Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-08-05
Hunting wild Hogs in Tennes-
see.

:, 60
stray off among the hills to root
for their own living. The mast,
which is very abundant in lesc
hills, consists OF hickory, beech
and chestnut, as well as acorns,
so that hogs, deer and turkeys
grow lat on it in the fall aud
winter. Hogs stray Oft miles
away from their owners, and
become wild as deer, and it re-
quires as much skill and cum
ming to capture the one as the
other, and in course of time their
whole nature is entirely chang
ed. Instead of the fat, lazy
lubbers as VIC see them on the
farms, or as a house pet in an
Irish shanty, they become fero-
cious wild beasts They grow
tall and slabsided. Their ears
stand up straight, their hair
grows long and wiry, and, in
Short, they are u different AMI
NAL IN nature, habits. and APP
pearance. Mountain wolves are
plenty in these hills, but they
seldom attempt TO capture hog
from the drove, knowing the,
are likely TO be captured them
selves. The people who live in
the hills depend almost entirely
on game and wild hogs for their
supply of meat. The wild hog
is not fit for food in summer,
but grows fat in the late fall and
early winter on the great album
dance Of mast in these great
forests. The wild hog here is
not considered the property of
any settler, but is looked upon
as common stock property for
ali who may choose TO pursue
and capture him. After a hard
nights rest on a blanket before
u big fire, we are up by day
light TO find about three inches
OF snow on the ground, just
what we wanted. Even the
long Kentucky rifle is left
hanging in the rack in the cab
in. Our outfit consists of q
stout hickory club and butch
err knife, the latter tightly belt
ed around the waist in a leath-
ern scabbard. These are the
only sporting tools used for
hunting wild hogs in these hills,
and they are very effective, as
we shall presently see. Some
seven or eight of us, with as
many stout dogs, set out that
morning, and after a tramp of
three miles or more we begin
to discover signs of game. We
now halt and hold a council of
war. Our old bushwhacker
Jack Newlant, is chosen cap
tain of the party, and the plans
of the hunt chalkcd out by him.
you see, boys" said Cap
tain Jack, 'hcre is the range of
u drove, and you see by Tho
signs and fresh beds as well az
the tracks IN the snow':hat there
is about twenty hogs in Tho
drove, big and little. Most OF
'em is big fellows, and will give
a hard fight. Now, jim ,ant
Ned, take two of the dogs and
go around that pint of hill over
thar. Sam, you and, Bob JUS
kinder crawl around over thai
ar mob and lay low. The resi-
on us will follow on the trail
When l see the hogs I'll hollel
Hike owl. Then you answer
Hoo! hoo! hoo! same as me
case l see the hogs a rootin'
Then pitch in and head 'em off
till the dogs come up" :
The snow gave US a good
chance to see the hogs a good
way off, and we had not pro-
ceeded far before VIC sighted
them a few hundred yards away
busily turning up the leaves in
search of food. Here We halted
behind trees, and Captain Jack
gave the call in imitation of the
big horned owl, which was an
swered by the two other parties.
This was the signal for attack.
We started in a run to surprise
the game, and soon the dogs
had brought the hogs 10 bay.
The rest of the hunters now ar
rived with all the dogs, and the
fight commenced, each one urg-
ing his dog TO seize a hog by
the ear, and watching his chance
would Jump astride Of him and
in holding on with one hand
would put his deadly blows O.
yer the head with his club, and
as soon as down out with his
butcher knife and plunge it up
to the hilt i'll the hogs throat
then off for another. The chase
and slaughter are thus kept up
for a mile or more, until the
dogs and men are tired out or
all the hogs killed, when we re-
trace our steps and make ar
Engagements for gathering up our
game. We have seen u stout
hog bound off through the woods
with his rider while the dog was
fast TO his ears, and carry both
a considerable distance before