I am a person who loves nature and adventure, so when I heard that Yichang Xiaoxita Forest Park has rich wildlife and beautiful scenery, I immediately decided to go there for hunting. I also invited my two good friends Florence Pearson and Antonio Thackeray to join this trip, they are also people who like hunting.
Yichang Xiaoxita Forest Park is located in the northeast of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, covering an area of more than 2,000 square kilometers, and is one of the largest forest parks in China. There are various kinds of trees, flowers, birds and mammals here, some of which are national first-class protected animals, such as golden monkeys, giant pandas, crested ibises and so on. In order to hunt successfully here, we made full preparations, including applying for hunting permits, renting professional guides and vehicles, and buying some necessary equipment, such as night vision binoculars and infrared binoculars. Night vision binoculars can let us see the surrounding environment and animal outlines in the dark, and infrared binoculars can let us detect the body temperature and position of animals. These two kinds of binoculars are very convenient and practical, allowing us to move and shoot freely in the night forest.
We chose to hunt at night because it can avoid the crowds and noise during the day, and also observe some nocturnal animals better. We used night vision binoculars to see the surrounding environment and animal outlines in the dark, as well as infrared binoculars to detect the body temperature and position of animals. These two kinds of binoculars are very convenient and practical, allowing us to move and shoot freely in the night forest. Of course, we also encountered some difficulties and dangers, such as getting lost, encountering wild beasts, accidentally injuring companions and so on, but these are not problems, because we can overcome them well.
We planned to stay in Yichang Xiaoxita Forest Park for three days and two nights, enjoying the scenery during the day and hunting at night. We looked forward to having an unforgettable travel experience here.
On the first day, we visited Yuquan Temple and Huangling Temple during the day, feeling the Buddhist culture and the legend of Dayu’s water control in Yichang. At night, we started our first hunting. We followed the guide to drive to a remote place. After getting off the car, we took out our night vision binoculars and infrared binoculars and started looking for traces of prey.
The night forest is a mysterious and dangerous place. We must always be alert and quiet. We used night vision binoculars to observe the surrounding environment and found some animal shadows, some were deer, some were foxes, some were wild boars. We used infrared binoculars to determine the position and distance of animals, then quietly approached them, ready to shoot.
At this time, we need to be very careful and accurate, because once we shoot, we will alarm other animals and make them run away or attack us. We chose a wild boar as our target. It was gnawing at the roots under a tree. We slowly approached it. When the distance was right, we shot at it at the same time, hitting its head and heart.
The wild boar let out a scream and then fell to the ground. We ran over quickly and confirmed that it was dead. We hugged each other happily and celebrated our success. We dragged the wild boar to the car with a rope and prepared to take it back. At this time, we heard a loud noise from a distance, like a large animal running. We checked it with our night vision binoculars and infrared binoculars and found an amazing scene.
It turned out to be a giant panda chasing a deer. The giant panda is a national first-class protected animal, very rare and precious. We never thought we could see them here. We immediately put down the wild boar, picked up the camera and video camera, and started filming this rare scene. The giant panda ran very fast, soon caught up with the deer, and bit its neck. The deer struggled a few times and stopped moving. The giant panda began to enjoy its dinner.
This was a shocking and exciting scene, and we all felt very lucky and surprised. We filmed the whole process of the giant panda eating the deer, and kept enough distance and quiet, not wanting to disturb it. It was not until the giant panda finished eating the deer and left the scene that we came to our senses. We looked at each other and felt that this was an unforgettable experience.
In addition to hunting, Yichang’s cuisine naturally cannot be missed. We three decided to eat and drink a lot. Here are some of the delicacies: The Three Gorges Fish Banquet is a big-name card of Yichang, which is a series of dishes made with fresh fish from the Yangtze River. We ordered this dish at a beef offal shop called Old Market Well, and enjoyed a rich fish feast. We ate fish with pickled cabbage and pepper, braised eel, milk soup fat fish and other ways of cooking fish, all very tender and juicy, with different tastes. We also drank yellow wine boiled fish, feeling the enthusiasm and generosity of Yichang people.
Tofu brain is a traditional breakfast in Yichang, which is tofu made from soy milk with various seasonings. We ate this snack at a Hubei restaurant called Our Own People, and found that it was different from tofu brain in other places. Yichang’s tofu brain is salty, and there are two flavors, one is red oil chili, and the other is sesame sauce. We both tasted it and felt it was very smooth and refreshing, spicy and sweet.
Spicy noodles are another traditional snack in Yichang, which are hand-pulled noodles mixed with red oil, pepper, sesame and other seasonings. We ate this snack at a noodle shop called Daoxiang Pavilion, and felt the spiciness and numbness of Yichang people. These noodles are very thin and chewy, mixed with red oil and pepper, very addictive to eat, mouth tingling stimulation, appetite greatly increased.
In addition to these delicacies, we also ate Ding Ding cake, roasted potatoes, pig stomach stewed tea tree mushrooms and other special snacks. During the meal, we also met some local residents who were very friendly and enthusiastic. They introduced us to some of Yichang’s customs and historical stories. We felt that Yichang not only has beautiful natural scenery and precious wildlife, but also has delicious food and cultural atmosphere that make people linger.
This trip gave me a lot of gains. In addition to experiencing the joy of night forest hunting, admiring the magnificent scenery and precious creatures of Yichang Xiaoxita Forest Park, I also tasted Yichang’s cuisine, and made new friends. I am very grateful for the company and support of my two companions Florence Pearson and Antonio Thackeray. They are my best hunting partners and my best friends. We had a wonderful time here and left some beautiful memories.
If you also want an unusual travel experience, I strongly recommend you to go hunting in Yichang Xiaoxita Forest Park, and bring night vision binoculars and infrared binoculars. You will surely find a lot of surprises and fun here, as well as have more understanding and respect for the nature and culture here. Yichang Xiaoxita Forest Park is a place worth visiting again and again, you will not regret it!
