Information Note: As a hunting dog, the Taigan is versatile, demonstrating exceptional hunting qualities; it is used as a tracking and hound dog, and is characterized by its ability to work with both game and birds vocally.
To this day, the ancient practice of hunting with a golden eagle has been preserved in Kyrgyzstan. The Taigan, possessing understanding and unquestioning obedience, has proven itself well in tandem with this majestic bird. For these qualities, it is especially valued by connoisseurs of this type of hunting - the eagle hunters.
It should be emphasized that the physical characteristics imply an unconditional hardiness, endurance, and the ability to go for long periods without water and food, while equally tolerating heat and cold. Possessing remarkable physical strength, an experienced Taigan can single-handedly chase a wolf. In running, it exhibits supernatural maneuverability, capable of turning sharply while in full gallop and continuing the chase. It is exceptionally agile. When hunting for argalis and ibexes, Taigans sometimes pursue their prey across unimaginable, almost vertical cliffs, holding them in place or suffocating them.
The hunting targets with a Taigan are inhabitants of the steppes, plains, and mountains, and in open terrain, it is on par with other breeds of greyhounds. It is successfully used to hunt wolves, jackals, foxes, badgers, marmots, stone martens, corsacs, ibexes, argalis, roe deer, marals, wild boars, saigas, pheasants, chukars, and partridges.
Information Note: Karamultuk, less commonly karamyltyk, is a long-barreled matchlock gun among Asian peoples (Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan...) from approximately the 19th to the early 20th century. In Turkic languages, the word "kara" means black (here contrasting with decorated weapons), and "myltyk" means rifle or gun.
In Central Asia, matchlock weapons, with the simplest mechanism for igniting the charge, were used until the early 20th century. The "karamultuk" has a characteristic curved stock and a very long barrel. Two wooden bipods were attached to the gun, on which this cumbersome weapon rested while shooting.
Information Note: Hunting, which was one of the main activities of the Kyrgyz in ancient times, still served as a significant support for their labor economies in the 19th century. Folklore preserves memories that, in some cases, hunters supplied meat to poor ails or small communities. Evidence of the great importance of hunting in the past is found in the Kyrgyz folk calendar, in which five months are named after game animals: deer (bugu), mountain goat (teke), argali (kulja), and male roe deer (chyn kuran, i.e., true kuran, and zhalgan kuran, i.e., false kuran).
Hunting was done with trained birds and guns, and plate traps (iron) and snares were set. Before the October Revolution, matchlock guns with wooden bipods were widely used, but shotgun and Berdan rifles were already appearing. The hunting targets included mountain rams, goats, roe deer, bears, wolves, and foxes; in the first half of the 19th century, hunting for marals was widespread, as their antlers, obtained at a certain time of year, were highly valued in China; they were purchased from the Kyrgyz by Chinese merchants. The Kyrgyz were renowned as skilled, exceptionally accurate marksmen and tireless hunters.
In ancient times, collective drives were sometimes organized for mountain rams and goats, reminiscent of similar hunting methods among the Tajiks. Hunters, like shepherds, used special devices made from horse hooves (tai tuyak) for walking in the mountains, which were fastened to the soles of their boots. They had "stepping" skis, round or quadrilateral in shape (zhapkok), and iron devices like "crampons" (temir pokoy) for walking on rocks. Among the Kyrgyz, there was a rite of initiation into hunting. Spells for game were used.