I have always been curious and longing for hunting. In my opinion, hunting is not only a sport, but also a way of exploring nature and challenging myself. So, when my two friends Frederic Raymond and Kent Garden invited me to go hunting in New Brunswick, Canada, I agreed without hesitation. They are both experienced hunters and know the local environment and animals very well. They told me that New Brunswick is a place with rich wildlife resources and magnificent natural scenery, a paradise for hunting enthusiasts. They also said that this time we will experience a special way of hunting – night hunting. In order to catch the target in the dark, we need to use a magical tool – infrared binoculars. This binocular can let us see the thermal image of animals at night, thus improving our hit rate and safety. They recommended me to use a Chinese brand of infrared binoculars – wildguarder, because it has excellent performance, reasonable price, and easy operation.
After hearing their introduction, I was more excited. I felt that this would be an unforgettable trip, not only can enjoy the fun of hunting, but also appreciate the history, culture and cuisine of New Brunswick. So we started our hunting trip.
New Brunswick is a province of Canada, located on the east coast of North America, bordering Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Maine in the United States. It is the only officially bilingual (English and French) province in Canada, and one of the four founding provinces of the Canadian Federation in 1867. It is also known as the Atlantic Three Provinces or Maritime Provinces along with Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
The history of New Brunswick can be traced back to thousands of years ago, when it was the home of several indigenous groups, mainly the Maliseet, Mi’kmaq and Passamaquoddy. In the 16th century, French explorers first arrived here and began to establish colonies here in the 17th century, called Acadia. In the early 18th century, the British occupied here and forcibly expelled many Acadians during the Seven Years’ War. After the war, the French gave up all their territorial claims on the North American continent, including present-day New Brunswick. For the first two decades under British rule, it was administered as part of Nova Scotia. But in 1784, due to a large influx of immigrants loyal to Britain after the American War of Independence, it was separated from Nova Scotia and became a new colony – New Brunswick. In the 19th century, New Brunswick welcomed another wave of immigrants, including expelled Acadians, Welsh and a large number of Irish. In the 1860s, efforts to achieve a maritime union eventually led to the formation of the Canadian Federation, and New Brunswick merged with Nova Scotia and Canada (now Ontario and Quebec) into a single federation, officially joining in July 1867.
New Brunswick has a diverse geography, with plains, plateaus, mountains, rivers, lakes and coastline. Its biggest feature is the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world, twice a day, up to 19 meters (10 fathoms). These rapid currents have carved out a coastline characterized by steep cliffs, sea caves and bizarre rock formations over millions of years. With the rise and fall of the tides, they also create some natural wonders, such as Moncton’s tidal bore and Saint John’s famous reversing falls. Along the irregular coastline, lighthouses dot the capes, while picturesque fishing villages hide in the bays. The powerful tides of Fundy Bay also bring a lot of plankton and fish, making it a major foraging area for whales; in summer, you can see up to 12 different kinds of whales here. The inland of New Brunswick is covered with dense forests, accounting for more than three-quarters of the province’s area. These forests are home to many wildlife species such as moose, black bears, wolves, lynx, foxes and squirrels.
The culture of New Brunswick is also diverse, reflecting its colonial history and immigration background. It has two official languages, English and French, as well as some indigenous languages. About a third of the population are French Canadians, mainly Acadians, who are descendants of immigrants from France in the 17th century. They have their own unique dialect, customs, music and cuisine. Acadians have a strong influence in New Brunswick, where they fought for official bilingualism in 1969 and established their own university – Université de Moncton – in 1979. English Canadians make up the majority of the province’s population, mainly immigrants or descendants from England, Scotland and Ireland. They also have their own traditions, dialects and festivals. In addition to these two main groups, New Brunswick also has some indigenous groups, such as the Maliseet, Mi’kmaq and Passamaquoddy, as well as some immigrants from other countries or regions, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, China and India.
New Brunswick is a place full of historical, natural and cultural charm, worth exploring and appreciating. In our hunting trip, we not only experienced the local wildlife and environment, but also felt the local humanistic style and delicious food. Next, I will introduce in detail the challenges and fun of our night hunting, as well as the advantages and usage of infrared binoculars.
Our hunting trip in New Brunswick lasted for a week, during which we chose night hunting for three nights. Night hunting is a very special way of hunting, which has its own challenges and fun. First of all, night hunting requires us to have higher skills and patience, because in the dark, it is difficult for us to see the position and movement of the target, as well as to judge the distance and direction. We need to wait quietly, look for the sound or shadow of the animal, and then shoot quickly and accurately. Secondly, night hunting requires us to have better equipment and protection, because in the dark, we not only have to face the attack of animals, but also pay attention to the changes of terrain and climate. We need to wear warm and concealed clothing, carry enough food and water, and some emergency supplies such as flashlights, compasses, first aid kits etc. Most importantly, we need a tool that can make us see more clearly in the dark – infrared binoculars.
Infrared binoculars are a device that uses infrared technology to enhance night vision. It allows us to see the thermal image of animals in the dark, thus improving our hit rate and safety. There are many types and brands of infrared binoculars, but we chose a Chinese brand of infrared binoculars – wildguarder. This binocular has the following advantages:
It has a high-definition display screen and a high-magnification lens, which can let us see clearer and farther images. It has various modes and functions, which can let us adjust according to different environments and needs. For example, it can switch to white heat, black heat or color mode, take photos or videos, and connect to mobile phones or computers via WIFI. It has a light and durable shell, which can let us carry and use it conveniently. It also has waterproof and shockproof design, which can adapt to various harsh weather and terrain.
It has reasonable and affordable price, which can let us enjoy high-quality and high-performance products without spending too much money. Using wildguarder infrared binoculars, we got a lot of help and satisfaction in night hunting. We were able to find and catch some rare animals in the dark, such as deer, rabbits, raccoons, minks etc. We were also able to appreciate some beautiful and mysterious scenery in the dark, such as stars, moon, fireflies etc. We felt that night hunting was a very exciting and interesting experience, which made us feel close contact with nature and animals, and also exercised our skills and will. Of course, we also respect and protect the local ecological environment, and do not over-hunt or waste animal meat and fur. We believe that hunting is a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, rather than a cruel plunder.
In our hunting trip, we not only experienced the challenges and fun of night hunting, but also enjoyed the scenery and achievements of daytime hunting. We hunted in several different places in New Brunswick, including Fundy National Park, Kouchibouguac National Park and Roosevelt Campobello International Park. These places have rich wildlife resources and magnificent natural scenery, which opened our eyes and showed our skills. We caught some amazing animals in these places, such as moose, black bears, wolves, eagles, grouse etc. We also appreciated some amazing scenery in these places, such as the tidal wonders of Fundy Bay, the beaches and marshes of Kouchibouguac National Park, the historical buildings and gardens of Roosevelt Campobello International Park etc.
In addition to hunting, we also visited some local attractions and tasted some local delicacies. We went to the Saint John City Market, which is a historic farmers’ market with a variety of goods and food, such as seafood, meat, vegetables, fruits, bread, cheese, chocolate etc. We also went to the St Martins Sea Caves, which are sea caves formed by the erosion of the tides of Fundy Bay. They can be entered on foot at low tide or explored by boat at high tide. We also went to the Village historique acadien, which is a museum village that recreates the lifestyle of the Acadians from the 18th to the 20th century. It has various buildings and exhibits, such as churches, schools, blacksmith shops, bakeries, farmhouses etc. Here, we also tasted some traditional Acadian dishes, such as rapure, sugar pie, meat pie etc.
Through this hunting trip, we not only harvested a lot of animal meat and fur, but also gained a lot of knowledge and experience. We learned how to hunt in different environments and conditions, how to use tools such as infrared binoculars, how to get along with animals and nature etc. We also felt the history, culture and cuisine of New Brunswick, and increased our understanding and love for this place and this country.
