I am someone who loves hunting. Hunting is a hobby that I share with my friends Adolph Child and Augustine Flynn. We often explore different places together and challenge ourselves, enjoying the charm and excitement of nature. Last week, we decided to go hunting in Auburn, Alabama because we heard that there were many excellent hunting grounds and abundant wildlife. Because we wanted to experience the fun of night hunting, we chose night vision binoculars as our essential equipment. Night vision binoculars allow us to see targets in the dark clearly, increasing our hunting efficiency and safety. In this article, I will share our experiences and feelings from our hunting trip in Auburn, as well as the advantages and usage of night vision binoculars. I will also introduce the other sights we saw and food we tasted in Auburn, allowing you to experience the charm and style of Auburn.
We chose Auburn as our hunting destination because there were many excellent hunting grounds and abundant wildlife there. There were multiple Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) near Auburn, managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), which offer public hunting opportunities. We checked the locations, sizes, types, hunting allowances, and harvest surveys of each WMA online and decided to go hunting in Freedom Hills WMA. This WMA is located in Colbert County, near Cherokee, covering 33,539 acres, and allowing for hunting of large and small animals. We purchased hunting permits before departing and signed in using the Outdoor Alabama app after arriving at WMA. We obeyed the rules and regulations of the WMA, such as hunting seasons and bag limits, legal hunting methods, and restrictions on hunting near residences.
Because we wanted to experience the fun of night hunting, we chose night vision binoculars as our essential equipment. Night vision binoculars are devices that can magnify and enhance target images in the dark, using infrared or low light levels to provide a clear view. Night vision binoculars have many advantages, such as:
- They allow us to see distant animals in the dark without being detected or frightened by them.
- They allow us to aim and shoot targets more accurately, increasing our hunting efficiency and safety.
- They allow us to appreciate the natural scenery at night, such as stars, the moon, and trees.
- They allow us to recognize and avoid potential dangers more easily, such as snakes and hedgehogs.
The method of using night vision binoculars is simple, just follow these steps:
- Put the night vision binoculars in front of your eyes and adjust the eye distance wheel to fit the eye masks to your eyes.
- Turn on the power switch and adjust the brightness knob according to the ambient light.
- Adjust the focus knob to make the target image clear and visible.
- Use the left and right knobs to adjust the magnification to fit the target image to your field of view.
- Use the middle knob to adjust the intensity of the infrared light to make the target image brighter or darker.
We hunted in Freedom Hills WMA for two days, resting during the day and departing at night. We carried our firearms, ammunition, night vision binoculars, and other essentials, walking along the roads and trails of the WMA, searching for suitable hunting spots. We encountered many interesting and exciting things during the hunting process, such as:
- On the first night, we saw a huge deer standing under a tree, scraping bark with its antlers. We observed it with night vision binoculars for a while, then quietly approached it. When we were about 50 meters away, we stopped and prepared to shoot. Just as we were about to pull the trigger, we heard a loud noise, and it turned out that Adolph accidentally stepped on a dry branch. The deer immediately became alert, turned around, and ran away. We could only watch it disappear into the darkness.
- On the second night, we found a group of wild boars foraging on a grassy field. We counted with night vision binoculars and found that there were about a dozen wild boars, including several large and strong ones. We decided to try to hunt one of the big wild boars, so we dispersed and surrounded them from different directions. Augustine and I approached them from left and right, while Adolph approached them from behind. When we were about 30 meters away, we fired at them simultaneously, hitting several wild boars. The other wild boars were frightened and ran away in all directions. One of the big wild boars rushed towards Adolph, who was startled and quickly retreated, but the big wild boar was fast, and soon caught up with him. Adolph shot desperately, but did not hit the vital spot. Augustine and I saw this, and quickly fired to help Adolph. After a fierce exchange of fire, we finally brought down the big wild boar, which fell heavily to the ground and did not move. Although Adolph was not injured, he was frightened and covered in cold sweat. We went over to check the big wild boar, and found that it was fat and strong with sharp tusks, making it a good trophy.
During our hunting trip, we experienced the benefits and effectiveness of night vision binoculars. They allowed us to clearly see the positions and movements of animals in the dark, making it easier for us to aim and shoot. Night vision binoculars also allowed us to appreciate the natural beauty of the night, such as the stars, moon, and trees. They also helped us identify and avoid potential dangers, such as snakes and hedgehogs. Overall, night vision binoculars made our hunting trip more enjoyable and safe.
While hunting in Auburn, we also took the time to explore and taste the local attractions and cuisine. Auburn is a vibrant and charming city with many places worth seeing and foods worth trying. We visited the following places in Auburn:
Chewacla State Park: This is a 696-acre state park with many natural and man-made landscapes, such as waterfalls, lakes, streams, hills, and forests. We walked, biked, boated, fished, picnicked, and enjoyed the beauty of nature here.
Jordan-Hare Stadium: This is a football stadium located on the campus of Auburn University, which can accommodate 87,451 spectators and is one of the largest football stadiums in the United States. We visited the home of the Auburn Tigers and experienced the atmosphere of football culture.
Toomer’s Corner: This is a famous intersection in downtown Auburn with two hundred-year-old oak trees. Whenever the Auburn Tigers win a game, people decorate the oak trees with white toilet paper to celebrate. We took many photos here and tasted the signature lemonade at Toomer’s Drugs.
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art: This is an art museum located on the campus of Auburn University, which collects many American and European artworks, including oil paintings, sculptures, ceramics, etc. We admired artworks of various styles and periods here and learned about art history.
We also tasted the following foods in Auburn:
BBQ: This is one of the specialties of Alabama, where meat (such as pork, beef, chicken, etc.) is cooked on a grill or smoker to make it tender and juicy, and then served with different flavors of sauce (such as tomato sauce, vinegar sauce, etc.). We had a hearty BBQ lunch at Mike & Ed’s Bar-B-Q and loved their sweet and spicy sauce.
Fried Chicken: This is another specialty of Alabama, where chicken (usually whole or cut into pieces) is coated with flour and spices, and then fried in oil until golden and crispy. We had a fried chicken takeout at Price’s Barbecue House, and paired it with mashed potatoes and cornbread.
Pecan Pie: This is a traditional dessert of Alabama, made with pecans, corn syrup, butter, and eggs for filling, and baked on a pie crust.
Our visit to Auburn allowed us to experience the charm and style of this city, not only enjoying the natural and cultural landscapes but also tasting the authentic and delicious food. We left a deep impression on Auburn and strengthened our friendship.
In conclusion, our hunting trip to Auburn was an unforgettable experience. We hunted for two days at Freedom Hills WMA, saw many wild animals, experienced many interesting and exciting things, and also got many trophies. Night vision binoculars allowed us to see clearly in the dark, improving our hunting efficiency and safety. We also visited many attractions and tasted many foods in Auburn, experiencing the charm and style of this city. We strongly recommend night vision binoculars to all hunting enthusiasts. They will make your hunting trip more interesting and safe. We are very grateful to night vision binoculars, which are the best companions of our hunting trip.
