Hunting in Mongolia
- Hunting in Mongolia with AMO
Slightly smaller than Alaska, Mongolia is truly a vast country occupying 1,564,116 sq km with only about 3 million of total population. Located in a landlocked plateau between Russia and China, Mongolia represents a unique crossroads of cultural and historical backgrounds. Ethnic Mongols make up nearly 95% of local population and Buddhism is a predominant religion. Mongolia is one of the highest countries in the world with an average elevation of 1580m. Vast semi-desert and desert plains, grassy steppes, and mountains in west and southwest make up the country’s landscape. South-central part of Mongolia is dominated by the Gobi desert. Economy is very poor & underdeveloped, concentrating mostly on agricultural production. The largest city, also the capital, of Mongolia is Ulan-Bator. Bordering countries are China, Kazakhstan and Russia. Most people understand Russian, with “locals” speaking Khalh Mongol language. Many locals in Ulan-Bator speak basic English and will be able to assist should you need help. Local currency is Tughrik (MNT) and approximately 1USD = 1,242.00 MNT.
Mongolia’s people are historically of nomadic cultural background. Nomadic tribes that periodically plundered agriculturally based China from the west are recorded in Chinese history and it was to protect China from these marauding peoples that the Great Wall was constructed. The name Mongol comes from a small tribe whose leader, Ghengis Khan, began a conquest that would eventually encompass an enormous empire stretching from Asia to Europe, as far west as the Black Sea and as far south as India and the Himalayas. In 1921, Soviet troops entered the country and facilitated the establishment of a republic by Mongolian revolutionaries in 1924.
The productive regions of Mongolia—a tableland ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 ft (914 to 1,524 m) in elevation—are in the north, which is well drained by numerous rivers, including the Hovd, Onon, Selenga, and Tula. Much of the Gobi Desert falls within Mongolia. The tradition of hunting in Mongolia goes back into the history. Mongolians always loved and respected hunting. You will find them to be exceptional horsemen and hunters, and in most cases, they can get the hunter right to the animal. Vehicles are used on some of the hunts, but because of the terrain, horses and walking will get hunters to the larger animals. There are large daily and seasonal temperature ranges. Climatic extremes are the norm, with temperatures ranging from -30°C in winter to +40°C in summer. Generally, especially on the cold, late season hunts, we’ll come back to the base camps at night. Spiking out is an option only for the more prepared, adventurous and ambitious. Spot and stalk hunting is the preferred method of hunting as it allows us to judge the animals with spotting scopes before making the final stalk. We don’t promote chasing animals. Hunters see many animals on argali and Ibex hunts. On a typical day, hunters might see several hundred animals of both species and sexes. Game densities are high and vary with location.
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