Reborn in the 1980s: I made my fortune hunting wild game in Changbai Mountain

Yue Feng experienced the era of information explosion through social media in his previous life, so he has a basic understanding of things like shooting videos.

Filming eagle hunting and real eagle hunting have similarities, but there are also some differences.

For example, the layout of the hawking shop.

If Yue Feng were the only one hunting eagles, he could simply repair last year's eagle shed, level the area, and set up the eagle nets, and then he could officially start working.

However, when working with a documentary film crew, you have to consider many more factors.

The camera setup, lighting, and concealment of equipment all need to be adjusted accordingly.

Yue Feng, carrying tools such as a scalpel and axe for leveling the ground, turned his head and glanced at Xiao Weimin.

"Director Xiao, where should we set up the cameras? You guys mark out the area first! There are five of us, so we definitely can't hide all the way in the eagle shelter. It's best to split into two or three different locations for concealment!"

Xiao Weimin nodded, stood on the seemingly flat hillside in front of him and looked around: "Set up a medium-angle camera here!"
Here, let's set up a panoramic camera position!
Add another close-up shot inside the eagle-hunting shed! Three shots should be enough!

The filming setup was pretty much what Yue Feng had expected. He nodded and said, "Okay, let's go with your setup! This morning, our goal is to level the location first!"
If you need to shoot some footage of the initial site preparation, you can start preparing now!

"Don't you need our help?"

"Basically, no need. This place looks a bit messy, but it's actually very easy to clean. It can be done in at most two hours!"

"Alright, Xiao Tian, ​​Xiao Li, you two each take a camera position and get some footage!"

"it is good!"

……

After a brief exchange, Yue Feng quickly got to work.

First, use a cutting tool to clear away the weeds, shrubs, and other debris along the ground. After the main areas are cleared, select the shrubs and other materials to build shelters for personnel and equipment according to the machine positions.

This level of work is a piece of cake for Yue Feng. He has prepared plenty of tools and materials and can set it up on the spot using whatever materials are available.

After a flurry of activity, just as 10 o'clock arrived, the two new hidden aircraft shelters and the main battle eagle shelter were all ready.

Having solved the hiding problem, Yue Feng then began setting up the nets for hunting eagles.

Setting up the hand-held net was also a necessary task. After the camera was set up, Yue Feng began the setup.

First, I reinforced the frame that was left in the same place last year. Then, I hung the net on the frame and fixed it in place. Next came the eagle claws and the bait pigeons wearing 'vests'.

After everything was set up, Yue Feng secured the rope and followed it into the shack.

"Is this all set up?" Xiao Weimin asked curiously.

Yue Feng nodded: "The setup at the eagle farm is complete! The staff can take a short break now!"

"Given our current situation, how long will it take to see an eagle?" Xiao Weimin asked curiously.

Yue Feng smiled and shook his head: "I can't say when the eagles will come. If it were half a month ago, when a large number of birds of prey were passing through, you could see eagles active around the eagle hunting grounds every day!"

If it were now, the eagle migration would be nearing its end, and their numbers would be relatively much smaller at this stage!

In previous years, when hunting eagles in the mountains, we could sometimes catch three or four a day, but more often than not, it was normal not to see them for several days!

Upon hearing this, Xiao Weimin's expression turned serious: "If we follow your logic, then it won't be easy for us to film the eagle!"
Our cameras have a limited stock of film and a limited battery capacity!

We can't keep filming all the time, waiting for the eagle to appear! Even with dedicated funding, we can't sustain that kind of expenditure!

Yue Feng grinned: "Don't worry! I really don't know when the eagles will come, but we can solve this in other ways! I've brought a bird to watch over the birds!"

As he spoke, Yue Feng took the shrike out of the small cage, tied it directly to a perch about the thickness of an index finger, and inserted the perch below the lookout point of the shed.

"What's this birdwatching device for?" Xiao Weimin asked curiously, glancing at the shrike perched on the pole.

"Hehe, these are the eyes of us eagle hunters! Tiger's eyesight is much better than a human's, and birds of prey are its natural enemies! If an eagle flies by in the sky, it will detect it and react much earlier than we do!"

At this point, the staff preparing at the camera station can power on the equipment and enter a state of readiness.

"Such a small bird can alert us? What kind of reaction will it have? I'll call Xiao Tian and Xiao Li over, and I'll hear your explanation!"

"Row!"

Soon, Director Xiao called over Xiao Tian and Xiao Li, the two team members who were operating the camera.

Yue Feng pointed at the tiger shrike and said, "This is a tiger shrike, scientifically known as a shrike. It is a bird used in our traditional method of catching hawks!"

If an eagle flies overhead, Hubula will immediately notice it and show it in his body language!

When the weather is calm, Hu Bu La is very lively. He likes to stretch his arms and wipe his mouth on the pole, and he is not afraid of people at all.

If an eagle passes by, it will first instantly stiffen its feathers and remain motionless, then slowly move down to a lower position.

In extremely dangerous situations, it might even plunge headfirst into the shallow pit under the pole and lie there!

When we see this situation while we're preparing to capture a shot, we need to turn on the camera immediately!

I would observe the situation in the sky from the lookout point in the shack.

If an eagle does come, it will usually hover at a certain height to observe the bait on the ground.

At this moment, I pull the hawk's talons to make the pigeons flutter, and the hawk will swoop down and catch the pigeons!
"Just pay attention to the sparrows' reactions and my actions when I pull the pigeons, and then you're ready!"

"Did you all understand? Anyone have a question? Ask now!" Xiao Weimin asked, glancing at the two of them.

"No problem, both of our camera positions can see where Hubula is now!"

"Go back and stay there. Be discreet and don't make any noise!"

"it is good!"

……

After a brief explanation, the filming crew returned to their positions. Yue Feng, Xiao Weimin, and Xiao Zhang went into an extra-large shack and waited patiently.

This wait lasted for more than an hour.

With the sun high overhead and lunchtime approaching, Hubula remained quite lively on the pole, eating the few pieces of meat Yuefeng had brought up the mountain, then preening its feathers, looking quite content.

After waiting patiently for another hour or so, Yue Feng glanced at the time and saw that it was already 12:23 PM.

"Director Xiao, eagles are rarely active at this time of day. Let's have lunch first! Everyone's hungry after working on the mountain since we came up!"

Xiao Weimin nodded: "Okay, Xiao Zhang, you distribute the food to everyone, two meat buns each. Eat in the shack and stay vigilant! Who knows, the eagle might come down while we're eating!"

Hearing this, Yue Feng didn't interrupt. A professional film crew does have some professionalism. Since they're here, there's no reason for them to be careless. Even something as small as eating shows their dedication.

Xiao Zhang shared the lunch he had brought up the mountain with several of his colleagues before returning to the shack.

Yue Feng and Xiao Weimin each picked up a cold bun that had lost its warmth and began to eat it bite by bite.

Yue Feng had just put down his water bottle before he finished his lunch when he saw Hu Bula, who was standing at the top of the pole, suddenly twitch its fur and jump down to the bottom.

There is a situation!
The next second, Yue Feng grabbed the rope of the eagle's crutch and looked up at the sky. About seventy or eighty meters away, there was a black dot suspended in the air, as if it had been set as a decoy.

"The eagle's here!" Yue Feng whispered a warning, then decisively pulled on the rope of the eagle's crutch.

The pigeon tied to the hawk's crutch immediately flapped its wings a few times.

The next second, a straw-yellow raptor swooped down from the sky with a flap of its wings.

"Come in!"

Just as the eagle landed in front of the pigeon, Yue Feng decisively pulled the rope of the net.

brush!
The net was slung over and trapped the unfortunate creature inside.

Chirp, chirp, chirp!

The eagle was caught and immediately let out a chirping sound.

Upon hearing this cry, Yue Feng's heart skipped a beat.

Well, the first eagle caught is the target prey of the eagle-catching operation, the goshawk.

The cries of a hawk struggling after being caught in a net are quite different from those of other birds of prey; this chirping sound is very distinctive.

"Gotcha!!" Yue Feng shouted, and immediately tried to crawl out of the shack.

Xiao Weimin was controlling the camera, but Yue Feng's route blocked the camera's viewfinder. The footage of the eagle being caught was completely obscured; all that could be seen was Yue Feng's buttocks covered in grass.

"Move aside, you're blocking the camera!" Xiao Weimin shouted.

Yue Feng immediately stepped aside, giving up the position of the camera.

The camera could continue filming from the shack, and Yue Feng also spotted the eagle trapped in the net.

A very ordinary autumn yellow pheasant.

Take out the eagle-shaped jacket, then take the rooster eagle out of the net and fasten it with the jacket.

"Hehe, not bad luck, a sub-adult chicken eagle from back then!" Yue Feng held up the wrapped prey and waved it at the camera.

Xiao Weimin crawled out of the shack and turned to ask the other two cameramen.

"Did you manage to get any footage over there?"

Xiaotian: "I got the footage! From the moment it swooped down, to when it entered the net, to when it was detached, it's all very clear!"

Xiao Li replied, "I also captured it. It was less than a second when it swooped down. The image in the viewfinder is a bit blurry, but it's still clear!"

The two camera operators immediately reported the situation, and Xiao Weimin went over to check it out.

The old-fashioned equipment used at this node doesn't have the convenient playback function of electronic cameras. We can only rely on experience to rewind and then roughly view it in a viewfinder!
Xiao Weimin operated each tool one by one, glanced through the small window, and gained a preliminary understanding of the content of the shooting material.

"How is it, Director Xiao?" Yue Feng asked with concern.

"It's basically enough. We can edit together footage from three different cameras! This provides a safety net for the eagle-catching footage!"

"So, shall we continue filming?" Yue Feng asked.

Xiao Weimin nodded and said with considerable certainty, "Of course, this is just the beginning! Do you think documentary footage is so easy to gather and then it's considered finished?"

As is customary, preserve one, photograph one, and also make a backup!
"For the footage we just shot, filming two or three sets, and selecting the best ones should be sufficient!"

"Oh, okay! Perfect, this is a chicken eagle. It can be trained, but catching rabbits isn't its job!"

"Chicken eagle?"

"Yes, a chicken eagle, which is a male goshawk. This is a sub-adult eagle from this year! In traditional falconry, it can be trained to catch prey such as pheasants!" Yue Feng explained.

"Chicken and eagle it is, at least we've got some material. There might be eagle activity at noon!"

Haha, let's go back to our shacks and keep squatting!
Keep up the good work, everyone! Get your footage ready as soon as possible so we can move on to the next stage. Don't miss any opportunity!

"Yes!"

……

Soon, everyone returned to their respective work stations, eating their cold meat buns while patiently waiting.

They waited until after 4 p.m.

For several hours, not a single eagle flew by, and even the autumn wind subsided considerably.

Having gotten off to a good start, Xiao Weimin was now a little anxious: "Damn it, it's been several hours and there's not a trace of it. Is this the only eagle we'll catch today?"

Yue Feng scratched his head: "It's hard to say. Maybe an eagle will come over at any moment. Maybe if we wait for another two days, we won't see a single feather! Did you notice that the wind is relatively weak on the mountain today?"

"Even a light wind can affect eagles?"

"Of course, many birds of prey rely on monsoons to conserve energy during migration. If a level 4 or 5 northwest wind were to blow now, we might see eagles soon!"

"We're not God, we can't control what happens in the sky, whether it's windy or rainy!"
There's nothing we can do but wait patiently. At worst, we'll have to wait a few more days. For our film crew, it's not a big deal.

Last time we were filming a documentary, we were out there for half a month!

Hearing Xiao Weimin's words, Yue Feng was quite impressed. Everyone has their own expertise, and a professional film crew is no joke; their professional skills must be top-notch.

Even as darkness approached, no eagle was seen.

Yue Feng rubbed his slightly sore eyes: "Director Xiao, how about we pack up our equipment and head back? It'll be completely dark in another hour at most!"

"Squat for another twenty minutes. I remember it took us about half an hour to walk up the mountain."

"The lighting conditions are alright now, we can get good shots at this distance!" Xiao Weimin said professionally.

"Okay! Then I'll squat for a while longer!"

Yue Feng had given up hope, but a miracle happened at that moment.

After a long day of activity, the shrike, feeling a bit tired, suddenly tucked its neck in and hopped into the 'air-raid shelter' under the pergola.

Before Yue Feng could even pull the decoy, he saw a dark shadow descend from the sky and head straight for the pigeon.

"Here it comes!" Yue Feng decisively pulled the rope, and the next second, the net came down, trapping the eagle on the ground.

Chirp, chirp, chirp!

It's another eagle.

However, this time the eagle was an old fellow with molted feathers.

Its breast feathers are covered with horizontal stripes, paired with gray-black back feathers, and it has two beautiful white eyebrows on its head.

A two-year-old, tattered pheasant-like bird. (End of Chapter)