty fat and lazy I'm sure they would make a good meal for a giant hawk.


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## Carmen van de Kamp (Apr 2, 2006)

wow, we own a golden eagle (a young female of 7 months of age now) 
but we only use her for our shows and don't train her on her hunting skills as that isn't allowed in Holland, 
but this video is really impressive


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## Dave Cartier (Dec 2, 2009)

Matt Grosch said:


> Ive looked into it, you can get an entry level harris hawk for $500 or less


One of my customers is a Falconer. I trained his French Brittany Spaniel to hunt for his Redtail Hawk "Bullwinkle" hunting gray squirrels.

There are different levels of license and regulation for ownership required to hunt a hawk or eagle. There are tests to qualify the knowledge. You can get a required permit to trap them at certain times of the year. He captured his Redtail at six months old and is now two yrs old. He plans to release his Redtail and trap a Goshawk to hunt with. (VT)

I learned a lot from working with him, his hawk, and his Spaniel. 

All regulations are mandated and inspected by state and federal. They even inspect his mew. (outside containment area). There is so much to know to be able to pass the tests.

Different levels of ownership are Apprentice, General, and Master Falconer license

An apprentice: can own and fly the "lowly hawks" like the American Kestrel (sparrow hawk)

General: can fly Redtail, Coopers, Goshawk etc.

Master: can fly all above including Perrigrine Falcon, Eagles, etc.

There is a difference in the way you hunt with them. Depending on the type of bird of prey. Some hunt "from the fist". And some need to soar in the sky. 

It was the most intense hunting experience I have had in a long time. Chasing a bird of prey through the woods, to see it strike and capture a squirrel. Priceless!!!

If I can figure out how to scan a pic I will put some pics of "Bullwinkle" mantling a captured squirrel. 
Too Cool!!!


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## Francis Metcalf (Oct 10, 2009)

If you love a good training story read: Bird Of Jove. About a Welshman who is the first to train a Berkut Golden Eagle in the west. He flys her with his Welsh Collie after rabbit and fox. The book is a true story with pictures. Its out of print but easy to order on line. If you like falconry books, or english countryside stuff its worth having in your collection, kinda Phil Drabble ish.


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## Colin Chin (Sep 20, 2006)

From the video, can't see how the wolves were killed. Can someone tell me how those eagle kill those wolves ? Thanks.

Colin


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Colin Chin said:


> From the video, can't see how the wolves were killed. Can someone tell me how those eagle kill those wolves ? Thanks.
> Colin


When the wolves reach up to pet the eagles when they're trying to eat....the guy on the horse shoots them.


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## Colin Chin (Sep 20, 2006)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> When the wolves reach up to pet the eagles when they're trying to eat....the guy on the horse shoots them.


Thanks Gerry. I thought it was the crushing talons of the eagles that killed the wolves. I must be crazy.

Colin


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