Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-04-02
A Circular Wolf Hunt.

An old-fashioned wolf hunt took place
recently on the borders of lroquois and
Kankakee counties, Illinois, though it must
he confessed there was more hunting than
finding. About year ago circular hunt
or drive was carried out in that section,
which resulted in the corralling of fifteen or
twenty wolves, all of which, with one eN-
ception, escaped through the line, owing to
the fact that guns were forbidden, Tor fear
Of accident Not satisfied with the result,
il was then and there decided TO have an
other hunt this year, and 10 have IT with
guns. The men of St Marie and the ad-
joining townships were TO form the south
line, those of II. Anne the west, those Of
Momence the north, and those of Morocco
the east. Besides these, a number OF In
dianians, with pack of hounds, were eX-
pec,ed TO take part \ chief captain and
two assistant captains were named for each
division, and points of rendezvous at ten
O'Clock appointed. At that hour horsemen
and foOtmen began to gather, armed with
rifles, shotguns, muskets, clubs, fish-horns,
conch-shells, and every other imaginable
thing that would blow or 90 off with a
bang. An hour later the lines were
formed. covering circuit of about ten or
twelve miles in diameter. and the signal TO
start-the blowing of Il tin horn, which was
taken up and passed around the entire cir
cle-was given from the Momence column.
At the start the men were widely scattered,
but asthey approached the centre they drew
nearer and nearer until an almost solid
phalanx was formed. The country over
which the hunt was made is a marshy re-
gion, broken here and there by sandy ridges,
covered with stunted young oaks. ranging
from two To ten feet in height-in short,
what is known in the vernacular of the
country as ..barrens The arrangement
was that when the circle was narrowed to a
mile and quarter in diameter, halt
should be called, and ten select hunters
should go in with dogs and stir the animals
up for chase. The hunt was prettily ar
ranged to this end. and when the halt was
called it was upon the verge of a circular
prairie, and the entire line was visible,
making picturesque sight. Then 1t was
seen that the 81. Marie and Morocco por-
tions were well-filled, while those of st.
Anne and Momence were full of wide gaps
owing to the small number and unequal
distribution Of their men. Inside the lines
was the broad stretch of prairie, covered
with short. brown grass; but nowhere over
its level surface was wolf to be seen. The
order forward was given again, and the cir
Gle grew smaller and smaller until horsemen
and footmen came up and looked into each
others faces, as if they would say: ''Well,
what did YOU let them out fort" 1t was a
.swater- haul in fisherman's parlance.
A comparison Of notes showed that the cir
Gle had at one time embraced four wolves.
One of them went into his hole on the ST.
Anne line, and pulled it in after him, and
some of the bows STAYED behind TO DIG him
out. One made rush for it on the 81.
Marie line, and got off with a whole skin by
dextrously dodging a rifle bullet, and the
remaining couple sought and secured soli-
tude by doing the like on the Morocco line.
Considerable astonishment was expressed
at the fact that so few were encircled. The
prevailing opinion was that it was owing To
the fact that most of the ground had been
burned over in the fall and the wolves had
bid the place goodbye. One old hunter
reckoned that as the arrangement for the
hunt had been made on the ground last year,
the wolves had heard it and had lit out.
The most plausible theory, however, was
that they had effected their escape through
the north line, which was particularly thin
in numbers gap of half mile existing
in one or two places-for fresh tracks were
plenty.