Lauren and her fellow berkutchi (eagle falconers) stopped hunting at the end of February.  March is when the foxes start to breed, and it is considered taboo to hunt them once the month of March begins.  Most of the eagle hunters in this area of Mongolia are also occupied with lambing and other early spring activities as well.

Lauren’s eagle Alema caught a very respectable 10 foxes during her first season.  Considering the record low temperatures in the area, and famine, known locally as a “zud”, few people will be able to dispute Ms. McGough when she says that she knows what true “cold” is.   From Lauren: “Another thing I am often asked about is the cold. We've had some absolutely frigid days where the hoods would actually freeze to the eagle's heads. Frost would develop around the beak opening from their exhalations. By the end of those days, the eagle's ceres and feet are orange colored, obviously cold. If we end up riding back as the sun is setting, or after sunset, when temperatures really plummet, our birds tuck a head beneath their wing even if we're cantering along at fast speeds. I'm not sure what the actual temps are, but I know it has gotten to -35 C degree  at night in Olgii. [Bayan Olgii]. ”