Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-12-11
4 BATTLE WITH JACK RABBITS
(erilous and Exciting sport I'm the
wild West.
Denver Tribune Republican.

Denver's Jack Rabbit clab, an as.
ISOLATION which annually makes an
excursion. and has for its object the
keeping down of the census of the
rabbit race In Colorado, returned a
few days ago from its animal. slayino
trip, and its members have settled
down TO their regular business. This
years party included DR.. Buchard
Justice Jeffries, Constable Charley
Nader, Hon. Henry Suess. John
Kietfer, Max Neef, Hon. j. @. Kuner.
Dr. Rogers, w. Y. Sedan. Henry
Mullendein, Mr.. Gromm, William
Nordloh, Mr., Smith, DR.. w. WYE 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 deml-
johns, wicker baskets, kegs, and cigar
boxes. none of the packages bsing
empty or taken along for pure orna-
mentation. The departure was made
under cover OF night, and the follow
ing day they arrived at Wittemore's
ranch at Villa Grove, where head
quarters was established. The fol-
lowing day little desultory shooting
was INDUCED in, but the grand central
hunt was set for the second day.
The grand central hunt is always.
of course, the principle feature of these
excursions, and is in its details very
carefully arranged, and carried out.
Its arrangement consists in the choice
of a captain, who commands the
whole affair, that honor this year fall.
ing upon Mr.. Suess. Capt. Suess di-
vided his company into two parties,
with leader for each, and with each
party was a horseman provided with
immense bags for game. In the rear
of all were two wagons, which were
to take the game from the horsemen
as soon as it accumulated.
Capt Suess formed his company in
to two ranks, each headed by It's lead
err, and at the word of command the
company started forward to the scene
of carnage. As they approached the
rabbit ground the two lines diyerged
to the right and left, marching in
diagonal course each way, and soon
inclosiEg upon one side an area en-
bracing several acres. As the lines
advanced they lcnthened, until at the
proper signal the leaders directed their
course toward each other, and an inn
mense circle was formed, which,
gradually narrowing, corralled an
army OF rabbits, which had been
startled by the tramp Of sne enemy,
hOA 49,
the walls of Babylon were once en-
compasseu.
Then came the moment of excite
ment, and each man grasped his gun,
fearing that he would get nervous
aud fire before he ought to, and posi-
bly, shoot neighbor over on the other
side of the circle. The rule Is that the
first shot shall be fred by the man
toward whom 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 pos ible; but, after the first two
shots, the game ran in such a lively
style that the cou1try all around was
ringing with the report Of musketry
ia very few minutes, and heground
was strewn with dead rabbits so rapid
ly that the riders were kept busy
picking them up while riding around
like crazy cavalrymen.
The result of the hunt was some
/ 200 rabbits, to say nothing of a small
puncture in the forehead of Johnny
Kietfer who caught a stray shot, and
who is as fond of the scar as one
legged soldier is of his 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 re- /
suit took longer time by day last
year.
The private shoot of the members
on the first day amounted to naught,
as they left their game out all night
and the coyotes came and devoured |
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