The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-01-27
NOTES ON JACKSON COUNTY.
BY d. MAcKLEY.


Wild deer were very plenty in all parts
of this county until within the past
twenty-five years. When l was boy
they very often came past my fathers
house, in full view. / have often hunt
ed them in laurel thicket just across
the creek from Jefferson Furnace. They
were very wild, and none but hunter
of experience could get near enough to
kill them with rifle. Deer were gener-
ally hunted and killed in the winter.
when there was snow upon the ground.
When killed in the summer, it was gen.
orally done by watching for them to
come to the deer licks, which meant
springs of water where the deer came to
drink They generally came to drink
at night, and the hunter would conceal
himself in a position where he could
command the spring with his rifle.
Venison was excellent meat. The
hams, when salted and dried, called
Jerk" was excellent food, even raw.
The skins were valuable. They were
not tanned but dressed. The hair was
taken off with lye made of wood ashes.
Then a solution Of deers brains and
warm water was worked into the skins,
and they were smoked over a fire made
Of rotten wood OF. these dressed deer
skins were made moccasins, pantaloons
aprons, &c. All blacksmiths, shoemak-
ers, and many other mechanics, wore
aprons made Of dressed deer skins.
Wild turkeys were abundant, but they
were not much hunted while bears and
deer were plenty. Turkeys went in
focls Of half dozen, up to twenty or
thirty When they paired off in the
spring, it was different. A person skill
ed in all the arts and sciences Of the
backwoods, understood how to cheat the
turkeys, as we'll as the other game. A
man would put his finger in his mouth,
and rapidly jerk the finger, while max
ing loud hallowing noise, and so near
ly initiate the gobble Of the male tuI key,
that the female would frequently an
swer, and cautiously approach. The
male was deceived by the hunter imitat-
ing the sound made by the female, by
sucking the wind through the bone of a
turkeys wing.
Turkeys were often caught in pens in
the winter. A pen was built of rails,
some three feet high, and covered over
the top with rails. A trench was dug
under one side, commencing some dis
tance outside, and getting gradually
deeper uutil 1t passed underline pen, aud
then tapering up shallower again until
IL termina led near the center of the
pen. The tr,nch was covered on the
inside with bo ards, some distance from
the side OF the pen. Corn was scattered
along the irene b, and into the pen. A
flock of turkeys would come along, com.
mence picking up the corn, and some
times dozen or more would enter the
trench, get into the pen, and after pick
ing up all the corn would ottemp- to get
out, but they would never think of 60
ing down through the trench, but woulI'
run their heads b etwcen the rails of the
pen.
Raccoons we.e abundant in the
swamps about tb heads Of the creeks,
and, in fact, all over the county. There
arc n few yet in the more wild and wood
ed parts Of the c, unity. They were hun
ted in the winter for their furs, and in
the summer 10 pr event their destroying
tho growing corn. Some Of the settlers
from Old Virginia ate the raccoon, anC
also the opossum A good raccoon do
was highly priced The raccoon woul'
generally seek he largest tree, wheI
pursued by dog'., ana good raccool
dog had peculiar bark when he ha'
his game freed. which lark the hunte
well understo' sd, and the >log rarely wa