Chapter 142 Hunting in the Mountains

However, when they stopped to rest that day, something happened that they would never forget.

That evening, everyone chose a relatively flat slope to stop and rest.

Walking on such a forest path, it is impossible to have a large flat area for them to rest.

So I could only find a hillside with relatively few weeds and not that steep a slope.

Everyone still formed a circle according to the original arrangement.

The women were preparing to set up pots for cooking, while some of the men and young men went to collect firewood, and some went hunting in the surroundings.

After this period of time, everyone's hunting skills have been greatly improved by practicing archery and sword skills with Qiao Ran and taking turns hunting with Qiao Ran.

As long as there is an opportunity, men and boys like to go around in the hope of hunting some game to fill their families' stomachs and add some nutrition, so that they can become stronger and more energetic on the road.

Today was no exception. As soon as many people settled down with their families and luggage, they couldn't wait to pick up hoes, machetes, long sticks, bows and arrows, etc., and a group of more than a dozen people went into the forest to look for prey.

Qiao Dong is also a restless young man. Whenever he gets a chance, what he likes most is to go hunting with the adults with the bow and arrows his sister gave him.

Last time we seized a batch of weapons in the village, including a few bows and arrows used by bandits, but the quality was not good. The old village chief gave those weapons to the villagers, and gave the bows and arrows to a few people to learn from Qiao Ran. Archery man.

Qiao Dong didn't ask for it because his sister said she would make him a better one.

Sure enough, the last time Qiao Ran entered Linzhou City, she took the time to buy some necessary materials for making bows and arrows. During the past few days, while riding on the carriage, she made him a bow and arrow suitable for him, which he couldn't put down. .

Qiao Ran also made a few bows and distributed them to other village men who were good at archery. She also taught them how to cut bamboo slices and use the long feathers of eagles, owls and pheasants to make bamboo arrows. Although the lethality was not as good as that of iron arrows, It cannot penetrate armor, but it is enough for hunting and shooting bandits and refugees.

Qiao Dong wanted to try out his new treasured bow and arrow. Seeing everyone entering the woods, he also excitedly wanted to take his sister to hunt.

Qiao Ran couldn't bear to reject her younger brother who was eager to try, so she could only tell her uncles to take good care of her grandma and others. She took Qiao Dong and several other half-year-old children in the village into the woods.

Qian Shitou is also among these children. His legs have fully recovered and he can walk as freely as before.

He also practiced archery and his archery skills were pretty good. Qiao Ran also gave him a bow and arrow. Like Qiao Dong, he also wanted to try this new treasure.

A group of eight people, led by Qiao Ran, walked towards a valley at the foot of the mountain.

Based on Qiao Ran's experience, valleys like this usually have streams, and wherever there is water, there will be animal footprints. When animals are thirsty, they will come to the stream to drink water.

Several people went down to the valley and searched along a stream. Sure enough, they found several animal footprints by the stream.

"Sister Ran, what kind of footprints are these? Are they those of a wild boar?"

Qian Shitou asked curiously.

The other boys also looked at Qiao Ran. They knew that they could always learn a lot from Sister Ran, which their families could not teach them.

Qiao Ran knelt down, took a closer look, stood up and said, "It doesn't look like a wild boar, it looks like the footprints of a wild deer, and there's more than one deer, there should be two, they're not small, the footprints are It’s very fresh, he must have just left not long ago.”

Several people were very happy when they heard that it was a non-dangerous deer.

Wild deer are timid, hiding from people when they see them, and do not dare to attack people at all.

And venison is very delicious, much more delicious than wild boar with rough skin and hard meat.

If we can hunt one or two deer back, everyone can have a nice meal tonight.

Qiao Ran couldn't help but laugh when she saw these boys' eyes shining.

She told everyone to keep their weapons in hand and be aware of sudden prey or beasts.

Then, she followed the series of footprints and followed them with the seven boys.

After turning around a hill, we found two deer in front of us.

These are two male deer, full of water, grazing at the foot of the mountain.

Qiao Ran raised her hand, and the boys behind immediately stopped in unison.

Everyone followed Qiao Ran and hid behind a thick bush. As long as they didn't make any noise, the two deer wouldn't be able to spot them.

Qiao Ran signaled Qiao Dong and Qian Shitou with her eyes. When they received the eyes, they both immediately understood and were very excited.

Such an important task actually fell on the two of them. The two and a half young men immediately felt the feeling of being taken seriously and were very happy.

The two excitedly and nervously picked up the bows they carried on their backs, took out an arrow from the quiver and put it on the string. They glanced at each other, and they had a tacit understanding of the division of labor. One of them aimed at a deer.

Draw the bow, aim, and after a few breaths, release the bowstring at the same time.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Two arrows flew out, and in the widened eyes of the other boys, they saw that the two arrows hit the target at the same time.

Two wild deer not far away struggled and fell to the ground one after another.

"Shot!"

The boys cheered and immediately got up and ran over.

Qiao Ran also walked over and saw two bamboo arrows piercing the throat, killing the two deer.

"Well done!"

Qiao Ran was generous with her praises. When the two and a half young boys heard the "master's" praise, their faces flushed with excitement. They felt great encouragement and pride in the envious eyes of other boys.

"Okay, we have gained a lot this time. It's getting dark soon, let's go back quickly!"

Qiao Ran spoke, and several boys immediately lifted the two hundred-pound wild deer by their limbs and walked up the mountain.

Not long after they left, a group of uninvited guests came to the place where the two deer fell. They smelled the blood on the ground and silently followed the smell up the mountain.

On the way, Qiao Ran hunted two more pheasants hiding in the bushes, and picked up a nest of more than a dozen pheasants, just enough to take back to the third aunt to replenish her body.

After going up the mountain and returning to the camp, there were still some hunters who had not returned yet.

Seeing Qiao Ran and the others carrying two large wild deer back, everyone was envious and happy.

Sure enough, when you go hunting with Qiao Ran, you will always gain a lot!

It was getting dark, and the other hunters were coming back.

In the end, Qiao Ran and her group of eight gained the most.

Others hunted pheasants, hares, wild birds, wild ducks, squirrels, non-venomous snakes, etc., but no very large prey.

Two deer weighed more than 200 kilograms, plus the wild animals hunted by other villagers, adding up to more than 300 kilograms.

Tonight, everyone can have a delicious meal of meat again.