My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 156 The Leopard

"Wow, there are quite a few birds in this pond."

"Fugui, quickly call the dogs over here. Don't make a sound. Let's beat a few of them, and we'll have lunch today."

Indeed, in addition to white cranes and swans, this wetland is also home to wild ducks, blue geese, and other water birds. You can see quite a few of them through the reeds, and there are even more that you can't see further in.

"No, this puddle is too big. Even if we manage to hit it, we won't be able to get across if we fall in..."

"You can't just wander into the puddles in the mountains. If you get stuck somewhere, you won't be able to get out."

"Damn it, now that you've said that, even the wild boar has run away?"

This wetland is quite large. Although Heiwa and Xiaojin haven't stopped causing trouble, the wild boars clearly went through the wetland and headed to the opposite mountain. They like this kind of place and can easily cross over, but humans can't.

Given the current situation, there's no need to build a bamboo raft; by then, the wild boars would have already disappeared.

Everyone felt disheartened.

Just then, Chen Ling's heart tightened.

The two dogs beside him also instantly perked up their ears, their eyes shining brightly as they stared in one direction, slowly baring their teeth.

Almost in the blink of an eye, a golden figure silently appeared among the reeds by the water, swooping down towards the flock of water birds. With a splash, water sprayed everywhere, followed by a series of terrified "caw caws." Amidst the commotion, the reeds shook violently, and white reed fluff scattered everywhere.

Countless birds flew and hopped about in the reeds, with white cranes, swans, wild ducks, and various other birds whose names I didn't know scattering in all directions.

Everyone was startled and hurriedly grabbed their guns to prepare for battle.

The dogs barked wildly and charged forward.

But by then it was too late...

The beast was as swift as lightning. Seizing a white crane that was still flapping its wings erratically, it leaped onto a tree and disappeared into the dense forest as the branches and leaves swayed.

"Wang Wang Wang! Wang Wang!"

The dogs barked wildly, and Heiwa and Xiaojin were even more furious, staring at the tall bushes on the opposite mountain, whimpering anxiously.

They could still seem to see the beast.

However, due to the vast wetlands separating them, it was impossible to catch up in time.

"Brother Xian, what's that? Where did it come from?"

The young men hadn't noticed anything amiss when this guy suddenly appeared, and they were quite startled.

"do not know."

Wang Lixian frowned and looked at it, but he still couldn't see it clearly.

He then turned to Chen Ling and asked, "Fu Gui, where are you? Did you see that?"

Chen Ling only said that he vaguely saw a shadow, not much bigger than a mongrel, with golden fur that was similar in color to the withered yellow reeds. It looked similar to a leopard, but it didn't have the spots of a leopard.

He also found it quite strange.

This time when I came into the mountains, there were many things I had heard of but never seen, so I was quite confused at first glance.

"From what you're saying, it must be a leopard..."

Wang Lixian pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Smaller than a leopard, but looks like one, it's probably this thing."

"I didn't expect that we'd see leopards in Kinmen Village, and now we're seeing them here too. It seems like there are fewer hunters these days, and these creatures are appearing more often."

"A leopard?"

"Isn't that the old mammoth that the older generation talked about!"

The group looked at each other, and the younger ones were a little scared.

Compared to catching dogs, they grew up listening to stories about leopards and knew how dangerous they were.

Earth leopard, old mammoth tiger, grass leopard...

Anyway, this thing has many names, all of which are just to scare little kids. Apart from hunters who often go into the mountains, very few people have actually seen it.

"That's the thing. Everyone be careful. After nightfall tonight, don't go far when you need to poop or pee."

Chen Dazhi's expression also turned serious.

"It's hard to guard against leopards. Why do those people from Kinmen Village run into our mountains? It's because they're afraid that the dogs they bring at night won't be reliable and that leopards will get close to them."

"Don't think I'm just trying to scare you. If this thing gets close, you're dead. You won't even have time to fire a gun..."

Hearing this, everyone dared not be careless and responded in unison.

Actually, the earth leopard is not a leopard. They are two sizes smaller than leopards, but they can dig burrows and build nests in trees. They come and go without a trace and make no sound when they walk.

If it sets its sights on you, it can follow you everywhere. When it attacks, it sneaks up to you so quietly that you can't even see where it comes from. It's even more dangerous than a jackal.

Chen Ling had heard his father, Chen Juncai, mention several times that in the more remote mountains, the mountain people called the leopard "mountain tiger," and that one of the tiger's three cubs would be a tiger.

Although much of it is based on misinformation, it is enough to show how powerful this thing is.

"Sigh, the people in the mountains are all people you can't mess with. They make you live in fear and unease, and you can't find peace anywhere you go..."

"Haha, what are you afraid of? Wild animals aren't actually that scary. You're afraid of it, but it's afraid of you too. There's an old saying that if you try to fight a wolf with a stick, both sides will be afraid. That's the point. Didn't I tell you not to go far at night and not to be alone?"

"Wild animals also know that it's not good to mess with a lot of people, so they only target the weak and vulnerable when they are alone."

Chen Dazhi spoke to the others.

Chen Ling and Wang Lixian continued searching for traces of prey in the surrounding area.

However, the gains were minimal.

Heiwa and Xiaojin were still obsessed with the smell of wild boar, but judging from their reaction, the wild boar was still on the opposite mountain, and it would be difficult to get there. There were also leopards around, so no one wanted to go anymore.

Wang Lixian said, "Then let's head southeast, go down Eagle Claw Ridge, and go around this big pond before we talk."

No one had any objections to this.

We slowly walked down Eagle Claw Ridge, and by noon we were almost back at the same spot as yesterday morning.

But it's still quite a distance from that stream.

The dogs, carrying no weight, seemed to have better stamina than humans. They hopped and skipped along, sniffing around, either startling mountain birds in the trees or scaring away snakes hiding in the forest behind Heiwa and Xiaojin.

Soon, Xiao Jin sped up and ran to a thick oak tree.

There are several clumps of wild animal droppings here. You can see many cracks on these droppings, and some of them look like black lumps of coal.

Wang Lixian walked over, bent down to pick up a piece, gently crushed it, and rolled it in his hand.

He then handed it to Chen Ling: "This feces stinks terribly. It's left by wild animals that eat meat. But there are grass seeds and fruit shells inside, no bone fragments, and no fur from wild animals. This is what happens when someone eats both vegetables and meat."

“Look at this dung ball again, it’s not a dung strip, it’s clearly wild boar dung.”

Chen Ling looked at it carefully, smelled it again, and remembered the scent.

He understood that Wang Lixian was teaching him.

He secretly memorized that the droppings of carnivorous wild animals are smellier, but the presence of plant residue in the droppings proves that they are omnivorous wild animals that do not discriminate between meat and plants. He then used the shape of the droppings to identify the species of wild animals.

Chen Dazhi also stepped forward and picked up a lump: "It still feels a bit damp and soft, but there aren't any footprints here, so it must have been there for quite a while. Let's eat first. We didn't eat this morning, and our stomachs are growling after walking for so long..."

Freshly left droppings are wet and soft, but there should also be wild boar footprints around them. If you can't see them now, it means a long time has passed. The droppings only softened again after it rained.

"Let's eat first. There's nothing to be discouraged about. It just rained in the mountains yesterday, so this is the best time to catch wild animals by following the fresh footprints."

Wang Lixian looked up and glanced around.

After descending the mountain, you'll reach the stream from yesterday. However, many wild animals drink there around midday, so if you approach too hastily, they'll be startled and won't come back to drink for a while. Moreover, it's difficult to track away the frightened prey.

So they discussed it with the others and decided to just find a place in the woods to have a simple meal to fill their stomachs.

No one had any objections. After a quick lunch, they cleaned up the game.

There are now five grass deer, one muntjac, one sika deer, one musk deer, more than ten pheasants and rabbits, and three wild ducks. It seems like a lot, but it's still not enough to go around.

Why? Because their seventh team had the most people.

There was no other way; after dinner, no one was idle anymore.

So they continued following Wang Lixian towards the stream.

Upon reaching the stream, there were indeed many traces of prey after the rain, and the fresh hoof prints were very obvious.

The smaller ones had rows of tiny paw prints resembling mice, the larger ones were the size of eggs, and the largest ones were even the size of fists. Wang Lixian went forward to take a look and let the dog sniff the scent. He then discovered that the prints were on all four sides of the mountain, in every direction, and it was impossible to tell whether they were near or far.

Chen Ling suggested, "If it's not easy to chase them up the mountain, then set traps. There are quite a few wild animals that come here to drink water."

"Yes, that's a good idea."

Wang Lixian nodded and told everyone to take out the animal traps they had brought.

Then, the trap was smeared twice with the droppings of various wild animals to cover up the rusty smell.

Then find a suitable place and put each clip in its place.

It could be under a tree not far from the water, or near bushes or hillsides.

"Fugui, and Yuqiang, bring out your weapons, let's set up a few more traps and dig a few more snares..."

"it is good."

Chen Ling did as instructed and took out the condom.

Yu Qiang then took a hoe.

The snare was made of tough, sturdy cowhide rope. It was fixed to the tree, and then a mechanism was set up using branches or bamboo strips.

The location of the trap was quite clever.

When used in conjunction with clips and sleeves, it resembles a chain.

It's a trap or snare that catches prey. If something comes to rescue it or a wild animal comes to eat it, the trap will be effective.

As usual, the surrounding area is covered with feces, and in some places, two pieces of rabbit fat, or pine nuts, or other wild fruits are placed as bait.

"Let's go. The longer we stay, the stronger the human scent will become. We can just come back for a stroll at night."

"Brother Xian, where are we going?"

"The traps are set and the snares are dug, so let's follow the path with the most footprints. I checked when I set the traps, and they were left by a deer..."

"Huh? Aren't muntjacs supposed to be hard to catch?"

"Water Boy, how can you be so stupid? It's hard to catch when there are few people, but you're afraid it will run away when there are many people? Do you think this pampered dog is a vegetarian?"

"Yes, a muntjac deer guards a mountain. These creatures are attached to their home. Wherever it is born, it will generally run around that mountain and will never go anywhere else in its entire life. You don't have to worry about losing it."

"Oh, is that so? Then what are we waiting for? Let's go catch some deer."

The crowd shouted and moved forward.

After walking a short distance, we saw some black, fermented soybean-like droppings stuck together on the grass on the hillside. They were left by muntjacs and were still very fresh.

Heiwa and Xiaojin easily approached Sao.

A pack of stray dogs circled around Chen Ling, their noses twitching, their breathing rapid, and their feet pacing anxiously.

There's no need to elaborate on this situation.

The muntjac is nearby.

Chen Ling gestured to the others, patted Xiao Jin's head, and said in a low voice, "Go."

Xiao Jin immediately darted out.

Heiwa followed closely behind with his pack of dogs.

Heiwa was strong and powerful, but his speed was not slow at all. His strong legs made climbing slopes and rocks seem like flat ground. Xiaojin was even faster. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared in a few leaps.

Soon after, Xiao Jin's wild shouts echoed from the mountain.

Heiwa led his pack of dogs, barking wildly. Then, the dogs gradually dispersed, forming a cone shape with Heiwa at the head, and began to surround the mountain.

Seeing this, Wang Lixian laughed, put away his hunting rifle, turned to Chen Ling and said, "See? Good dogs need to train their legs a lot. It's only been a few days, and we don't even need to handle them."

Upon hearing this, someone said with a hint of envy, "That's really true. In that case, we won't be needed anymore. Come to think of it, we're not even as useful as dogs."

"How dare you still divide the meat?"

Chen Ze immediately retorted, "Fine, then don't take any meat. If you do, you're a dog."

"Hahaha."

The group laughed.

It sounded like a mad bull had run into the forest, making a loud crashing noise everywhere.

And soon, a soft, weak "woof woof" sound came from the edge of the woods, like the meowing of kittens, and then there was silence.

Not long after, Xiao Jin led the pack of dogs out of the forest.

Heiwa came at the back, carrying a fat deer in his mouth, swaying his head as he ran over, blood dripping down his face.

Chen Dazhi stepped forward to take a look and gave a thumbs up: "It didn't even take the time of a meal to finish. You're really amazing, Fugui."

"Brother Dazhi, can you speak more clearly? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were swearing..."

"Haha, I'm just happy."

Chen Dazhi weighed the muntjac in his hand, turned around and announced its weight: "This guy weighs over sixty pounds, it's a large male muntjac."

This male muntjac is indeed quite large, with a body length of almost one and a half meters and a height of about sixty centimeters. Its back is dark brown, its chest and belly are light brown, its back is pale yellow, gradually fading to pure white at the tail.

It has horns on its head, but they are not long, slightly curved, and forked.

Its teeth are similar to those of the musk deer, but longer, fang-shaped, and curved towards the back of its mouth.

If it were alive, this thing would actually be quite beautiful.

"It's really heavy, weighing over 60 pounds. It must be the start of the winter weight gain."

"Not bad, not bad at all. This weight is rare. You can make a lot of money just by selling the meat."

Everyone praised it, then tied up the muntjac's hooves, and Chen Yuqiang carried it on his back as they continued on their way.

I don't know if it's because wild animals are appearing more frequently after the rain today, or if they were just lucky.

Following the hillside where the muntjac was, and having just crossed a ridge, they spotted more prey.

This is a dense pine forest with tall pine trees and thick pine needles at the base. It's just past noon, and the sun is shining brightly. Several wild boars are looking for food, grunting and snorting as they root around on the ground with their long snouts.

The dogs immediately pricked up their ears, stared intently, and stopped wagging their tails.

During the three days in the mountains, not only Heiwa and Xiaojin, but also the other local dogs learned a lot of skills and made rapid progress.

The moment the dogs spotted the wild boar, they immediately became cautious, slowing their pace, lowering their heads and arching their backs, their eyes bright and sharp.

However, none of them acted rashly.

It seems that they won't make a sound unless people make a sound.

Chen Ling followed the dog at the front, and when he saw the wild boar, he quickly gestured to those behind him.

The group immediately raised their guns and cautiously approached. Upon closer inspection, they saw several gray-black figures burrowing their noses into the pine forest three or four hundred meters away, slowly searching for food, about to cross the forest and disappear into the distance.

(End of this chapter)