National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-10-16
BAD FOR THE eRoUNp-uoe.
Turtles, Kerosene, and CandIowlck
Used with Success in Hunting It.

Used With Success In Hunting It.
A hunter once surprised grounding In
a clover field near this village, says a
Deokertown IN. J.) correspondent of the
New York Sun. II made for home, which
was near. The hunter got two shots at IT,,
and at the mouth Of its burrow It fell. It
was evidently in its death throes, but II
dragged itself halfway into it's hole before
IL died. The hunter hurried to get his
| prize, and as he was about 10 put his hands
| on 1t IL disappeared In the hole with a sud
| den movement which indicated that 10 had
been pulled In. Before the dead wood
| chuck was beyond the hunters reach in the
burrow he seized It's hind legs aud began
pulling II back. Then he knew something
was pulling at the other end with as much
| anxiety to get the dead animal in the hole
as he was to get It out. II required all Of
| the hunters strength to overcome the eff
torts OF whatever was Juggling at the other
end, and after long struggle he succeeded
In dragging his game out. What was his
surprise to see live ground hog, the dead
ones mate, with its teeth fastened 10 the
nose OF the dead one, and braclng itself and
tuggiDg With all its might to save the body
OF fts mate from the hunter SO determined
was the sagacious animal that II was dragged
out OF the burrow by its hold on the dead
ones nose, and 1t fell victim to It's faith
fulness.
It being difficult to successfully shoot
woodchucks, and long and tedious Job
usually TO dig them out Of their deep and
init icate burrows, which they enlarge aud
engineer In oil directions rs fast almost as
man can dig the earth away behind them,
the most successful and easiest way to
capture them in this part OF New Jersey,
until John Mackerly Of Pellettown, turned
lNfWI.N ~ L. .t... "A. n 4.
chase, was to trap them. John Mackerly
is veteran woodchuck hunter, and enjoys
the title OF champion. One day last season,
after long dig after big grounding, he
was returning home when he stumbled
over land turtle. Mackerly had stumbled
over scores OF land turtles before without
any result but a few vigorous remarks pc.
cniiar to that part OF Jersey, aud what par
tioular inspiration there was In this partic-
ular turtle Mackerly does not know. As
coon as he stumbled over II and looked
around and saw what IL was the idea stood
out before him as clear as the gilt label on
an applejack bottle.
"Sam Hillln he said. "They're Just the
thing to ketch ground.hogs with, and here
they've ben wastin' ever sence the iloodw
John Mackerly caught up the turtle and
struck for home. lie bored hole through
ono. edge OF its shell near the tail. Then he
took ball OF cnndlewick and unwound two
feet OF the wick, and fashioned It so no more
would unwind lie tied the unwouud
piece through the hole In the turtles shell.
The ball he soaked In kerosene. Then he
started for the nearest ground. hogs hole.
He put the turtle at the mouth OF the hole
and touched a match to the kerosene. soaked
ball OF candlewick. A small bonfire at once
blazed up. The turtle plunged into the
depths OF the grounding burrow. The bon
fire went In after It and urged the turtle on.
Mackerly stood at the mouth of the burrow
with an ak hanging poised over 1t. Pres.
emily q wild.eyed woodchuck almost
bounded out Of the hole. It seemed dazed.
It paused to think. The AK came
down on It's SKULL and the success
OF the flrebrand-propelllng turtle
as grounding hunter was assured. When
the turtle, it'll presumed, reached the con-
fines of the ground-hog's home 1t turned
and came back, the fire In the rear render
inglingering in the cool retreat mad visable
The turtlt came out at the mouth OF the
burrow. The bonfire was extinguished,
and the scheme ready to be taken to an
other hole.
That afternoon Mackerly captured seven
fat woodchucks by means of the FIRE ball
and the turtle. Now every ground hog
hunter has his turtle or two and his illumi-
mating and accelerating ball OF candlewick.
AS consequence the markets Of northern
New Jersey are glutted with ground hog.