Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-28
miscellaneous.
Organizinga Party Of Hunters to Shoot
Them.
HERDS OF WILD HORSES ON THE PLAINS
PROVE INJURIOUS TO RANCH OWNERS
SKILL AND PATIENCE REQUIRED TO
CATCH THEM

on the plains that some OF the stockmen
in this vicinity have organized hunting
party whose object will be to thin them
out. The hunters are provided with long
range rifles, fleet ponies, and supplies and
forage enough to last all winter, and they
will endeavor TO make clean job OF it.
These horses have existed on the plains
for many years, but of late they have been
increasing very fast. They are quick to
scent the approach of foes, feet as the
antelope that may often be seen browsing
in security at their side, and as unmana-
geable as the wind. Native animals, when
turned loose on the prairie. soon become
wild, and If allowed to run without being
disturbed. breed very rapidly. Horses
continually break away from their owners
and Join the wild horses, and this is the
reason why stockmen are aroused over the
subject. Men who crossed the plains in
1849 encountered many wild horses, and
for years afterward they must have in
creased rather than diminished. Horses
stand the winter much better than cattle,
and unless the weather is unusually severe
will come out fat in the spring.
Every year large numbers of domestic
horses escape from the settlers. Some OF
them are found, but when mares escape
they are never reclaimed. In wandering
over the plains they encounter the wild
bands. and from that time forward are as
wild as the others. The wild stations are
the guardians of the bands. Always on
sentinel duty, they give the alarm when
any enemy approaches. In a moment the
stragglers are rounded in, fleet-footed
stallion leads the van, and with others at
the TANKS, away they 60 in laundering
charge. Nobody has yet been able to
overtake them. Sometimes they are las
seed or shot, but such thing as heading
them off in a race is out Of the question.
The range of the wild horses at present
extends from Texas to the southern Da-
kota line. They are more numerous in
northern Colorado. Wyoming and western
plains. On the Republican river, on the
divide between the South Platte, and the
Lodge Pole and the North Platte, and as
far east as the heads of the Loup and Dis
NAL rivers, the horses range at will. Five
or six years ago they could be found on
the divide between Sidney and Sterling in
lunches of 80 or 75 but now bunch of
% is considered large. Sometimes there
is more than one stallion in band, but
one of them is always acknowledged as
chief. winning this distinction by many
hard-fought battles with his rivals. One
bunch of II horses recently seen near
Sidney was entirely composed of stations,
but this is explained on the theory that
they were probably driven out of various
herds when Young, and gradually herded
together as old buffalo bulls are in the
habit of doing. From the horse ranch of
Nj. f. Post, about Is miles north of this
city, nearly 200 mares have wandered
away, and it is believed that at least one
halt of them have joined the wild horses.
The wild horses are compact little ami
mails, weighing from 500 to 100 pounds.
The majority of them weigh about 800
pounds and stand about Ia hands high. In
color they are usually brown, sorrel, or
bay. A gray is seldom seen. unless it is
horse that has strayed away from civiliz-
alton. Their tails grow long, sometimes
dragging the ground, but their names
are like those of other horses, and not
flowing to the knees as they are represent
ed in some books. The eve, prob
ably from being constantly on the watch
is larger than the eye of the domestic
horse, and even when tanned the eye
remains a distinctive mark OF the horses
origin. Wild horses, when captured and
trained, are superior to any other horse
of the same size. Many of them are used
by the cowboys, and others are broken to
harness and driven as carriage horses, be-
ing entirely trustworthy.
Several men living in Sidney make liv-
ing by catching wild horses. Until five
or six years ago no one knew how to do
it. and very few outsiders now under
stand the methods adopted. Mr.. Living
ston. of that town, describes the process
as follows: Two men always work to-
gether. Let them start out from Sidney.
either north or south, and they are almost
certain to find bunch within Is miles.
The plan is then to pitch a tent and make
a camp, and one of them, mounted on his
best horse, carrying with him a few cold
biscuits or something else convenient
to eat, starts after the bunch He does
not ride very fast and at first does not at.
tempt to get near them. but is content tC
keep the bunch moving, not allowing
them to stop and eat The horses may
90 only ten or a dozen miles, and they
may go 30 or GO, but. no matter how fal
they run, they will turn back and seek the
range from which they started. If they
60 far the mettle of the rider and his
horse will be tried to the utmost The
bunch must be kept moving, and there il
no chance to change saddle-horses unit
they turn, of their own accord, and pas.
near the camp.
Day and night, on they go. If the
weather be clear and the nights not stormy
the rider will continue close after the ami
mails, sometimes within 100 yards. II
makes no difference whether it be dark
or light, the horse that is ridden and that
is trained to the business, follows
after the herd. When the first
rider succeeds in turning the bunch
and bringing them back to the camp, he
is relieved by the second, who with a
fresh horse starts after them, while his
companion turns in and takes a much
needed rest. This time they will not
probably go so far. After awhile they
become tanner. and the hunter can turn
them at pleasure. This may require a
week. or it may be done in couple OF
days. If the horses do not become scared
they will not run so tar, and are more
easily managed. When the bunch be.
comes worried and starved ont, it is
driven toward the nearest corral. For
merly corrals were erected specially for
IL. l..N