The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-10-13
SPORT IN RUSSIA.
Exciting Scenes Enacted in Hunt
ing Wolf and Bear.
Three Ways OF Bringing the willy Wolf to
Earth-Squealing Pig as Bait-Buying
the Bear Before Shooting Him.


TO the Holy Russian Empire, was enabled
in accordance with my long entertained and
ardent desire, to get rid, for few days, OF
business which chained me to either Peters
burger Moscow, and thoroughly Indulge my
passion for the chase. The days, or what is
more exact, the nights Of pleasurable sport
enjoyed owe chiefly to my friond, Alex
ander p, whose possessions, situated at the
very foot of the Waldai Mountains, which,
with their profusely wooded slopes and
deep ravine-like valleys, their marshy
plains, ETC., are the haunts Of wild animals
of every kind. In these mountains are to
be killed every species Of game to be found
in European Russia, from the wolf and bear
70 the rebtchik, q kind of partridge, but with
the game taste more pronounced. Notwith-
standing the SOLDERING effect of q wolf hunt
three years ago hard on the Russo-Polish
frontier, the real winter wolf hunting still
had an irresistible charm for me.
As rule the wolf is brought to bay in
three different ways. When there is no
snow the game is driven to certain places
and there killed by the hunters. This sport
Is comparatively tame and never had more
interest for me than hare hunting in Ger
many. The landlord fxes one or several
hunting days, invites great number Of
hunters, and the peasants, who, by a sur
Vivsl of serfdom, are compelled to join in
wolf hunt at any time and without remun-
Grafton, assemble in families, men, women
and children. The part Of the forest where
wolves have been seen Is surrounded,
chain of shooters is formed and then the
signal for driving is given. From 100 to $50
peasants enter the woods and raise an in
fernal noise by clapping pieces of fat wood
together, striking the trees and beating a
certain kind of drum. The wolf likes the
odds with him, not against him, and as he
hes no stomach for this clatter, sneaks out
of the woods and dashes through the cor
don of hunters, who try their craftsmanship
on him. Those who believe that the wolf at
tacks man under such circumstances may
disabuse themselves. The frightened ami
NAL runs away where it can, and he who
would hit the rascal as he dashes through
the brush must be quick and sure shot.
But, as said before, this kind of sport has
no charm for me- What safe kind of
hunting it is, is best illustrated by the fact
that one day three ladies of our hosts
household accompanied us, and we killed
tlat day no less than twenty wolves. have
never heard that at one Of these hunts q
wolf ever attacked a human being.
. The second way of hunting the wolf is TO
lie in ambush, to decoy the wolf by means
of living or dead bait, and then send ball
into him from your hiding-place. But this
too, is not very exciting. Many nights have
1 thus sat in the bitterest cold to return
homo finally without having fired single
shot But the third way furnishes the kind
of sport that puts q heavier strain on your
nerves. This is hunting in sled. IL one
sees Russian winter scene illustrated with
q sled flying swiftly over the snow-covered
space he is instantly reminded of wolves
So, recently, child at an exposition OF
pictures whore everybody admired Rus
alan winter landscape with ''Troika" fly
Ing over the snow is said to have remarked
u its mother: "But, mamma, this is no!
finished; where are the wolvesa'
Apparently sled has more attractive
Iower for wolf than the bait offered hiU
ia the wood. 1t almost seems that the ogre
sMpposes the occupants of sled will prove
especially tickling to the palate. On Ger
tain moonlit night of January we We're as
sembled around the vaporing samovar 1.-THE
Russian teakettle) after having had a very
substantial supper At intervals we drank
the aromatic Caravan-tea, or slipped At
chishtchina IA popular Russian cordiaD
when, at about l0:3O, Ivan, my friends
hnntsman, announced that the sled wa.
ready and that it was time to start. Owing
10 he continuous snowfall OF the preceding
days, which formed snow and ice covel
OVcE IOOt III tuiCkucSs, BrtbI many nun
cry wolves had made their appearance II
the neighborhood. This was my first OK
perience Of wolf hunting In q sled, and
confess that my heart beat fast when pict
xred TO myself q host of famished wolves
bloodthirsty assailants which we could keel
lack only by quick and deadly discharge.
while our sled, drawn by horses mad will
fright, was flying over the snow like
phant0m.
Quickly we EXCHANGED our house-drosse
for furred coats and boots, examined for tn
last time our shot-guns and heavy revolvers
the sharp hunting-knives fastened to ou
balts, and soon wa were out In the moonli
night. While was accustomed to zee a
elegant sled Of st. Petersburg make await
ing US under the porch OF the manor, tn
l0ng-bearded driver, weighing seven pu
(about 40 pounds), his head covered wit
tho orthodox three-cornered Chapka o
violet velvet, now, on the contrary, behel
. miserable rustic sled worse even than
common Isvostchik; indeed, just about tn
Kind Of sled the Finlanders use when visit
lag Petersburg during the butter weel
BsS0re ths wretched vehicle stood two mis-
arable, rugged, sorry jades, one In tn
carved shafts, the other on the side ss
8Ali0p horse, Ivan the huntsman, himsel
AoAing the roins. Glad as o Russian cattl
,cnttl8 dealer. The entire outfit had the as
pact OF q cattle-dealers' conveyance. Tn
sssta We're half on the side and half ON tn
back, and We arranged ourselves ~ warn
aRd snug - possible; but ~ discovers
ints one never should wrap his legs to-
CLOSELY AZ he may find sudden aud unsx
Dactsd use for them. After We had takeI