The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-08-04
Hunting Wild Hogs in Tennessee.

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The early settlers brought hogs witt
them into Tennessee, and having little
or no food for them, suffered them to
stray off among the hills to root fol
their ewn living. Tie mast, which il
very abundant in these hills, consists
of hickory, beech and chestnut, as well
as acorns, so that hogs, deer and
turkeys grow fat on it in the fall and
winter. Hogs stray Oft miles away
from their owners and become wild as
deer, and it requires as much skill and
cunning to capture the one as the other,
and in course of time their whole nature
is entirely changed. Instead of the fat,
lazy lubbers as we see them on the
farms, or as house-pet in an Irish
shanty, they become terocious wild
beasts. They grow tall and slab sided
Their ears stand up straight, their hair
rows 5long and wiry, and, in short, the
arc different animal in nature, habits
and appearance.
Mountain wolves are plenty in these
hills, but they seldom attempt to cap
ture hog from the drove, knowing
they are likely to be captured them
selves.
The people who live in the hills de-
pend almost entirely on game and wild
hogs for their supply of meat. The wild
hog is not fit for food in the summer,
bnt grows fat in the late fall and early
winter on the great abundance Of mast
in these great forests. The wild hog
here is not considered the property of
any one settler, but is looked upon as
common stock property for all who may
choose to pursue and capture him.
After hard nights rest on blanket
before big log 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 cabin. Our
outfit consists of stout hickory club
and butcher knife, the latter tightly
belted around the waist in a leather
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 tramp of three miles or more
we begin to discover signs of game. We
now halt and hold a council of war.
Our old bushwacker, Jack Newland, is
chosen captain of the party, and the
plans of the hunt chalked out by him.
"You see, boys" said Captain Jack,
"here is the range of a drove, and you
see by the signs and fresh beds, as well
as the tracks in the snow, that there is
about twenty hogs in the drove, big and
little. Most on 'em is big fellows, and
will give hard fight. Now, Jim and
Ned, take two of the dogs and 60 round
that pint of hill over thar. Sam, you
and Rob just kinder crawl around over
that ar mob, and lay low. The rest on
US will follow on the track. When [
see the hogs III holler like an owl.
Then you answer, hoo' hoo! hoo! same
as me, case see the hogs 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 away off, and we
had not proceeded far before we sighted
them few hundred yards away, busily
turning up the leaves in search of food.
Here we halted behind trees, and Cap
tain Jack gave the call in imitation of
the big. horned owl, which was an
swered by the other two parties. This
was the signal for attack. We started
in on a run to surprise the game, and
soon the dogs had brought the hogs to
bay. The rest of the hunters now ar
rived with all the dogs, and the fight
commenced, each one urging his dog to
seize hog by the ear, and, watching
his chance, would jump astrlde Of him,
and holding on with one hand. would
put his deadly blows over the head with
his club, and as soon as down, out with
his butcher knife and plunge it up to the
hilt in the hogs throat-then off for
another. The chase and slaughter are
thus kept up for mile or mere, or un.
til the dogs and men ace tired out or all
the hogs killed, when we retrace our
steps and make arrangements for gath
ing up our game. ~
We have seen a stout hog bound off
through the woods with his rider while
the dog was fast to his ear, and carry
both considerable distance before
being killed. The sport is ludicrous in
the extreme, as well as being attended
with considerable danger; and unless
one is familiar with 1t he is pretty apt to
get severely hurt by the side wipes of
the hogs long tusks. When we engaged
this drove the fight was exciting and
furious. AS for ourselves, though not a
coward, we must confess that we often
preferred to take refuge up sapling and
watch the fight than to participate in it.
The day was far advanced when the
sport ended. We all assembled and
built a large fire, and proceeded to drag
the slaughtered hogs into camp. whicn
proved a very laborious job. When all
the killed had been brought in We
counted eleven large fat porkers. 1t
was now near dark, and we concluded
to camp there for the night, returning
to where we had left our provisions in
the morning. On first discovering the
game and bringing it into camp we
hung up the hogs to have them ready
for Transportation. We cut out tender
loins and broiled them on the live Goals,
and enjoyed q hearty supper and break
fast. During the night we were
awakened by q pack OF wolves which
had assembled on neighboring hill to
give US q grand serenade. We could
not see them, but should judge, from the
great noise they made, there were fifty
at least, and had we not eight or ten
tout dogs and q large fire they would
poubtless have made an attempt to caps
ture nnd carry off our game.