The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-05-02
Hunting a Coyote.

Hunting a Coyote.
The Virginia City New Chronicle
says: Yesterday afternoon q party of
Virginians engaged in coyote hunt,
which was perhaps one of the most re-
markable sporting events ever witnessed
in the country. The meet took place at
noon, on the alkali fat, about eighteen
miles east of this city. The place Sc
lected for the liberation of the coyote
was sort of alkali fiat about six.or
seven miles wide. The coyote, Gagged in
close box, had been brought to the
place in wagon, and was liberated
about half-past twelve in the center of
the fat. 1t was agreed to allow him to
reach the edge Of the sagebrush, some
three miles distant, before the hounds
were slipped. When let out of his box
the coyote trotted off leisurely, leaving
behind eighteen or twenty hounds
struggling frantically in the leash and
clamoring for the run. It took the
coyote about fifteen minutes to reach the
edge OF the fiat, and Just as he melted
into the sagebrush the pack were turn
ed loose upon the desert and took the
trail in full cry, followed by a we'll
mounted field.
The sagebrush was soon reached, and
then the chase began in earnest. John
5. Kaneen, who was splendidly mounted,
took the lead, with Jack Magee close at
his heels and the rest of the field trail
ing behind. The sagebrush and bould-
ers were not the easiest things in the
world to run in, but the horses, which
had got warmed up to the work, made
light of the rough condition of the track
as they went crashing through the
brush or. took flying leaps over the
boulders. The hounds were about half
mile ahead in the sagebrush, their
course marked by o continuous yelping
and trail of dust.
After q run of about twenty minutes,
the coyote turned upon the trail and
took course leading back to the flat.
Reaching the limit of the sagebrush, it
shot into the clear fiat again, and made
bee line for the box from which it was
liberated. The hounds cleared the brush
but few minutes behind, with the field
not twenty yards in the rear, and at this
point the chase became very exciting.
The flat was as level as a floor, and when
the field struggled out of the brush the
coyote was about half q mile ahead, and
had three miles to run before reaching
the box-a point for which it was evil
IDENTIFY making. Horses, hounds and
coyote were now all, for the first time,
in sight of each other. About half q
dozen horsemen led the field.
As they neared the box the coyote was
pretty closely pressed by the hounds,
but made spurt and slid into his old
retreat like a flash of lightning. The
driver of the team who had brought him
out jumped down and closed the door,
and in minute pack of disappointed
dogs were yelping all around il. The
riders came up Immediately afterward,
and hearty cheer went up in honor of
the sagacious coyote, followed by a
general laugh when the utter ridiculous
ness OF the situation became apparent.
After the coyote had taken about hslf
an hours rest it was decided to give the
hounds second run, and the snarling
coyote was again turned out upon the
cold charities of the sagebrush. He
made off this time at pace which dis
counted his first effort. It did not take
over five minutes for him to reach the
sagebrush, and the instant he disappear
ed the field took the trail. He covered
about the same ground as before, but
doubled more frequently and ran good
deal faster. In about twenty minutes
he again turned into the fat, and I" Lit
tie Martini" the driver, who was near
the box with his team, concluded to go
out to meet him. The coyote was doub-
ling in fine style on the hounds, but
when Martin had travelled about a mile
from the box the animal turned and made
for the wagon. The dogs overlook him
when he was yet about fifty yards from
the wagon, and the leader springing for
ward fastened his teeth in his shoulder.
The coyote turned nimbly, and appro-
priating a portion of the dogs ear,
travelled ON, and gaining the wagon,
stopped directly under it, trotting along
like coach dog, beneath the fore
axle. The hounds surrounded the
wagon yelping savagely, and one would
occasionally shoot between the wheels
to try conclusions with the coyote, who
would generally send him bowling back
with the blood streaming from his hide.
The coyote finally became emboldened
with its success, and gliding from be-
tween the wheels, sprang into the center
of the pack, and, for a few seconds,
fought savagely, sliding pack to its van
tage ground again when numbers threat
ened to overpower him. Little Martin,
the self constituted guardian of the
coyote, enjoyed the fun immensely, and
drove the wagon straight up to the box.
The hounds, which seemed to anticipate
repetition of the first strategic move
ment, made rush to cut off the retreat,
but the hunted animal fought his way
throuph and clearing the hack of the
last one in his way by a leap that must
have measured five times his length, he
gained the door of the box, and was in
side again in a second.
The field now came up and sent up
another round of hearty cheers for the
coyote.
Iha Arnaias of tho WarId