The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1888-09-29
A KANGAROO ROUND UP.
How Australian Farmers Slaughter the
Strange Looking Ilursupi:,ls.


\ Areportcr met Il gentleman recently who
has been largely identified with pastoral in-
terests both in Australia and New Zealand,
and from him some interesting facts were
a>certaincd i'll connection With lhc efforts of
antpo,lcan agricul,uri>tS to combat the
plague OF the long cared pests.
"Thc drive idea said the gentleman, sis
not entirely new TO Australians. They have
for years employed Il somewhat similar
method of ridGng pastoral lands uf the de-
structive kangaroo" The usual way was tn
build calmri"uS stock yard. with very hieh
fences, for your able bodied kangaroo is no
sl"uch at playing leap frog. The location
generally chosen WAS on the fork of IL river.
i"r kanSal'o"S are nn' extra partial to water.
Invitations Ia the round up would then he
sent to nciShhorins farmers, and on Il s,,cci-
He'd morning the farmers would all put in an
appearance, mounted, and accompanied bv
Whatever kangaroo hounds they ch;.uccl ru
possess Dogs and owners would then We,
away back and scatter ont in skirmi>!llny or
uT uhtll Il large section of country was
covered, AMI then clrcumnavigut!om was in
"'1cr, the object point, of course, being the
lofty stock ward
''lrrltN soon you would hear the bayinc of
scores of hounds, and then the long jun,,in.
snalslpl;tlS would he seen leaping Iik" gi2;u,.
tic frogs, while the skirniShcrs would a,l-
vance and close i'll steadily and SYSTEMATIC
ally, controlling the hound, the while. so ;s
tn gradually direct the h"np.l:, knlyarnos to
the desired point. When the mob, which on
occasions numbered many hundreds. were
finally housed i'll the place oi slaughter, some
one was sent ocosc the draw gate on Them.
and the fun commenced. The dor, wrr,. r,.-
strained and family relics in the Shape ni
hiundrrtusS'S Is and ancient flint locks were
brought int" rc;luSitlon until Tho las; .,r;ls,
and crop drsl'oilcr had bitten the dust"
"kangaioos make ii rough for the hounds
on some occasions. do they moi: asked tIr
reporter
"fou het they do. An old man knncarou
is Just as tough II h. o: mechanism rs ever :,
dog tackled When fairly colmprrl he wltl
place his tmrk against II tree on rock ami in.
Nlte the best dog III the pack to come ON. Old
dogs are wary of them, and use their hes,
endcaNorS to get an ear or neck hold irnIu
behind, but II yolln;, hound will Frequently
rush INTO the liayed marSuuial's arms. s, ,.
speak. and il he gets awav alive he is luck,
lh" kangaro" will balance himself firmly o..
his tail, which is both powerful and spruy,
ana VIII clasp the ,l"y, nroun! the l,oiy with
has hind legs, while hr will utilize the sInr,
claws of his fore paws lp tear the brut,'-
stomach into ribbons and haul his cu,rniL
ont.
81 remarked before that kansarno, did no,
take kindly 1" water, hut when son,lcd 1,
desperation on n plain where there are II.
trees az rocks in sight to back up asai,l.t
they Will not hesitate to flop into II watei
t"i', and IT. Is II matter If history that IL uIu
S;lr"" thus placed has Lccn known torrra
III attacking hound and hold him undo
| water lmll drowned
'Ih" days of rounding upar" pretty wei
at an end NOW, as the governments of tin
| different Australian colonies uav 50 lurh ;
scalp for knngaroos, and his has induce.
| numbers of hunters To follow the business n
kansar"" shooting. by this means ,I,,
troublesome animals nro kept down. and it i
only II question of II little tim" when the,
will hr wholly cxtrrmlnat.,i. San l'!anrs,.,
Examiner