Extreme Fox Hunting

This is a picture of the Golden Eagle Festival & Competition in Mongolia. The competitors gather on the mountain tops that rise over the plains.

Below, a rider drags the body of a dead fox skin, imitating the movements of a living animal - a perfect lure for the eagle perched on the nearby summit. When the eagle's owner lifts the hood, the eagle's task is to set off in search of it's (false) prey on the ground.

The bird's are judged on their rapidity and prowess, and the trainers on their artistry skills. Hesitancy, slow responses and heads that turn in the opposite direction disqualify the feathered competitors.

The competition mimics what still occurs in the field in Mongolia -- the hunting of red fox with Golden Eagles.