As a hunting enthusiast, I always enjoy searching for new hunting locations and challenges with my friends Cecil Irving and Yehudi Eva. We like to hunt in different environments and conditions, experiencing different animals and landscapes. Last week, we chose Camden, Alabama as our destination because we heard there are many excellent hunting spots and abundant wildlife there. Since we wanted to experience the thrill of night hunting, we chose night vision binoculars as our essential equipment. Night vision binoculars allow us to see targets clearly in the dark, improving our hunting efficiency and safety. In this article, I will share our experiences and feelings on our hunting trip in Camden, as well as the advantages and usage of night vision binoculars. I will also introduce the other attractions we visited and the delicious food we tasted in Camden, allowing you to feel the charm and atmosphere of Camden.
We chose Camden as our hunting destination because there are many excellent hunting spots and abundant wildlife there. There are multiple Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) near Camden, which are managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) or the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), providing public hunting opportunities. We checked the location, size, type, hunting permission, and harvest survey information of each WMA online and decided to go hunting at Millers Ferry Lodge. This is a hunting lodge located in Wilcox County, near the Alabama River, covering 2000 acres and allowing hunting of large and small animals. We booked a hunting package before departure and checked in upon arrival at the lodge. We followed the rules and regulations of the lodge and WMA, such as hunting season and bag limits, legal hunting methods, and restrictions on nearby residential areas.
Since we wanted to experience the thrill 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 startled.
- They allow us to aim and shoot targets more accurately, improving our hunting efficiency and safety.
- They allow us to appreciate the natural scenery at night, such as the stars, moon, and trees.
- They make it easier for us to identify and avoid potential dangers, such as snakes and hedgehogs.
Using night vision binoculars is simple, just follow these steps:
Place the night vision binoculars in front of your eyes and adjust the eye distance wheel to fit the eye cups 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 make the target image suitable for viewing. Use the middle knob to adjust the infrared light intensity to make the target image brighter or darker.
We hunted at Millers Ferry Lodge for two days, resting during the day and leaving at night. We brought our guns, ammunition, night vision binoculars, and other necessities, followed the hotel guide, and went to the hunting ground of the WMA. We encountered many interesting and exciting things during the hunting, such as:
We saw a mountain lion on the first night, quietly stalking a deer. We watched them for a while with the night vision binoculars and then decided to try to hunt the mountain lion. We approached them cautiously, but the mountain lion was very sensitive and soon discovered us. It gave up on the deer and pounced on us instead. We immediately fired, hitting the mountain lion’s body. The mountain lion let out a painful cry and then fell to the ground, motionless. We went over to check the mountain lion and found that it was strong, had yellow-brown fur, and sharp teeth, making it a rare trophy.
On the second night, we found a group of turkeys feeding in a forest. We counted with the night vision binoculars and found that there were about twenty turkeys, including several male turkeys with beautiful feathers and long beards. We decided to try to hunt one of the male turkeys, so we slowly approached them. When we were about 20 meters away, we stopped and prepared to shoot. Just as we were about to pull the trigger, we heard a car horn, and it turned out that the hotel guide had come to pick us up. The turkeys were scared and flew into the woods. We could only pack up our things and follow the guide back to the hotel.
We felt the role and effect of the night vision binoculars during the hunting. The night vision binoculars allowed us to clearly see the position and movement of the animals in the dark, making it easier for us to aim and shoot. The night vision binoculars also allowed us to appreciate the natural scenery at night, such as the sky, moon, trees, etc. The night vision binoculars also made it easier for us to identify and avoid potential dangers, such as poisonous snakes and hedgehogs. In short, the night vision binoculars made our hunting trip more interesting and safe.
In addition to hunting in Camden, we did not forget to visit and taste the local attractions and cuisine. Camden is a city full of history and culture, with many places worth seeing and food worth tasting. We visited the following places in Camden:
Battleship New Jersey: This is a warship that participated in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War. It is now docked on the Delaware River and is open to the public as a museum. We visited various parts of the warship, such as the deck, bridge, turret, and engine room, and learned about the history and stories of the warship.
Adventure Aquarium: This is an aquarium with more than 8,500 aquatic animals, located on Camden Waterfront. We enjoyed various marine creatures here, such as sharks, dolphins, penguins, and turtles, and watched 3D movies and animal performances.
Walt Whitman House: This is a historic building that was once the residence of the famous American poet Walt Whitman. We visited Whitman’s bedroom, living room, study, and appreciated his poetry and manuscripts.
Ulysses Wiggins Waterfront Park: This is a park located on Camden Waterfront, with many green spaces and trails, where you can enjoy the scenery of the Delaware River and Philadelphia. We walked, took photos, and visited monuments such as the Merchant Marine Memorial and Petty’s Island Monument.
We tasted the following foods in Camden:
BBQ: This is one of the specialties of Alabama, which uses a grill or smoker to cook meat (such as pork, beef, chicken, etc.) into juicy and tender delicacies, paired with different flavors of sauce (such as tomato sauce, vinegar sauce, etc.). Alabama’s barbecue sauce has a unique feature, which is the addition of white cream sauce, making the meat more tender. We had a hearty BBQ dinner at Millers Ferry Lodge and liked their sweet and spicy sauce.
Fried Chicken: This is another specialty food of Alabama, where chicken (usually whole or cut into pieces) is wrapped in flour and spices and then deep-fried until golden and crispy. This method originated from African slaves and was later widely accepted by white people in the South. We had a takeout of fried chicken at Price’s Barbecue House, paired with mashed potatoes and cornbread.
Pecan Pie: This is a traditional dessert in Alabama, made with pecans, corn syrup, butter, and eggs, placed on a pie crust and baked until golden brown. Pecans are one of Alabama’s main agricultural products, so this pie is also popular with locals. We bought a freshly baked pecan pie at Priester’s Pecans and enjoyed its rich sweetness.
In addition to these three foods, there are many other delicious foods worth trying in Alabama, such as boiled peanuts, crab cakes, cream cheese cake, etc. If you have the opportunity to come to Alabama, you might as well try the authentic flavors here!
