Maoshan is a famous Taoist mountain in Jiangsu Province, China, located at the junction of Jurong City and Jintan District, with the reputation of “the first blessed land and the eighth heavenly paradise”. Maoshan not only has a long history of Taoist culture and mysterious legends, but also has beautiful scenery and rich wild animal resources. This Spring Festival, my two good friends Marsh Bridges and Arlen Hobson and I decided to go hunting in Maoshan, experience traditional Chinese hunting culture, and also test our newly purchased night vision binoculars.
We chose the wildguarder brand from Shenzhen, China, and their owler1 night vision binoculars are claimed to be the most advanced night vision equipment on the market, which can observe distant targets clearly in the dark and take videos and photos, very suitable for hunting enthusiasts. We ordered three pairs of night vision binoculars online and received them before departure. We opened the package and found that the night vision binoculars were light and stylish, equipped with a strap and a protective cover, convenient to carry and use. We couldn’t wait to try them out.
We took the train from Nanjing to Jurong City, and then took a bus to Maoshan Scenic Area. We found a homestay in the scenic area and consulted the boss about some information about Maoshan. The boss told us that Maoshan has nine peaks, and the main peak is Damao Peak, with an altitude of 372.5 meters. There are many Taoist temples and monasteries on Maoshan, among which the most famous are Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace, Yuanfu Wanning Palace, and Qianyuan Temple. These Taoist temples and monasteries are the places for Taoist believers and tourists to worship, and also the representatives of Maoshan Taoist culture. The boss also told us that there are many wild animals on Maoshan, such as wild boars, wild rabbits, pheasants, ducks, deer, foxes, etc., but there are also some dangerous animals, such as venomous snakes, wild wolves, leopards, etc. He suggested that we should not enter the deep mountains at will, pay attention to safety, and abide by local laws and regulations.
The next morning, after breakfast, we took our night vision binoculars and hunting guns, and started our Maoshan hunting trip. We walked along the trail in the scenic area for a while, and saw the main peak of Maoshan, Damao Peak. There is a huge Laojun outdoor statue on Damao Peak, which is a landmark building of Maoshan and also a place for Taoist believers to worship. We climbed to Damao Peak, visited the Laojun outdoor statue, and felt the Taoist culture and mysterious atmosphere of Maoshan. The Laojun outdoor statue is a 33-meter-high bronze statue of Laozi, which is currently the largest Laozi statue in the world. Behind the statue is a huge stone tablet with the full text of the Dao De Jing inscribed on it. We took photos in front of the statue and continued to walk along the mountain road.
Along the way, we enjoyed the natural scenery of Maoshan, seeing many exotic flowers, plants, and animals. We also met some local villagers who were very hospitable and introduced us to the customs and cuisine of Maoshan. They said that Maoshan has many unique local snacks such as Maoshan tofu, Maoshan cake, Maoshan chicken, and Maoshan fish, all made from fresh local ingredients and delicious. They even invited us to their homes to try some, but we politely declined as we wanted to find a hunting spot as soon as possible.
After walking for about two hours, we arrived at a dense forest. This was the deep part of Maoshan, rarely visited by people, with only small paths leading in different directions. We decided to search for our hunting targets here and try out our night vision binoculars. We put on the binoculars, turned them on, and saw a whole new world. The night vision binoculars can magnify faint light thousands of times and display it as a green image in front of our eyes. This way, we could clearly see the environment and animals around us in the dark. The night vision binoculars can also adjust focus and brightness to adapt to different distances and lighting conditions. They also have a special feature of taking videos and photos, which we used to record our hunting process and achievements to share with others.
We quietly walked in the forest, occasionally using the night vision binoculars to observe the surroundings and finding many traces and sounds of wild animals. Sometimes we saw small animals such as squirrels, hedgehogs, and mice jumping or foraging in the trees. Sometimes we heard big animals such as wild boars, rabbits, and chickens running or calling in the grass. We were excited but also cautious not to disturb them or encounter dangerous animals. We used the night vision binoculars to take some videos and photos, recording our discoveries.
After walking for about half an hour, we arrived at an open space. This was a grassland surrounded by low trees and bushes. We thought this was an ideal hunting ground, so we found a concealed spot and prepared to ambush. We adjusted the night vision binoculars to the best state and waited. Soon, we saw a group of wild ducks flying over the sky and landing on the grassland. Wild ducks are a delicious game and one of our hunting targets. We were immediately excited but held back our impulses not to expose our location. We aimed at a duck quietly and fired at the same time. Bang! Bang! Our bullets hit the target accurately. We saw the duck struggle for a few seconds and fall to the ground. We cheered and quickly ran over to pick up the duck. We used the night vision binoculars to take a photo as a keepsake. We put the duck in a backpack and continued to search for other hunting targets.
We waited on the grassland for a while and then saw a wild rabbit jump out of the bushes. Wild rabbit is also a delicious game and one of our hunting targets. We immediately got excited but remained calm so as not to let the rabbit detect us. We quietly aimed at the wild rabbit and then fired at the same time. Two gunshots rang out, and our bullets hit the target accurately. We saw the wild rabbit scream in pain and fall to the ground. We cheered happily, quickly ran over, and picked up the wild rabbit. We took a photo with our night vision binoculars as a souvenir and put the wild rabbit in our backpack before continuing to search for other hunting targets.
We waited on the grassland for a while longer and then saw a wild chicken fly out of the woods. Wild chicken is also a delicious game and one of our hunting targets. We immediately got excited but remained vigilant so as not to let the wild chicken escape. We quietly aimed at the wild chicken and then fired at the same time. Two gunshots rang out, and our bullets hit the target accurately. We saw the wild chicken flutter a few times in the air before falling to the ground. We cheered happily, quickly ran over, and picked up the wild chicken. We took a photo with our night vision binoculars as a souvenir and put the wild chicken in our backpack before continuing to search for other hunting targets.
In this way, we hunted on the grassland for over an hour and harvested three wild ducks, two wild rabbits, and a wild chicken. We felt that was enough and decided to return to the inn. We closed and packed up our night vision binoculars before carrying our backpacks and retracing our steps. We were excited all the way back, constantly discussing our hunting experience and achievements. We also sent the videos and photos we took to other friends to share our joy.
When we returned to the inn, we handed our game to the owner to process and cook for us. The owner was very happy and praised our hunting skills and the freshness of the game. He said he would use the unique Maoshan cooking method to make us a delicious wild game feast. We looked forward to it and waited in the inn’s restaurant. Soon, the owner brought out plates of fragrant wild game dishes. There were braised wild ducks, steamed wild rabbits, fried wild chickens, stir-fried vegetables, and more, all made with local seasonings and spices and tasted incredibly fresh. We dug in, eating heartily and complimenting the dishes. The owner also poured us glasses of Maoshan’s special wine called Maoshan Xian Lu. It is a low-alcohol white wine made with unique Maoshan plants and fruits, with a sweet and refreshing taste that aids digestion and invigorates the spirit. We drank a few glasses and felt relaxed and happy.
After finishing the wild game feast, we thanked the boss and paid. The boss also gave us some specialty products from Maoshan, such as Maoshan tea, Maoshan incense, and Maoshan medicine, as a souvenir. We were very touched and politely accepted them, saying goodbye to the boss. Then, we returned to our room to rest. We placed the night vision binoculars on the bedside table and took out the storage card, inserting it into the computer. We opened the computer and watched the videos and photos we had taken, reminiscing about our hunting process and results. We were all very satisfied, feeling that this was an unforgettable Maoshan hunting trip.
The next morning, we packed our bags and checked out of the room. We then took a bus to Jurong Railway Station and took a train back to Nanjing. On the train, we were still discussing our hunting experience from yesterday and thanked Wildguarder’s Owler1 night vision binoculars for giving us such strong support and help. Without them, we would not have been able to hunt in the dark and record these precious footage and memories. We decided that when we go hunting in other places in the future, we will also bring them and recommend them to others.
This was a hunting trip that my two friends and I took in Maoshan, and it was also a night vision hunting trip that we used Wildguarder’s Owler1 night vision binoculars for. We not only enjoyed the beautiful scenery and Taoist culture of Maoshan, but also tasted the local specialty food and drinks, and gained many precious wild game and memories. This was a journey that we will never forget and a journey that made us feel the charm of night vision technology.
