Luo Jun was like a detective, almost crouching down to observe the animal footprints nearby.
Li Shi found it strange. What's so interesting about a footprint that he had been staring at it for so long?
Getting a bit bored, she curiously asked, "Uncle, what are you trying to figure out?"
Luo Jun smiled and replied, "There are many things to study in the field of investigation. Animal footprints can provide a wealth of information."
"It's just a footprint. I can't see anything special no matter how I look at it," Li Shi said, using her imagination but unable to think of anything from a simple hoof print.
Luo Jun continued to observe, occasionally getting close to sniff the footprints and even picking up some with his fingers to taste them.
Li Shi couldn't help but feel speechless.
"It's so dirty."
At that moment, Luo Jun stood up and left the muddy puddle.
"Uncle, you've been looking at it for more than twenty minutes. What have you found?" Li Shi asked, sensing that Luo Jun had found a clue and becoming very curious.
"When bears step on soft ground, their toes sink in and leave behind local substances in the gaps between their toes. These substances are not easily removed unless the bear steps on soft ground again, which will squeeze out the mud and bring out the residual material," Luo Jun explained.
"But that can only tell us where it came from. We still don't know where it's going," Li Shi felt that this information was not very useful.
"Hehe, you're thinking too simplistically. Mud puddles in the forest are often the 'old spots' of nearby animals. They are likely coming from their own lairs to drink some water and then returning to their lairs. If the residual material on top is from near their lairs, then we can track them back. Even if it's not from near their lairs, we can infer where they have been, and thus speculate on their recent living conditions, such as whether they are eager to hunt or enter hibernation, their level of satiety. With this information, we can even assess their physical strength and the extent to which their endurance can support their activities," Luo Jun patiently explained to Li Shi, an ignorant yet eager-to-learn girl.
"Wow, are you not fooling me? Can you really tell so much just from a footprint?" Li Shi couldn't believe her eyes, her almond-shaped eyes widening.
Luo Jun smiled faintly.
"If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me directly, and I'll explain it to you."
Li Shi felt no hesitation in taking Luo Jun's offer.
"How can you tell if it's full or not by looking at the footprint?" Li Shi asked the most puzzling question, feeling like it was a fantasy.
"The size of the footprint corresponds to the bear's volume and weight. The bear's paw print just left was very shallow, indicating that it's quite thin and hasn't stored enough fat for hibernation. In addition, we can determine its physical condition from its stride length. Moreover, there are some white, fine soil residues between the toes, which are mud from termite nests. If this bear wasn't extremely hungry, why would it be digging for ants at a time like this?" Luo Jun analyzed, and upon hearing this, Li Shi widened her eyes and thought for a moment.
"But... don't you allow it to accidentally encounter an ant nest and eat along the way?"
"That's a possibility, but in the case where this bear has limited physical strength, it won't randomly hunt. It needs to conserve energy, so it will go to some 'old places' to find food, like ant nests and these mud pits. Because no matter when, these places offer opportunities to eat a little something to maintain energy before continuing the hunt. Otherwise, they would starve before catching any prey," Luo Jun said.
Li Shi now understood.
"Uncle, are you saying that the bear won't eat all the ants at once, leaving some for later?"
"Yes, after all, eating ants alone won't satisfy its hunger, but it can supplement protein and restore energy. Knowing this information, we can deduce that if the bear can't replenish its fat, it will definitely return to the 'old places.' There are many such old places, such as nut trees, wild fruit trees, paddle fruit trees, beehives, and some edible tree barks."
As Luo Jun finished analyzing, Li Shi's mind became clear.
Excitedly, she asked, "So, on the way, we'll definitely be able to see traces left by the bear on the trees?"
"Yes, it might eat some tree bark or just finished eating honey, getting stung by bees. They will scratch against trees to relieve the itchiness. As long as we pay attention to those trees, we can discover many clues. But the key is to choose the right route; otherwise, it will be difficult," Luo Jun said.
"Where should we go now?" Li Shi asked.
"Let's first look around this area for other clues. This bear can't have gone too far, and it's highly likely to rain in the next couple of days. Animals have evolved senses that are much more sensitive to weather than humans. This injured bear will probably run back to its den to rest or even enter a short hibernation," Luo Jun explained.
"How long do we have to search?" Li Shi curiously asked.
"That's hard to say. If we're lucky, it could be a day. But if luck isn't on our side, it wouldn't be surprising if it takes four or five days," Luo Jun replied. Li Shi swallowed nervously. Hunting is not like before. Previously, spending six or seven days in the wilderness was no problem because hunters had specialized houses to serve them in the forest. But now, they don't have such favorable conditions. It would be unbearable to spend several days hunting in the wilderness.
Fortunately, Li Shi was wearing the tactical pants previously worn by Luo Jun. The young girl, with a heroic appearance, wouldn't suffer too much in the wild forest.
"By the way, Uncle, how can you determine the time when the hoof prints were left?" Li Shi asked.
"That's simple. If it's in soft ground in the woods, we need to consider the weather conditions in the preceding days, such as whether it rained, the air temperature and humidity, and the amount of ground moisture loss. If the weather is good, humidity is low, and there is significant evaporation of moisture, the footprints left behind will become softer and extend with time. The soil at the edges of the footprints will also crumble inward. If there is dust or fallen leaves nearby, we can also analyze the amount of dust or fallen leaves inside the footprints to determine their existence time," Luo Jun explained professionally, leaving Li Shi amazed.
And for Luo Jun, these were just ordinary hunting knowledge, and his expertise lies in urban tracking methods.
"Oh my goodness, Uncle, from now on, I should address you as teacher!" Li Shi exclaimed excitedly, keeping up with Luo Jun.
Luo Jun smiled and replied, "I never agreed to take you on as a student."
"Are you rejecting me because I can't afford the tuition fee?" Li Shi asked persistently.
"Learning these things is not of much use unless you end up stranded on a deserted island. You wouldn't need to use these fringe knowledge for your entire life," Luo Jun explained.
"But we are still on a deserted island now, and we don't know when we can go back," Li Shi refused to give up and continued.
Luo Jun turned to look at her and said, "The knowledge I possess is meant for hunting down enemies, but it can be applied to prey as well. Moreover, I have discovered armed boats on the island. If everything goes smoothly, we should have a chance to leave this island within a month."
Li Shi was shocked once again upon hearing this.
"Why didn't you mention it earlier in the shelter? Once Elena and Jenny find out, they will definitely be thrilled," Li Shi exclaimed.
Luo Jun shook his head and replied, "You must never reveal this. We don't know anything about those armed individuals, and I have already killed two of their men. Boarding their ship won't be an easy task, that's for sure."