Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-30
A BATTLE WITH JACK RABBITS.
PerIiOus and Exciting Sport in the Wild
Eaat=Tha nen-ar .IacI- Rahhit Climb.

PeriiOus and Exciting Sport in the Wild
West-The Denver Jack Rabbit Club.
Denver's Jack Rabbit Club, an associa-
ton which annually makes an excursion
and has for its object the keeping Down Of
the census of the rabbit race in Colorado,
says the Tribune, returned a few days
ago from its administering trip, and its
members have settled down to their regu-
lar business. This years party included
DR.. Burchard, Justice Jeffries, Constable
Charley Nader, the Hon. Henry Suess,
John KiefeT, Max Neef, the Hon. J. c.
Kuner, DR.. Rogers, w. Y. Sedan, Henry
MOllendeln. Mr. GrOmm, William Nord-
Ion, Mr.. Smith, DR.. w. Wyle de Wymetal,
and some six or eight others.
The ground selected for the battle this
year was in San Luis Park. The party
left this city in a special car, which was
well stocked with demijohns, wicker
baskets, kegs, and cigar boxes, none Of
the packages being empty or taken along
for pure ornamentatiOn. The departure
was made under cover Of night, and the
following day they arrived at Wittemore's
ranch at Villa Grove, where a head
quarters was established. The following
day a little desultOry shooting was in
dulged in, but the grand central hunt was
set for the second day.
The grand central hunt is always, OF
course, the principal feature Of these ex-
cursiOns, and is in its details very care
fully arranged and carried out. Its
arrangement consists, first, in the choice
of Captain who commands the whole
affair, that honor this year falling upon
Mr.. Suess. Capt. Suess divided his COM
pany into two parties, with leader for
each. and with each party was horse
man provided with immense bags for
game. In the rear of all were two wagons,
which were to take the game from the
hOTsemen as soon as it accumulated.
Capt. Suess formed his company into
two ranks, headed by its leader, and at
the word of command the company
started forward to the scene of carnage.
AS they approached the rabbit ground the
two lines diverged to the right and lett,
marching in a diagonal course each way,
and soon enclosing upon one side an area
embracing several acres. AS the lines
advanced they heightened, until at the
proper signal the leaders directed their
course toward each other, and an i'm
mense circle was formed which, gradual
ly narrowing, cOrralled an army of rab-
bits which had been startled by the tramp
Of the enemy, who had encOmpassed their
city as the walls of Babylon were once
encOmpassed.
Then came the moment of excitement,
ana eacn man EFaSpeu MS gun, fearl9S
that he would get nervous and fire before
he ought to, aud possibly shoot a neighb0r
over on the other side of the circle. The
rule is that the first shot shall be fired by
the man toward whom a rabbit runs, and
in the event of his failure to hit it, the
next man takes pop at the jack, and SO
on.
This rule was as strictly adhered to as
possible; but after the first two shots the
game ran in such lively style that the
country all around was ringing with the
report Of musketry in a very few minutes,
and the ground was stTewn with dead |
rabbits so rapidly that the Tiders'were |
kept busy picking them up while riding /
around like crazy cavalrymen.
The result Of the hunt was some 1900 |
rabbits, to say nothing of a small pune |
ture in the forehead Of Johnny Kieffer, (
who caught stray shot, and who is as
fond Of the scar as a one-legged soldier is |
of bis missing limb.
The result of this years excursion is |
about the same in point Of dead as was !
that OF last year, but the same result I
took longer time by day last year.
The private shoot Of the members on the |
first day amounted to naught, as they left I
their game ont all night and the coyotes /
came and deVGUTed il.