Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-01-25
Hunting the Wild Boar I'm Connecticut.

"Wild boar hunting In Connecticut
said an old Windham County farmer re-
Gently, lis something never expected to
see in my day. Nevertheless. 1t is solid
fact that can't be denied" The farmers
assertion is true. The finest and mos. ex-
citing sports in Windhz m County this fall
and winter has been hunting wild hogs
In the town of Ashford there is an exten-
sive tract OF sterile land that is nearly all
a wilderness. Large forests cover the lcf-
" hills. and in the hollows are impossible
swamps, quagmlres, and dense thicke!s,
and along the hilisides rocky caves. IN
this district live and breed and are hunted
the wild hogs. How the hogs came there
is question; but it is the general belief
that they are the offspring of litter of
pigs that strayed away from the farm Of
Mr. Bosworth several years ago, and be-
came wild. Their number now is various.
ly estimated at from fifty to seventy-fve
head; and at certain seasons they do
much mischief, prowlirg around the farms
and out-houses at nihgt and roofing up
fields of crops. They have returned to
savagery. They a,e described as long
bodied and lean, covered with coarse,
black bristles, and are ferocious and for
midable antagonists. their tusks are
long, sharp and curved. They lurk ir
the coverts of the woods, feeding on nuts
and forest twigs, and when disturbed rush
out with loud snort, md run with the
swiftness of the wind. They have long
since been voted common enemy, and
every hunter earns the gratitude of the
farmers by shooting them. The hunters
don't like To go alone TO meet the hogs,
but, weIl-armed with breech- loading rifles,
or guns loaded with buckshot, go in strong
parties.
About the middle of October was the
first hunt Of this year, and several hogs
were killed after a fierce corfict, and
brought into the vi lage Of Ashford amid
grea. rejoicing. The carcasses were conn.,
pletely perforated with buckshot. since
then several other parties have tried the
sport, but in each case the game was toe
wary to hazard battle or too swift for
| the hunters. In one instance a big hog,
with flaming eyes and erect bnstles,
started up out of thicket just ahead OF
| The hunters and dashed off in full view OF
the sportsmen, who were too astonished Ic
Il
shoot.
Recently the most formidable and elsb
crate hunting expedition Of the year SCI
out from Brooklyn, Wlndham County.
There were nine men, all armed witt
reach loading Iifles. A double wagor
loaded With munitions of war, and draw
by pair of heavy horses, conveyed then
to the field. A smail and lively domestic
pig was carried along for decoy. A drlz
zling rain was falling, and the ground slip
perry. The party tramped all day through
the wet underbrush, going over thirty
miles, and got not glimpse OF wild hog
Ihe domestic pig was complete failure a
a decoy. Ii was intended 10 take th'
youthful animal into a part of the fores
frequented BY the hogs, and to have on
of the party secreied in the bush press i
to his breast. 1t was expected that ih
| pig would squeal agon.zingly In return
: and attract the wild swine TO the spot
The man with the pig secreted himself
according to the n quirements OF the pru
gramme, and squeezed the animal vicious
", bit it would not squeal. He the
} tried 10 coax it to sound note of appeal
/ he pinched Its ear and trod on its tail, bu
} not a sound would the pig utter. Tn
3 party accordingly put the animal in bag
and late in the afternoon. footsore and dii
l gusted, rolled home in their two-hori
3 vehicle. Their entry in the village W.
1 greeted with shouts of derision, ami tt
5 price of tame pork rose cent and qua
lter per pound