I am a person who loves nature and adventure, and hunting is one of my favorite leisure activities. I have two like-minded friends, Winston Gregory and Boyce Maugham, who are also my hunting partners. We often explore different places together to hunt and enjoy the intimate contact with wildlife and the thrilling chase.
Last month, we decided to go hunting in Jagodina, Serbia, which was a place we had never been before. We chose Jagodina because we heard that there were abundant wildlife resources such as wild boars, deer, foxes etc., and the scenery there was beautiful with diverse natural and cultural landscapes. We wanted to experience the local customs there, taste their cuisine, and most importantly enjoy the fun of night hunting.
Night hunting is a special way of hunting that requires more skills and patience as well as better equipment preparation. We knew that infrared binoculars were essential tools for night hunting because they could help us see clearly where our prey was located in darkness. We chose Wildguarder‘s infrared binoculars from China because they had excellent cost performance ratio with full functions yet simple operation while being reliable in quality.
This trip to Jagodina was one of our most unforgettable hunting experiences ever. In this article I will share some exciting things we saw, heard about or tasted during our time there so you can feel our joy and excitement too.
Jagodina is a city located in central Serbia which serves as an administrative center for Pomoravlje region. It lies on Belica riverbank belonging to Šumadija geographical area. This city has a long history rich culture along with many attractive sights & activities.
The name “Jagodina” comes from Serbian word “strawberry” (Jagoda) since it used to be known for its strawberry production here once upon a time ago . It was first mentioned back in 1399 in a letter received by Princess Milica, wife of Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović. The second time it was mentioned was in 1411 when the Serbian parliament convened here. After 1458, Jagodina was occupied by the Ottoman Empire.
The geographical location of Jagodina is very advantageous, as it is located on the main road between Belgrade and Niš, not far from both cities. Its climate belongs to a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. Its altitude is 111 meters, its area is 470 square kilometers, and its population is 43,311.
Jagodina has diverse natural and cultural landscapes that leave visitors enchanted. One of the most famous attractions is Aqua Park – a water park with multiple water facilities and amusement projects suitable for families to play together. Another must-visit attraction is Potok Park – a beautiful and romantic park with an artificial waterfall, fountains, sculptures, and gardens. Also not to be missed is Jagodina Zoo – a zoo with various animals and plants including white tigers, lions elephants giraffes among others.
In addition to natural landscapes,Jagodina also has rich cultural heritage activities.The most notable one being Museum of Jagodina which showcases the history & culture of Jagodina from prehistoric times till modern era featuring many precious artifacts & artworks.Another unique museum worth visiting in this city would be Museum of Naïve & Marginal Art showcasing works by self-taught artists or those who are considered outsiders coming from Serbia or other countries.There are also plenty of cultural events & festivals such as music festival,film festival,theatre festival etc.
Jagodina not only boasts beautiful natural scenery but also tantalizing cuisine.In this city,you can taste traditional Serbian dishes as well as local specialties.Whether you’re a meat lover or vegetarian,sweet tooth or spicy food enthusiast,you’ll find something here that suits your taste buds.
Serbian cuisine mainly consists of meat dishes.One of the most famous ones being Ćevapi,a small patty made from beef or lamb usually served in Lepinja bread along with Kajmak (a type of cheese) and onions.Another popular grilled meat dish is Pljeskavica,a large patty made from different types of mixed meats usually served with Kajmak,onions,cheese or ham.This dish is quite filling.
Apart from grilled meat dishes,Serbian cuisine also has other meat dishes such as Sarma – a roll made by wrapping rice and minced meat in sour cabbage leaves then cooked & topped with yogurt or tomato sauce;Gulaš – a thick soup or stew made from beef or lamb with lots of onions and chili peppers;Musaka – a baked dish consisting of layers of potatoes & minced meat covered with egg & cream.
If you don’t eat meat or want something lighter, there are also vegetarian and seafood options available in Jagodina. For example, Prebranac is a baked dish made with white beans and onions; Shopska salata is a salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and white cheese; Riblja čorba is a fish soup made with freshwater fish and vegetables; Pastrmka is grilled trout made from locally sourced fish.
Of course, we can’t forget about desserts. Serbia has many types of sweets, the most famous being Baklava which is a sweet pastry made with layers of thin dough filled with nuts and syrup. Another popular dessert is Krempita which is a cake filled with cream and egg yolk sauce between two layers of thin pastry. If you like fruit, you can also try some local jams such as Slatko which are thick jams made from fruits like strawberries, cherries, plums etc., usually eaten by spoonfuls.
In Jagodina, you can enjoy delicious food at various restaurants and bars. Some recommended places include:
Mali Raj: This restaurant located on the banks of Belica River offers various Serbian and international dishes in an elegant environment with attentive service.
Restaurant R Club: This modern restaurant located in the city center serves high-quality Italian and European cuisine along with a bar and nightclub.
Cafe pizzeria Vetrenjaca: This Italian restaurant located on the outskirts offers delicious pizza along with other Italian foods at reasonable prices in a relaxed atmosphere.
Potok Park: Located inside Potok Park this restaurant serves traditional Serbian dishes along with seafood while offering an artificial waterfall & fountain.
Zar do jaja: A barbecue stall located in the city center that serves fresh & tasty grilled meats & salads at cheap prices.
In Jagodina you can also taste some local drinks. Serbians love beer (Pivo), especially the locally produced Jelen beer. They also enjoy a strong liquor called Rakija, which is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting and distilling different types of fruits such as plum (Šljivovica), cherry (Višnjevača), grape (Lozovača) etc. This drink is potent and can make you feel warm & excited. If you don’t drink alcohol or want something lighter, you can choose from non-alcoholic drinks like coffee (Kafa), tea (Čaj), juice (Sok) etc.
Jagodina’s cuisine is an irresistible temptation that can satisfy your taste buds and appetite while also allowing you to learn about Serbian culture and customs. Here, you can enjoy different types and flavors of food and drinks while experiencing different atmospheres and services. In Jagodina, eat well & have fun!
We spent three days in Jagodina, and went night hunting for two of those days. Night hunting is a very special and exciting experience that allows us to feel the intimacy with wild animals and respect for nature. In this article, I will share with you our process and experience of night hunting.
Firstly, we need to choose suitable equipment. The most important tool for night hunting is an infrared binoculars which enables us to see the position and movement of prey in the dark. We chose a Chinese brand called Wildguarder’s infrared binoculars because it has excellent value for money, complete functions, easy operation, and reliable quality. It has four infrared brightness modes that can be adjusted according to environmental light; it has twice magnification power so we can see more clearly; it has a built-in camera and video function so we can record our hunting experiences; it also has a USB interface and SD card slot so we can transfer pictures or videos to computers or phones. Besides the infrared binoculars, we also need other equipment such as firearms, ammunition, flashlights, compasses, maps etc.
Secondly, we need to search for and track prey. There are many places near Jagodina suitable for hunting such as forests grasslands hills etc., where wild animals may appear frequently. We found an experienced guide who led us through some small paths or bushes at dusk while using the infrared binoculars observing surroundings looking out for animal tracks or hearing their calls or footsteps in darkness until finding appropriate targets then quietly approaching them without alarming them before aiming carefully when close enough then shooting safely.
Finally ,we must hunt safely and legally . Hunting is an activity that requires compliance with rules & ethics not indiscriminate killing of innocent creatures .In Serbia ,hunting requires licenses & permits along with following certain legal provisions & restrictions like not being allowed to hunt protected species ;not exceeding daily or seasonal hunting quotas; not hunting in prohibited areas or times etc. Besides legal provisions, we also need to follow some ethical guidelines and etiquette such as not wasting hunted animals, respecting their lives and bodies; not threatening or causing trouble for other hunters or local residents; not damaging or polluting the environment while hunting. We always try our best to comply with these rules and guidelines during our hunts to ensure safety & responsibility.
We had many interesting experiences and gains from night hunting. We saw many different types of animals of various sizes, some cute, some fierce. We also felt the beauty of nature at night sometimes seeing stars all over the sky ,sometimes moonlight & fireflies .We encountered unexpected situations like being startled by animals sometimes getting lost or taking wrong paths .We also gained some results from hunting sometimes catching large rare prey ,sometimes small common ones .Anyway we brought back what we caught to hotel where chefs cooked us a delicious dinner.
Night hunting is an unforgettable experience that allows us to feel intimacy with wild animals and respect for nature. It has also helped us improve our skills & patience while enhancing friendship & cooperation among ourselves.In Jagodina, we spent a wonderful time full of fulfillment experiencing Serbia’s history,culture,cuisine,& natural beauty.We enjoyed the fun of night hunting feeling close contact with wildlife&respecting nature.
Jagodina is definitely worth visiting because it has many attractive sights & activities along with tempting cuisine.Night Hunting is a special exciting experience that lets people feel different natural beauty&wildlife charm than daytime.I really love Jagodina&night-hunting,I am full of praise&love for them.I hope I will have another chance in future to visit this beautiful magical place again enjoying the pleasure of night-hunting.
