Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-07-05
HUNTING WILD HOGS.
How They Were introduced Into the
Wilds of Tennessee and the
Sport They Afford.
From the Fat, Lazy LubbeFs 60
Slab-Sided, FerOciOus
wild Beasts.

/ cOnslsbs OI nlckQFyi Deecn ana cleSt
nuts, as well as acorns, so that hogs
deer and turkey grow fat on it in tn
fall and winter. Hogs stray of mile
away from their owners and becom
as wild as deer, and it requires a
much skill and cunning to capture tn
one as the other, and in course of tim,
their whole nature is entirely changed
Instead of the fat, lazy lubbers that
we see on the farms, or as house pc
| in an Irish shanty, they become Zero,
cious wild beasts. They grow tall snC
slab sided. Their ears stand VI
straight, their hair grows long anC
wiry, and, in short, they are differ
ent animal in nature, habit and sp'
pearance.
Mountain wolves are plentiful il
those hills, but they seldom attemp
to capture a hog from a drove, know
ing that they are likely to be capture
themselves.
The people who live in the hills de,
pend almost entirely upon game anC
wild hogs for their supply of meat
The wild hog is not fit for food il
summer. but grows fat in the late fall
and early winter on the great abund
snoe Of mast in these great forests
The hog here is not considered the
property of any one settler, but il
looked upon as common stock prop
erty for all who may choose to pursue
and capture him.
After hard nights rest on blan
ket before log fire, we rise at daylight
to find about three inches of snow or
the ground, just what we wanted
Even the long Kentucky rifle is Left
hanging in the rack in the cabin. Oui
outfit consists of a stout hickory clut
and a butcher. knife, the latter tightly
belteds around the, waist in eathern
scabbard. These are the only sports
ing 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, withIas
many stout dogs, set out that morn
ing, and after a tramp Of three miles
or more we began to discover signs Of
game. We now halt and hold a coun-
Gil of war. Oar old bushwbacker,
Judge Newland, is chosen captain Of
the party, and the plans of the hunt
chalked out by him.
you see, boys" said Captain Jack.
there is the range of drove, and you
see by the signs and fresh beds, AS we'll
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 a hard fight. Now, Jim
and Ned, take two of the dogs and 20
round that pint of hill over thar. Sam,
you and Bob just kinder crawl around
over that ar mob and lay
low. The rest of us will
follow on the trail. When l see
the hogs I'll holler like an owl. Then
you answer Hool hool hool same as
me, case see de hogs rootin'. Then
pitch in and head 'em off till the dogs
come up.
The snow gave US good chance to
see the hogs good way 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 Captain Jack gave the call in inns
itation of the big horned owl, which
was answered by the two other parties.
This was the signal for attack. We
started in on run to surprise the
game, sRd soon the dogs had brought
the hogs to bsy, The rest of the
hunters now arrived with all the dogs
and the fight commenced, each one
urging his dog to seize bog by the
ear, and watching his chance, would
jump astride of him, and holding on
with one hand, would put IN his
deadly blows over ths head with his
club and as soon as down, out with
bis butcher knife and plunge it
up to the bilt in the hogs throat
then off for another. The chase and
slaughter are thus kept up for mile
or more, or until the dogs and men
are tired out or all che hogs are
killed, WhsR We retrace our steps and
make arrangemenis for gathering in
our game.
We have seen a stout hog bound of
through the woods with his rider
while the dog was fast to his ears, and
carry both Q considerable distance
before being killed. The sport is
ludicrous in the extreme, as we'll as
being attended with considerable dan.
ger; aud unless one is familiar with il
he is pretty apt to get severely hurt
by the side wipes of the hogs Ions
tGsks. When we engaged this drove
the Hght was exciting and furious
As for ourself, though not a coward
we must confess that we often pre-,
ferred to take refuge up . ssplinl
and watch the fight than partiei'
pate In it. The day was far ad,
vanced when the sport ended
| we all Assembled ana pullt a larg(
FIRE, and proceeded to drag tbs slagght.
cred hogs into camp, which prOyideC
a very laborious job. When all thu
killed had been brought in we count
ed eleven large fat porkefs. It wal
now near dark, and we concluded &
camp there for the night, returning L
where we had left our PROVISIONS il
the morning. On first discovering thu
game aud bringing it into camp w
hung up the hogs, to have them ready
for transportation. We cut out ten
derloins and broiled them GA the live
Goals, and enjoyed a hearty supper anC
breakfast. During the night we werC
awakened by pack Of wolves which
had assembled on neighborlng hill
to give US a grand serenade. VIZ
could not see them, but should judge
from the gFest noise they made there
were City at least ana had we not haC
eight or ten stout dogs and q large frt
they woHld doubtless have mad,
an attempt 10 captEre and carry off ou
game,