Chapter 278: Tips for Catching Eagles in Winter

It is actually not that difficult to climb up to Jindingzi from the gentle slope below.

On the northwest side of Jindingzi, there is a ridge that slopes upward. This ridge is relatively continuous. Although the distance may be slightly longer if you move along the ridge, the slope is not high and it is okay to climb.

Today’s search and arrest mission has been completed in excess. Yue Feng’s mentality is also quite peaceful. He leads everyone to climb up the main peak of Jindingzi leisurely. While climbing, he observes the surrounding terrain and topography.

Mountain tops are easy to attract birds of prey to gather because the existence of mountains will change the surrounding airflow. Under the influence of this airflow, birds of prey can reduce their physical energy consumption in flying.

If you can maintain a certain flying altitude without expending any effort, it will be of great help in finding food.

Think about it, the vision of an ordinary bird of prey is enough to see a small mouse on the ground several kilometers away. With a higher altitude, it can expand its field of vision and search range, and the success rate of hunting will naturally increase.

From this perspective, if you want to catch an eagle, you can have a small success rate by setting up an eagle-catching area on flat ground or in a valley instead of setting it up on the top of a mountain.

But why not use it?
High mountains are naturally conspicuous and easier for birds of prey to spot. On the contrary, if trap hunting grounds are set up in low places, the probability that the eagle’s view will be blocked by other objects will greatly increase.

This is a question of mathematical probability.

Once you understand the logic behind this, you will have the underlying logic for choosing the location for catching eagles.

It is best to set up the eagle-catching area in a conspicuous location where there are easy updrafts.

In winter, the main cooling force for Changbai Mountain is the cold air blowing from Siberia.

Anyone who has studied geography knows that most of these winds are from the northwest.

According to this calculation, it would be more effective to set up a falcon hunting area on the southeast side of Jindingzi Mountain, which is on the sunny slope.

The eagle circles in the air riding on the air currents and can easily spot the bait set by the eagle handler below, which can greatly increase the probability of successfully catching the eagle.

Of course, this is just the underlying logic. In fact, when choosing a place to hunt eagles, there are many other details that need to be considered.

As Yue Feng walked, he observed whether there was a relatively flat area on the sunny side of the slope, whether there was a small tree or a low stone wall that he could use to build a small hut and hide himself.

The reason why Jindingzi is called Jindingzi is because the mountain is mostly made of stones, with only scattered low shrubs.

Yue Feng and his men climbed to a position about thirty or forty meters from the top of the mountain in one breath, and finally found a good natural terrain.

Near the southeast side of Jindingzi, there is an area of ​​about 30 to 40 square meters that is relatively flat, like an artificially trimmed stone platform, with a lot of broken stones scattered around it.

Gravel and soil are not a big problem. As long as they are moved and tidied up, it will become a nice site.

Behind this place is the main peak of Jindingzi, which can also be described as being sheltered from the wind and facing the sun. The snow on it is much thinner, and when you step on it, the snow crust is obviously softer.

“This is a good place! It’s warm here even when the northwest wind blows, and it’s easy to spot eagles! There are a lot of people here, so just clean up the place and put all the stones here!”

Yue Feng took a rough look and drew a circle with his heel at a place suitable for building a shack.

After the captain gave the order, everyone started to work. The stones were not big and could be easily moved by one person. Several young men worked together and it didn’t take long to finish moving them.

The stones that were moved were piled roughly around the circled area, and they formed a small half wall of the shack.

“I’ll have to bring my tools back and start working! Build a low wall with stones, then smash two sticks to make a frame, and cut some bushes to build a hut!
If you want to catch an eagle, you have to clear the snow on this platform!

It’s best to bring some food up the mountain, and spread some corn and soybeans in advance to attract wild birds!” Yue Feng gestured and spoke roughly.

“Attract wild birds?”

“Yes! When catching eagles in winter, the eagle’s hunting radius is actually quite large. If you rashly set up a place to hunt, it may not be in the eagle’s habitual hunting core area.

Even though you can always see it normally, when you really go to catch it, it is normal that you may not see a single eagle for ten days or half a month!
This method of scattering food to attract wild birds is actually similar to setting up a nest when fishing.

When there is food, wild birds passing by will notice it. If you keep doing this for a few days, more and more wild birds will gather!
With more birds, the probability of an eagle noticing them will naturally be greater!
It becomes natural for an eagle to catch a bird!
Once this breeding ground is gradually mature, you can start setting nets with pigeons, sand chickens, grouse, and other small and medium-sized lures!
If it’s hard to find live wild baits, you can use young chicks from your home. Look for smaller ones, preferably with wings and some red blood on them, so that eagles can more easily spot and attack them! ”

When Yue Feng was marking the positions, everyone, including my second uncle, was paying little attention. But when he got to the core stuff, no one spoke and all their attention was focused on Yue Feng.

“Well, if everything goes well according to the process you mentioned, how long will it take for me to get off the internet?” asked my second uncle curiously.

“About ten days or half a month! This job takes time. If I can see the effect in two or three days, I will definitely leave a few days later and come to the mountain to try it!” Yue Feng said. “So long? Do I need to come up every day?”

“No, tidy up the site in advance, clean up the snow, and then get the shack, stakes and nets ready so that the cold wind can blow away!

It is best to make the newly added items look old. In the eyes of an eagle, bright colors are very eye-catching!
Once the preparations are done, just start scattering food. After the eagle chases the bird a few times, it will slowly relax its vigilance and get used to the surroundings!
Whether it is the Saker Falcon or other eagles in the swamp forest, they are all the top individuals in the population. Don’t underestimate their IQ.

It’s a very simple truth. It’s hard to find food in the mountains in winter. Other species have migrated for the winter, and they have the ability to stay, which in itself shows that they are good enough!

This kind of hawk is also smarter than its ordinary counterparts. If you want to catch them, you have to put in extra effort and make more preparations!

In the winter when eagles do not survive, if you go to a cold place to catch a flat eagle, you need the right time, place and people to have a tiny chance. If you rashly set up the venue and set up the net and want to catch it in a short time, it is basically impossible!

The eagle is not stupid. If there is any slight movement or something wrong, it will lift its wings and disappear!
If safety cannot be guaranteed, let alone tying a pigeon, even if you hang a living person’s brain on it, it won’t come down!”

“Then I’ll be ready. I’ll come up every now and then to spread the food?”

“Yes! Just come up every three or four days! At first, you can wait longer, because birds may not notice it immediately. It takes time! Later, it is best to come up every one or two days!
When more birds come to eat here, it will be too late to squat in the shack! It’s windy and cold on the mountain, so this is not an easy job!”

“It’s an easy job, you have to try it if you have the chance! Where are the positions for driving the piles and setting up the scaffolds you mentioned? I’ll come up with the tools when you get back!”

My second uncle was very determined. They went up the mountain to work together. The performance of the big black eagle gave my second uncle a thorough understanding of falconry. If he could catch a Saker Falcon and train it well, the sables and other fish in the mountain would all be his.

“We’ll leave the day after tomorrow. Let them rest tomorrow. I’ll come up with you again and sort these things out for you!” Yue Feng said.

“That’s fine! Let’s go downstairs! It’s so cold here! We’ll be frozen in no time!”

“Let’s go down the mountain! Go home and find some tire lines to make a shuttle net!”

…………

After a brief exchange and planning, everyone went down the mountain along the original route.

Jindingzi Mountain is really not a good place to be in the winter. It has only been a short while since Yue Feng went up and down, but he felt his hands and feet were numb from the cold.

This was a dry cold that penetrated the bone marrow. The cotton blanket on my hand was of no use at all, as the cold wind could directly penetrate me.

After going down the mountain and moving around in the ditch, the feeling in my hands and feet felt a little better.

Along the way, the second uncle was learning from Yue Feng more about the precautions for hunting eagles, such as when to catch an eagle, what time to shoot, how to operate and how to react if an eagle comes, etc.

The brothers in the hunting team and the second uncle were not outsiders, so Yue Feng told his second uncle everything he knew, including some tricks without reservation. The more the old man listened, the brighter his eyes became, and he couldn’t wait to build a shack tomorrow and compete with eagles in the mountains.

It was almost five o’clock when we got home in the afternoon. Today was much more tiring than the previous two days. We had to drive the cart manually and climb the mountain, which made everyone very tired.

But when I got home and leaned against the warm wall for a while, the coldness in my body was dispelled. After eating something and drinking some hot water, I felt warm all over.

On the way back, Yue Feng kept thinking about how to help his second uncle perfect a way to make people more comfortable when they went to the shack in the mountains.

After returning home and warming myself by the fire for a while, I couldn’t sit still anymore and started walking around the warehouse.

In rural areas, this warehouse is roughly equivalent to a place where unused items are placed in the home. People are reluctant to throw away anything, but they may not need it for the time being, so they will put it in the warehouse.

After all, this is a common problem in the era of material scarcity. Everything is good and people are reluctant to throw anything away.

Yue Feng searched the warehouse for a long time and found a tin bucket in the corner with rusted edges and a broken handle on one side.

This iron bucket is very old. Yuefeng used it when he came to his grandmother’s house when he was a child. It was broken because it had been used for too many years, and it became rusty after being left for a period of time.

Yue Feng took out the tin bucket.

If you want to stay in the shack, you definitely need something to keep you warm.

It’s it!
There was a happy event at home, I was so busy that I mixed up my notes and thought I had asked for leave. I will update another chapter when I have time in the evening. Please forgive me.

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(End of this chapter)