American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 135 Combat Gains and Aerial Support

As the first rays of gray-white morning light shone into the cave entrance, the long and tense night finally came to an end.

The campfire had gone out, leaving only a pile of still-warm ashes.

"Its daybreak."

Old George was the first to stand up, walk to the entrance of the cave, and carefully observe the area to confirm that the wolf pack showed no signs of returning.

"Alright, stop resting, it's time to get back to work, guys."

He turned to Stan and Lin Yu-an, who had also barely slept all night, and said, "We need to take care of these things and then head back."

Stan yawned, stretched vigorously, and his bones cracked.

"Honestly, I'd rather fight them again than do this job. You can't even eat their meat, it's a waste of effort."

Despite his complaints, he quickly took out his tools from his backpack.

Old George calmly stated, "The law allows us not to take the wolf meat because they are predators, and the meat carries the risk of being infected with trichinella."

"But that doesn't mean we can just discard it. You see, when we hunt this ram, we have to take every edible piece of meat with us; it's a matter of respect for herbivores."

"When we hunt these wolves, the law requires us to remove their fur and skull intact to seal them. This is a sign of respect for the predators and an acknowledgment of their value."

They dragged the three wolf carcasses to a well-lit area near the cave entrance.

The beasts that appeared ferocious and terrifying in the darkness last night now display a poignant beauty in the morning light.

Old George took his satellite phone out of the waterproof bag, turned it on, and found a location with a relatively stable signal.

He dialed the Alaska Police Department's helpline and was quickly connected.

"Good morning, this is George Barnes, my hunting license number is XXXXX. I need to report a DLP incident."

"The coordinates are located in the XXXX area of ​​the XXXX Mountains, approximately... We were attacked by a pack of wolves at our camp last night, and in self-defense, we killed three wolves."

"None of us were injured. Repeat, none of us were injured. Over."

The operator on the other end of the line was clearly used to these kinds of reports. After noting down the key information, she calmly replied, "Received, Mr. Barnes. Are you safe right now?"

"It's safe for now, but we need to leave this area as soon as possible."

"Okay, according to regulations, you have the right to retain the skin and skull, but you must have them sealed at the nearest Fish and Game Bureau office within 30 days. Are you familiar with this procedure?"

"very clear."

"Very good. Please make sure to preserve the photos of the scene and prepare a detailed written report explaining what happened. Have a safe journey home. Over."

The call was brief and efficient. Old George hung up and said to Lin Yu'an and Stan, "Alright, we're legal now. Let's get started."

He handed the largest alpha wolf over to Lin Yu'an, while he and Stan took charge of the other two.

"Kid, the wolf pelt is its most valuable part, don't tear it," Old George instructed as he worked.

"Like the one you killed with the No. 00 buckshot, its fur is worthless now, let Stan take it apart as he pleases."

"As for our two, we can use the 'tube skinning method' to preserve the most beautiful fur on their bellies, allowing them to fetch a high price on the fur market."

"Start with the ankle of one hind leg, and cut upwards along the inside of the leg all the way to the anus."

"Yes, that's it. Then work on the other leg, also draw to the same point, forming a V shape, and don't draw any further down!"

Stan added from the side, "Be careful of its scent glands."

"There are two at the base of the tail. Don't break them, or the smell will make you vomit up yesterday's hot pot, and it will stick to your hands."

Old George pointed at the wolf's body: "Yes, watch out for the scent glands. Now start peeling the skin off like you're taking off its pants."

"Use your fists and fingers to pry open the skin and flesh. Use the knife only where the fascia is tightly attached. Take it slowly and keep the skin intact."

Lin Yu'an imitated Old George's actions as he skinned the wolf.

He discovered that wolf skin was much tougher than sheepskin or deer skin, had less subcutaneous fat, and the skin and muscles were attached very tightly, requiring great patience to separate even an inch.

When they got to the foreleg, old George reminded them again, "Don't cut into the chest! Push the leg out from the inside, and roll it off like taking off a sleeve!"

The peeling process is extremely time-consuming; they need to carefully separate the entire skin from the muscles and fascia.

Patience and precision are especially required when dealing with the head and claws at the end.

More than two hours later, when the three tubular wolf skins, which looked like fluffy hoodies, were turned over and laid flat on the rocks.

Stan looked at the three wolf skeletons that had been stripped clean and smiled bitterly, "Sometimes I really can't tell whether we're hunters or butchers."

Old George wiped his hands with moss and calmly replied, “We are scavengers. We clear away all animals that disrupt the balance of the wilderness, and we also clear away the valuable parts of them. The rest is returned to this land. That is balance, Lin. Always remember, we never take anything unnecessary.”

When they finally finished packing everything, they stuffed the three heavy, pre-processed wolf skins and mutton into their already overburdened backpacks.

When they shouldered their bags again and embarked on their journey home, everyone felt as if their shoulders were about to break.

On his way back, Lin Yu'an reflected on everything that had happened in the past few days. He had dealt with the Dorgo for the first time and learned in detail about Boone and the Crockett Club.

He also hunted and disposed of his first wolf in Alaska! Most importantly, he gained two comrades with whom he had shared life-or-death experiences!
This hunt was a resounding success.

After another day of arduous trekking, they finally crossed the boundary of the designated wilderness area where no motor vehicles were allowed to enter.

We arrived at a gravel riverbank suitable for jungle planes to land.

"Alright, that's enough for now. If we go any further, my old leg will be beyond repair."

Old George finally put down his backpack, plopped down on the ground, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Stan was also exhausted. Looking at the seemingly endless mountain road ahead, he smiled bitterly and said, "If we really have to carry all this back to town, I dare say the three of us will lose at least half our lives on the way."

Lin Yu'an nodded. Although he was full of energy, he also felt tired.

Old George took out his satellite phone from his backpack, found a spot with a relatively good signal, and dialed a number he knew by heart.

The call was quickly answered, and pilot Hank's cheerful voice came through the other end: "Hey, George! You guys finally decided to come out of the mountains? How's it going, did your dream come true?"

"Your dream has come true, Hank." Old George smiled too.

"And the harvest has far exceeded expectations. We now need air support. Is that available on your end?"

“Of course! My ‘flying pickup truck’ is ready to serve you at any time!” Hank’s voice was full of excitement.

"Send me your coordinates, and I'll see if there's a suitable riverbank or ridge nearby for landing. Listen carefully to the sky in an hour!"

After hanging up the phone, old George sent the GPS coordinates via text message.

The tension and fatigue on old George's face finally eased, replaced by a sense of relief.

“Sometimes I really have to admit that modern technology is indeed a good thing,” Stan said with a smile.

They didn't go far; they found a sheltered spot and began sorting through their catch.

The enormous ram horns were carefully wrapped in sleeping bags to prevent damage during transport, and the mutton and wolf skin were repackaged and neatly stacked for easy loading.

Less than an hour later, a familiar buzzing sound came from afar, breaking the tranquility of the valley.

A red and white Cessna 206 aircraft, like a lithe eagle, peeked out from behind the ridge, its wings slightly tilted, as if to greet them.

Hank was clearly the king of this airspace. He circled gracefully at low altitude, carefully surveying a relatively straight and open gravel riverbed below.

Then, with textbook precision, it made a short-distance landing and came to a steady stop less than a hundred meters away from them.

When the plane's propellers stopped spinning and Hank jumped out of the cockpit, he immediately saw the pair of huge ram horns, partially covered but still discernible in shape.

"my God!"

He whistled loudly, strode forward, and gave old George a bear hug.

"George! You really did it! That's absolutely the most beautiful horn I've ever seen!"

When his gaze fell upon the three enormous wolf pelts, his expression shifted from excitement to shock: "Three-headed wolves? Did you raid a whole wolf den?"

Stan patted his chest proudly and recounted the thrilling battle in vivid detail once again.

Hank was stunned, and the last look he gave Lin Yu'an was filled with indescribable admiration.

With Hank's help, they methodically loaded all the heavy equipment and spoils into the spacious cabin and belly baggage compartment of the Cessna 206.

With a weight of over 460 kilograms, this meritorious aircraft, known as the "flying pickup truck," is well within a manageable range.

Once the three of them were seated in the cabin and had fastened their seatbelts, Hank started the engine again.

The plane glided a short distance across the rugged riverbank before gracefully lifting its head and soaring into the blue sky.

From the air, the rugged mountains, rushing rivers, and endless tundra they had just trekked through transformed into a magnificent panorama beneath their feet.

Lin Yu'an looked at the scenery rushing past the window, his heart filled with emotion.

This is the real Alaska: measure its hardships with your own two feet, and then appreciate its magnificence with your wings.

The plane landed directly on the makeshift runway in the town of Wiesman.

(End of this chapter)