Nurlan, who began hunting and training birds about 15 years ago, noted that his teachers were masters Almaz Almatayev and Özübek Batyrbekov. He was born in 1984 in the Talas Valley and currently lives with his family, which includes two daughters and three sons. Although his youngest son, only three years old, shows interest in this craft, the other children are not keen on hunting.
Nurlan's passion for hawks has developed over the last three to four years. He shares the secrets of catching and caring for these birds with the elders of the village of Beyshyke, many of whom have extensive hunting experience. "I have learned a lot from elder O. Batyrbekov, and I study the mysteries of caring for hawks from A. Almatayev, who has become my mentor," he said.
Additionally, Nurlan works at a foundation that focuses on rescuing injured birds. "We catch injured birds, treat them, and after training, we return them to the wild," he added.
Nurlan also has a peregrine falcon named "Buu dayik." This bird, which can reach speeds of up to 290 km/h in a dive, belongs to the mountain subspecies of peregrines. The falconer emphasizes that such birds of prey play an important role in the ecosystem: "They are, so to speak, feathered wolves. They help maintain balance in nature by eliminating weak and sick animals, thereby preventing the spread of epidemics. Eagles, hawks, and falcons all perform this important function," he noted.
Nurlan expressed hope for government support regarding the legalization and documentation processes for bird hunters in Kyrgyzstan. "I dream of breeding hawks and peregrines to increase their population in the wild," he added. He called on the authorities to issue permits necessary for participation in international competitions, as customs issues often become a barrier to their involvement. Nurlan pointed out that hawks and falcons cannot be kept indoors all the time; they need to be trained and released into the field to catch prey. He emphasized that if environmental services see them during training, the birds may be confiscated, which is a pressing issue, especially at Issyk-Kul.
