American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 31 Red Fox Cub
The next morning, Lin Yu'an took the carefully prepared bait and prepared to go to the location where animal activity had been previously detected to reset the lasso trap.

He chose locations that were mostly narrow animal trails in the forest or the edges of bushes, places where small animals were more likely to pass by.

"Today we are mainly setting up small ground lasso traps, targeting animals such as foxes and minks."

He first cut off several flexible tree branches, sharpened one end, and inserted them into the soil on one side of the passage as flexible supports to fix the lasso.

Then, take out a small section of strong steel wire and skillfully make a small and sturdy loop, about ten to fifteen centimeters in diameter.

"The size of the lasso is crucial. If it's too big, small animals can easily pass through it, and if it's too small, it might not be able to trap them. So you have to get the size right."

The other end of the loop is securely tied to the top of the elastic sapling, and then the sapling is carefully bent toward the ground, utilizing its own elasticity.

Then use a small twig to jam the bent branch and a simple trigger mechanism made from a small stick.

Finally, about half a meter behind the lasso, a small piece of grouse innards, emitting a strong fishy smell, was carefully placed as bait.

"The location of the bait is also very important. It cannot be too close, otherwise the animal may eat the bait before triggering the trap."

"It can't be too far, otherwise it won't be attractive enough. This distance is just right so that when they try to get close, they'll dive headfirst into my lasso."

Lin Yu-an used the same meticulous technique to set up similar lasso traps in two other different locations.

He meticulously camouflaged each trap, blending it into the surrounding environment with fallen leaves, withered grass, and soil, striving to avoid detection by alert prey.

After setting up the trap, he continued to collect more firewood for the winter.

At noon, Lin Yu'an ate some smoked beaver meat and roasted Jerusalem artichokes before heading to the area where he was setting up the traps.

First, we went to the trap furthest from the shelter. The trap hadn't been triggered, and the bait was still there.

The situation remained the same at the second trap.

As he reached the last one, relatively close to the shelter, a trap set in a bushy path, his sixth sense began to intensify!
Sure enough, the branch that served as the elastic support was now taut and springing upwards! The lasso had also tightened and was swaying slightly!
"There's something!"

Lin Yu'an perked up and immediately slowed his pace, carefully parting the bushes blocking his way.

The lasso was tightly wrapped around the neck of a furry little creature! It was a small animal with reddish-brown fur and a bushy tail. It wasn't very big, only slightly larger than an adult domestic cat.

Lying on the ground, it emitted low, whimpering sounds filled with fear, grievance, and a childish tone, its limbs futilely pawing at the ground, trying to break free from its restraints.

But it was clever; it didn't struggle violently because it discovered that the more it struggled, the tighter the noose would become, which is why it didn't suffocate.

"It's a little fox!"

After careful examination, Lin Yu'an confirmed that it was a red fox cub, and judging from its size and fur color, it was probably only three or four months old.

The little fox also sensed Lin Yu'an's approach, stopped whimpering, raised its head, and looked at him warily with its big, innocent, dark eyes that were moist with tears, its body trembling slightly with fear.

Lin Yu'an slowly squatted down, keeping a certain distance from the little fox.

Although the lasso had tightened around its neck, it shifted slightly as the fox cub struggled, preventing it from completely locking its trachea. It merely restricted the fox's movement and did not cause fatal injury.

"Don't be afraid, little one." Lin Yu'an's tone was unconsciously gentle.

Upon closer inspection of the young fox, it appeared quite immature. Although its fur had already turned reddish-brown, its face still retained a distinctly youthful appearance, and its eyes held a hint of cuteness. Lin Yu'an's initial joy at having successfully hunted its prey dissipated somewhat upon seeing the young fox.

"This is how to do?"

He gave a wry smile to the camera.

"Such a small fox, even during the hunting season, is probably not old enough to be legally hunted."

In Canada, there are strict regulations for the protection of wildlife, and ignoring these regulations can lead to unnecessary trouble.

"Alright, little guy, you're lucky to have eaten my bait and still be unharmed. I still need to rescue you."

He shrugged at the camera, a hint of relief in his voice.

He carefully approached the young fox, gently soothing it, "Don't move, don't move, I won't hurt you, I'm just helping you untie this."

The young fox seemed to sense that he meant no harm, and although it was still nervous, it struggled less.

Lin Yu'an stretched out his gloved hand and slowly approached the slipknot of the lasso.

Just as the fingers were about to touch the knot, the little fox, due to nervousness, suddenly shrank back and let out a low, threatening growl.

"Don't be afraid, it'll be over soon." Lin Yu'an grabbed the back of its neck with his other hand and waited for it to calm down a bit before trying again.

This time, he successfully pinched the slipknot of the lasso with his fingers, and then pulled hard, and the rope loop tightly around the fox cub's neck instantly loosened.

At the same time, the hand that was holding the back of its neck was released. The freed little fox suddenly leaped up from the ground, and after running a short distance with some stagger, it actually stopped.

The little fox turned around, tilted its head, and stared intently at Lin Yu'an with its bright black eyes, as if trying to understand what had just happened.

Lin Yu'an watched it quietly, without making any threatening moves.

"Go ahead, little guy, but be careful when you walk in the future. Wait until you're a bit older before you crawl into the trap."

The little fox seemed to truly understand his words, or perhaps it was simply misled by the lack of malice emanating from him.

It hesitated for a few seconds, its small nose sniffing the air gently, as if still savoring the aroma of the bait.

Then, with slightly unsteady steps, he turned and disappeared into the dense bushes in a flash.

Lin Yu'an looked in the direction where the little fox disappeared, gently shook his head, and a complicated smile appeared on his face.

"Guys, looks like I've missed another prey."

"Although it's a bit of a pity, it doesn't feel so bad to let such a little guy go."

"This trap spot is unlikely to yield any more rewards in the future. I need to find another hunting spot."

After rearranging all the traps, Lin Yu'an looked at the waves on the lake and had a new plan in mind, deciding to start implementing it tomorrow.

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(End of this chapter)