“You plant corn but… it all gets picked clean by wild boar,” Wang, 74, said. “I sometimes stay up all night in the field with a stick and pitchfork to protect my land, but it’s no use.”
Some villagers set off firecrackers or bang gongs until dawn to ward off the pigs to little effect.
Wang said she has applied for government compensation in return for lost crops but has received nothing — and sees the hunters as the only people farmers can turn to for help.
Liu Qi, another member of City Hunters, is often first on the scene of the chaotic battles between man and boar. Afterwards, he cuts open the carcass to feed the dogs — kept hungry to encourage their hunting instincts.
But the hunters can only achieve so much. “We’re burning cash,” Liu said.
The team’s drone cost them around 40,000 yuan while dogs can cost tens of thousands. When there are no bounties offered, they operate at a loss.
They hope to eventually reach one million followers on Douyin and earn money from advertising and selling hunting products.
For now, they all have day jobs. After completing the hunt, returning to base and treating any injured dogs, their work often ends long after midnight.
Once night falls again, they get ready to head out once more. They jump back in their truck and speed along mountain roads, looking for the next boar to hunt.
© 2025 AFP
