I have always been interested in hunting, but due to the busy work and life, I rarely have the opportunity to practice. Last month, I finally seized a rare opportunity and went to Longtan Grand Canyon National Forest Park in Guangxi with two friends, Lionel Virginia and Matt Pritt.
Lionel Virginia is my college classmate. He is a person who loves adventure and challenge. He has traveled and explored many countries and regions, and has a strong interest and rich experience in hunting. Matt Pritt is my colleague. He is a technical expert who likes to try various novel and interesting devices and tools. He also has his own insights and creativity in hunting. We are all hunting enthusiasts, but our styles and methods are different.
Why did we choose to go to Longtan Grand Canyon National Forest Park in Guangxi for hunting? This is because this is one of the largest primitive forests in China, with rich and diverse animal and plant resources, as well as spectacular and beautiful natural landscapes. Here we can not only feel the charm of nature, but also challenge our limits and experience different hunting methods than usual. We decided to have a night hunting adventure here, for which we specially prepared some special equipment and tools, the most important of which is night vision binoculars.
Longtan Grand Canyon National Forest Park is our hunting destination. It is located in Tian’e County, Hechi City, Guangxi, only 6 kilometers away from the county seat. This is one of the largest primitive forests in China, with rich and diverse animal and plant resources, as well as spectacular and beautiful natural landscapes. Here we can not only feel the charm of nature, but also challenge our limits and experience different hunting methods than usual.
We booked tickets and accommodation for the scenic area online, and then took the scenic area shuttle bus from Tian’e County. Along the way, we enjoyed the scenery outside the window, saw the rolling mountains, the clear flowing Hongshui River, and various fields and villages. The ethnic customs and countryside of Guangxi are very charming.
After arriving at the scenic area, we first went to the tourist reception center, received tickets and maps, and then started our exploration journey. There are many attractions worth seeing in the scenic area, such as Longtan Grand Canyon, Rare Plant Garden of Grand Canyon, Dragon Ridge Sky Road, Qingyun Observation Deck, etc. We walked along the trails or took sightseeing buses to visit and feel the magic and beauty of the forest park.
Longtan Grand Canyon is the core attraction of the scenic area. It is a canyon that is 300 meters deep and 10 kilometers long formed by the erosion of the Hongshui River. The two sides of the canyon are typical karst peaks and karst landforms, with different shapes and forms. We stood on the canyon viewing platform, overlooking the entire canyon, or looking down at the Hongshui River winding through the canyon. We marveled at the nature’s craftsmanship, and also admired the human ability to build such a viewing platform.
The rare plant garden in the Grand Canyon is the most ecologically valuable place in the scenic area. It is a botanical garden that integrates popular science education, ecological protection, and tourism. There are nearly 30 kinds of national first and second class protected plants, such as Dendrobium, Camellia, Palm-leaf Wood, Ren Bean, Happy Tree, Blood Serum, etc. These plants have unique shapes and functions, some can be used as medicine, some can be eaten, some can be made into handicrafts. Under the guidance of the tour guide, we learned about the characteristics and uses of these plants, and also picked some as souvenirs.
In addition to these attractions, we also visited places such as Longji Sky Road, Qingyun Observation Deck, etc. Longji Sky Road is a glass plank road hanging on the mountainside, about 300 meters long and 200 meters high. Walking on it is like walking in the air, you can see the scenery below the mountain, and also feel the wind blowing and the heartbeat speeding up. Qingyun Observation Deck is a circular platform located on the top of the mountain, where you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the entire scenic area, and also overlook the Tian’e County and Eri Lake. We played in the scenic area for a whole day and felt very fulfilled and happy. I was impressed by the natural scenery and ecological environment here, and also full of expectations for the hunting conditions here. So, I decided to start our hunting trip early the next morning. For this we specially prepared some special equipment and tools, the most important of which is infrared binoculars.
This hunting trip has a special challenge, that is, we have to do it at night. Night hunting has a different charm and difficulty from daytime hunting. It can allow us to better observe and approach some nocturnal animals, and also let us feel the mystery and excitement in the dark. However, night hunting also has a lot of risks and inconveniences, because human vision will be greatly reduced in the dark, it is difficult to distinguish direction and details, and it is easy to encounter danger and difficulty.
To solve this problem, we decided to buy some night vision binoculars to help us hunt at night. Night vision binoculars are a kind of binoculars that can see objects clearly in the dark. They use a technology called image intensifier, which can collect and amplify weak light, such as moonlight, starlight or infrared light. In this way, we can see an image with increased brightness, contrast, and color changed to green or black and white through night vision binoculars.
We searched online for a lot of information about night vision binoculars and found various brands and models with prices ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of yuan. According to our needs and budget, we chose cost-effective night vision binoculars, which is WildGuarder Owler1. This night vision binoculars have the following features:
- High Performance: Achieves clear view up to OWELR1 optical zoom and 4X digital zoom allowing to zoom in or zoom out.
- Multifunctional: 3.9″ large view screen with high definition for binocular, which has photo, video and replay functions.
- Support Day or Night Use: Digital night vision binocular for both day and nighttime use. Built-in 5W infrared LED and 850nm illuminator, allows viewing in the dark up to 500m/546yard.And IR light for easy adjustment.
- Ergonomic Design: 32G TF card included can enlarge the storage for your photos and videos. You can connect to computer with USB cable (included) to store/view photos and videos.
- Mountable Tripod Design: Features a threaded tripod mount for securing to your tripod (not included).
- Portable: Comes with an adjustable neck strap and a carry bag (color by random). Easy to use with 8 x AA batteries (not included) or your power bank (not included).
After placing the order online, we received the night vision binoculars soon. We followed the steps in the manual to set up and test it, and found it very easy to use, with clear and stable images and simple and convenient operation. We couldn’t wait to use it for night hunting.
The destination for night hunting is Guangxi Longtan Grand Canyon National Forest Park, which is a tourist attraction that integrates natural scenery, geological wonders, and biodiversity. There are 26 kinds of national first and second class protected plants, 382 kinds of terrestrial vertebrates, among which there are more than 30 kinds of rare animals. It is a treasure trove of species and a popular science base for animals and plants. We hope to see some nocturnal animals here, such as civets, flying cats, macaques, etc., maybe we can also encounter some rare wild animals, such as pheasants, musk deer, etc.
We arrived at Longtan Grand Canyon National Forest Park before dark. We first stayed in a farmhouse in the scenic area and enjoyed a delicious farmhouse meal. After eating and drinking enough, we carried the necessary equipment such as night vision binoculars, flashlights, knives, ropes, etc., as well as some dry food and water. Following the advice of the local guide, we chose a relatively safe and easy-to-observe route and walked along the Julong Grand Canyon.
Julong Grand Canyon is one of the main attractions of Longtan Grand Canyon National Forest Park. It is 15 kilometers long and 800-1000 meters deep. The mountains on both sides are majestic and steep, and the river surface is golden like a giant dragon lying quietly. During the day, this is a magnificent scenery. At night, this becomes a mysterious world. We used night vision binoculars to observe the surroundings and found many interesting scenes. We saw some civets hanging on the trees. They had flexible skills and cute faces, enjoying the fruits on the trees. We saw some flying cats with beautiful stripes and long tails jumping from one tree to another; and some macaques with gray-white fur and red buttocks playing around. We also saw squirrels, hedgehogs, rabbits, nightjars and some small mammals and birds.
We not only saw these common animals, but also had the luck to encounter some rare animals. Such as pheasants shining with colorful feathers under the moonlight, musk deer emitting a strong fragrance in the grass. We even saw leopards lurking quietly on the hillside. These animals made us feel surprised and excited, and also made us feel the wonder and charm of nature.
After observing various nocturnal animals, we began to look for suitable prey. The target is some animals with delicious meat, rich nutrition, and large numbers, such as wild boars, pheasants, wild ducks, etc. We used night vision binoculars to search for a while and found a group of wild boars drinking water by the river. We decided to seize this opportunity and approach them quietly.
We divided into two groups, one from the left and one from the right, encircling the wild boars. We tried to step on the soft grassland to avoid making noise. We also used trees and rocks as cover to prevent being discovered. We communicated with gestures and eyes to keep in sync and coordinated. When we were still tens of meters away from the wild boars, we stopped and prepared to attack.
We took out knives and ropes and waited for the guide’s signal. The guide observed the wind direction and terrain and determined the best time. He waved his hand to us, indicating that we should start acting. We immediately rushed out and roared at the wild boars. The wild boars were disturbed and ran around trying to escape. We quickly narrowed the distance and chose the largest wild boar as our target. We attacked it from both sides, leaving it nowhere to escape. We stabbed it with knives at its vital parts, making it lose resistance. We tied its limbs with ropes and dragged it aside. We successfully completed the task of night hunting.
We brought the wild boar back to the farmhouse and asked the boss’s wife to help us process and cook it. The boss’s wife was very enthusiastic and prepared a table of rich game dishes for us. We sat together, tasting our hunting results, feeling the tenderness and aroma of wild boar meat. We chatted, drank wine, and had a pleasant night.
Night hunting was an unforgettable experience. It let us see different natural scenery and animal world from daytime, and also let us feel the mystery and excitement in the dark. We used night vision binoculars to overcome the obstacle of darkness and discovered many interesting and precious scenes. We also exercised our courage and skills and achieved our hunting goals. This night hunting made us love nature more and cherish life more. This is a trip worth remembering and recommending.
