Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-02-09
Sheep-Hunting In Colorado.

Walking in the midst of lovely scenery
and watching the day break In such In
finite splendor says a correspondent,
must confess that / became somewhat
careless rs TO my hunting. and stumbled
right on top of little band of sheep
fesding on the level ground before
was aware of their presence. In fact,
| did not see them until they started.
l fired, but without any effect, and set
the hound, poo old PUNK, after them.
They had got too good start, and he
could not come near them, but after q
while noticed little sheep tagging be-
hind. Thinking PUNK might overtake it,
I started off at my beat pace after him.
1t is no Joke running over rough ground
at an elevation of some eight thousand
feet on blazing hot July morning In
Colorado, and puffed and blew and
'larded the lean earth" in the most
generous manner. When / came up
found the sheep perched on a little
pinnacle of rock an the hound baying
furiousIy below, Poor little beast, 1
pitied it. 1t was only about three
months old, and it looked very forlorn.
1t was very slightly wounded, also, a
fact which [ did not know before. l
went up to it and patted it, and the poor
little creature DID not seem much
frightened, and did not mind my touch
ing it bit, but it would not follow me.
1t was too much afraid of the dog, /
fancy. l did not know what to do. l
wanted to keep it alive. tor tame sheep
is somewhat of rarity. l was afraid
to leave it alone while l went for a
wagon, and / was afraid of leaving the
hound to watch it, lest he should run in
upon it and kill it during my absence.
So 1 concluded to pack it into the ranch
on my back A nice job | had of it.
The little animal was strong as donkey,
and kicked and walloped about all the
time. 1t was us much as could do to
keep it on my shou' ders. BY that time
the forenoon was far spent and the sun
gun was pourdown with tropical
strength. ] don't know which of us was
most exhausted when we got to the
house. However, was none the worse,
but the poor little sheep never recovered.
He drank lots of milk, and seemed all
right for the first day, but after that he
pined away and died in three or four
days. Running sheep with hounds is a
good deal practiced in some places. 1
don't like it. 1t is a repreAensible
habit, and scares all the game out of the
country. 1t is very sure and easy way
of killing sheep If you have first-rate
dog and the ground is suitable to the
sport; but unless those two conditions
are fulfilled the chance of success is
small. Your hound must be very speedy
and stanch and accustomed to the busi-
ness, and the sheep must be found near
some isolated pinnacle or crags of cliff.
You creep up as near as you possibly
can to the game, and then start the dog
at them, yelling and hallooing to scare
them as much as possible as soon as you
spercive that they have caught sight of
the hound. The sheepwill run straight
up the mountain and will beat any dog
in short time; but if the hound has got
a good start, and If the ground has been
pretty level at first, he will press them
so hard that one, or perhaps two or three
of them. will take refuge on the first
precipitous cliff or crag they can find.
If that happens to be an isolated rock,
so small that the dog can keep guard
round the base of it, he will keep the
sheep at bay ''treed, as they say in
Colorado-unless his master comes up.
But for one successful run you can make
many unsuccessful ones. Nothing
scares game so much as running them
with dogs, and consequently, it is a pas
time that ought never to be pursued. or
at any rate hardly ever, and then only
when you can be quite ceatain of sue
cess. The place where caught the
little sheep was very favorable for run
ming them.
| uu; - ! LoIop1a to the anerpatic