Hunting Wilderness: Starting with the Butcher

Chapter 50: Resources are more important than fishing skills!

They gathered rubble from near the camp and piled it up to make a hearth, then lit chopped firewood until it burned to charcoal. The smoke rack, which had been set up, was quickly moved onto the hearth, and four simply pickled rabbits began to be smoked.

To prevent heat loss, Yuan Linghan cut pine branches from nearby and neatly arranged them on the outside of the smoking rack. In this way, the heat from the fire pit continuously roasted the rabbit meat on the smoking rack until it was completely dried.

Knowing that smoking rabbit meat takes time, Yuan Linghan, who had just moved the shelter here, didn't sit idle. He picked up his tools and began collecting materials to build the shelter. He collected all the fallen and withered trees one by one.

While gathering materials, Yuan Linghan didn't miss any edible wild mushrooms or vegetables. Compared to when he first arrived on the island yesterday, he hadn't yet found a location to set up a permanent campsite, and collecting too much stuff would be inconvenient to carry.

Now that he has found a suitable location to build a permanent shelter, he can naturally gather food. He will then need to spend time each day collecting materials to build the shelter, leaving him with less time for hunting.

After working for nearly two hours to collect all the wood and stones that could be gathered near the shelter, Yuan Linghan moved the smoke rack over the fire pit, added more firewood to the nearly extinguished fire, and brewed a pot of pine needle tea.

As the fire in the hearth gradually died down, looking at the wild rabbits that had been smoked until they were oozing oil, Yuan Linghan smiled and said, "To make rabbit jerky that can be stored for a long time, it will probably need to be smoked a few more times. But for now, I'll have to move on to another location."

After placing the smoker back on the fire pit, Yuan Linghan took his bow and arrows, hunting knife, fishing gear, the pile of bloody rabbit entrails, and a small bag of salt, and then went directly to the vicinity of the lake bay.

Looking around, Yuan Linghan found no trace of wild animals. He found a fishing spot he thought might have fish, first taking out some rabbit entrails and chopping them up, then mixing them with some mud and stirring, before finally throwing them into the water.

"Everyone says that if you don't bait your fishing spot, you won't catch many fish. To get them ashore, you have to change your bait. Although I don't have much fishing experience, I do know the principle of baiting your spot. Now we'll see if this method works."

Using a homemade fishing rod, Yuan Linghan tied the fishing line and hook, and then used the tail feathers of the grouse he had hunted the day before as a float. Although this kind of float is not very sensitive, it is suitable for fishing for carnivorous fish, whose bites are expected to be fierce.

Without professional fishing equipment, he simply used whatever was sturdiest possible. With everything ready, Yuan Linghan cut off a piece of rabbit intestine, tied it to the hook, and then cast the hook back to the spot where he had previously baited the area.

Shortly after casting, Yuan Linghan noticed the float suddenly sink, and he quickly lifted the rod, the line instantly taut. Feeling the pulling force in the water, Yuan Linghan couldn't help but laugh and say, "Looks like my fishing skills are pretty good!"

Although he knew that forcibly pulling on the line could easily break it, Yuan Linghan had prepared a braided fishing line specifically for catching large fish. In his view, once the hook successfully hooked the fish, it would be almost impossible for the fish to break the line.

As it turned out, the Dyneema fishing line was very reliable. After tug-of-war with the homemade fishing rod for a while, a rainbow trout weighing about five pounds was finally successfully hauled ashore. Yuan Linghan was also very happy to see the fish.

Holding the fish in front of the camera, he laughed loudly, "It seems there are a lot of fish in the bay, and my fishing skills are pretty good too. Considering it's almost lunchtime, I plan to use the fish I just caught to solve my lunch problem right here by the lake."

Without hesitation, Yuan Linghan gathered stones and built a fire pit on the leeward side of the fishing area, near the jungle. He then lit some dry firewood from nearby, and once it had burned down to a pile of still-burning charcoal, he placed the cleaned trout beside it.

"Given the limited resources and to save time, I think having grilled fish for lunch might be a good option. While the fish is still cooking, I can continue fishing. I'll try to have a good catch when I get back."

Back at the fishing spot, Yuan Linghan began repeating the actions of baiting, casting, and reeling in fish. Although the fish he caught were of different species, they were all carnivorous, and each one was quite large.

When his hands started to ache, looking at the eight fish he had caught, Yuan Linghan couldn't help but say, "Compared to technique, I think resources are more important. I never expected that this bay would have such abundant fish resources."

Unfortunately, I only had a limited amount of bait, and smoking the fish will take time. After we finish lunch and use up the remaining bait, I should still have time to continue improving the shelter. Food is important, but the shelter is equally important!

Back by the fire pit, looking at the rainbow trout roasted to a golden brown on both sides, Yuan Linghan, desperately needing to replenish his energy, sat down on the ground and began to enjoy his homemade grilled fish. The result was obvious: the grilled fish was quickly devoured.

"Although my cooking skills are just average, the fish is very fresh and doesn't need many seasonings. Just wait for a while. These charcoal fires will transform this delicious rainbow trout into a superb dish."

Looking at the remaining fish head and bones in his hand, this seemingly substantial fish did not satisfy Yuan Linghan's taste buds. But grilling fish takes time, and he didn't want to waste his precious time waiting for it to grill.

Using the remaining rabbit entrails as bait, Yuan Linghan caught four more fish. Looking at the twelve fish left, he felt quite satisfied. However, when the video was later broadcast, many viewers found it unbelievable.

The reason is simple: other skilled anglers only managed to catch a maximum of four fish. Yuan Linghan, however, using his homemade, simple fishing gear, caught thirteen fish in one go. His luck was simply unbelievable!

However, a viewer quickly pointed out, "He didn't use lures; he used rabbit entrails instead. Those fish are all carnivorous!"

"Didn't we say before that we could only catch a maximum of two fish at a time? Why is there no limit this time?"

"Shit! Is this some kind of wilderness challenge? If I could get this much every time, I could survive on fish for a hundred days straight!"

Unaware of all this, Yuan Linghan cleaned the twelve fish right there by the lake, strung them together with some vines he had cut, and then carried them back to the shelter. These fish were enough for Yuan Linghan to have several hearty meals.

For other frugal athletes, eating one fish a day might be enough to meet their nutritional needs. But Yuan Linghan, not wanting to deprive himself, tries his best to make sure he's full at every meal.

If he were to eat to his heart's content, he could probably devour four or five fish in one meal. Knowing his enormous appetite, Yuan Linghan was trying to store as much food as possible. After all, he really didn't want to experience hunger while participating in the wilderness challenge.

Back at the temporary camp, Yuan Linghan took out the rabbit meat that had been smoked twice and added more firewood to the fire pit. While the firewood burned, he kept a five- or six-pound salmon for dinner, intending to smoke the rest of the fish.

After the smoke rack was re-erected over the fire pit, and seeing that it wasn't dark yet, Yuan Linghan used the collected wood and vines to bind the barricades. Although the project was quite large, he still felt it was necessary to take precautions.

Compared to humans, animals have a much more sensitive sense of smell. When heavy snow closes the mountains, making it difficult for wild animals to find food, they will inevitably target his sanctuary. If the camp is surrounded by barricades, it can effectively prevent wild animal attacks.