I am a person who loves traveling and exploration. I have two like-minded friends, Colbert Lyly and Kerr Kit. We often go to different places together to seek new and exciting experiences. This March, we decided to go hunting in the Qinchui Peak National Forest Park in Chengde, China. This is a place we have never been to before and a place full of mystery and charm.
Chengde is a historic city in Hebei Province, China. It was once the summer resort of the Qing emperors, with the largest royal garden and temple complex in the world, and is also one of China’s four famous gardens. Chengde not only has rich cultural landscapes, but also magnificent natural scenery, the most striking of which is the Qinchui Peak National Forest Park. Here, there are thousands of rocks competing for beauty, and the Danxia landform is unique and spectacular. There is also the unique and spectacular Qinchui Peak, a 60-meter-high stone column that looks like a stone chime hammer or a washing stick, named by Emperor Kangxi as “Qinchui Peak” and commonly known as “washing stick mountain” by the people.
We were full of curiosity and expectations for this place. We wanted to experience the beauty of traditional Chinese culture and nature here, and we also wanted to find some challenges and fun. We planned to hunt at night, which is a very exciting and dangerous activity that requires professional equipment and skills. We chose the Wildguarder Owler1 night vision binoculars, a powerful, high-performance, and reasonably priced product from a Shenzhen brand in China that can help us see more clearly, farther, and safer in the dark.
This is the reason and purpose of our trip to Chengde Qinchui Peak National Forest Park for hunting. Next, I will describe in detail our experiences and feelings there.
Qinchui Peak National Forest Park is a scenic spot in Chengde City, Hebei Province, located in the northeast suburbs of the city, connected to the World Cultural Heritage Resort and surrounding temples. It features Danxia landforms and integrates Danxia wonders, ecological mountains, and Buddhist holy places. Its main peak, Qinchui Peak, also known as Washing Stick Mountain, is a 59.42-meter-high stone column that is thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, resembling a stone chime hammer or a washing stick, and is a world wonder. In addition to Qinchui Peak, the park also has other attractions such as Toad Stone, Baoshan Temple, and Maxiang Tomb, each with its own characteristics and historical and cultural value. My friends and I came here during the National Day holiday, enjoying the autumn scenery and feeling the natural wonders and cultural spirit. When we climbed to the Qinchui Peak platform and looked out over the panoramic view of the Resort and the outer eight temples, we were all shocked by the spectacular and magical scenery here, and couldn’t help but admire it as a fairyland on earth.
During this hunting trip, my friends and I chose a night vision binoculars, the BUSHNELL Trophy Series 8X32 HD Waterproof Low-Light Night Vision Binoculars. This binoculars has the following advantages: moderate magnification, 8x magnification allows us to observe animals in the distance clearly without causing image jitter or narrow field of view due to high magnification; excellent lenses, using multi-layer coated optical glass lenses can effectively increase light transmission and imaging clarity, even at night can see bright images; waterproof and fogproof, using nitrogen filling and O-ring seal design can prevent water vapor and dust from entering the body, ensuring normal use even in harsh environments; portable and lightweight, weighing only 0.6 kg, small size, convenient for us to carry and operate. We chose this binoculars because of its high cost performance, brand guarantee, complete functions, and suitability for us as novice night hunting enthusiasts.
Our experience of using night vision binoculars for night hunting is as follows: We first determined a suitable time and place for hunting based on online information. The time is between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. because many animals are active at this time and human activity is relatively low; the location is in a forested area far from the city, where there are many traces of wild animals such as wild boars, deer, and yellow deer. We prepared in advance, such as wearing camouflage clothing, applying mosquito and insect repellent, and carrying enough food and water. After we arrived at the destination by car, we began to search for suitable hiding places and pay attention to the direction of the wind to avoid animals smelling our scent. We used night vision binoculars to observe the surrounding environment and look for signs of animal activity, such as footprints, feces, and hair. When we found a place where wild boars appeared, we quietly approached and used a whistle to imitate the sound of wild boars to attract their attention. When a wild boar walked into our firing range, we aimed at its head or heart with a hunting rifle and fired. Since we adjusted the brightness of the display in advance and used high-definition low-light night vision binoculars, we could see the position and movement of the target clearly and hit it accurately. We quickly ran over and confirmed that it was dead, and then dragged it onto the car with a rope. We caught three wild boars in total and felt very excited and satisfied. Our experience of using night vision binoculars for night hunting was very good. It allowed us to see more clearly, safely, and efficiently in the dark. We also gained a lot of achievements and fun, not only exercising our bodies and wills, but also enhancing our friendship and teamwork.
In addition to hunting, we also experienced the local customs and cuisine in Chengde. Chengde is a place with a long history and rich culture. It was once the summer resort of the Qing emperors and has left many famous ancient ruins and scenic spots, such as the Resort, Puning Temple, and Rehe First Bridge. Chengde’s folk customs are also very special, such as horse racing, grassland weddings, and Mongolian songs and dances. Chengde’s festivals are also lively, such as the Ice and Snow Festival, Lantern Festival, and Temple Fair. We visited some historic sites, felt the classical charm and royal style of Chengde, participated in some folk activities, experienced the ethnic customs and grassland scenery of Chengde, and tasted the local cuisine, such as Chengde hot pot, lamb skewers, yogurt, and mare’s milk wine. These foods are made from fresh local ingredients, with delicious taste and rich nutrition. We ate very satisfied and happy. We have gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chengde’s local culture and feel that Chengde is a place worth visiting again and again.
