Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-04-24
HUNTING JACK RABBITS.
ONE OF THE MOST ExhlLARATiNG
SPORTS KNOWN OUT WEST.

ONE OF THE MOST Ext.ILARATjNG
SPORTS KNOWN OUT WEST.
Racing Greybounds and n Light Fall Of
Snow Are Necessary-The Jack Rabbit
an Expert at DISQUALIFICATION of
. Hunt.
One of the most exhilarating sports known
In the west Is jack rabbit coursing on the
plains. A brace Of racing greyhcnnds held
with leash, followed by a score or more of
lovers OF the sport on horseback, start out on
oracing winter morning, when there is a
light covering OF snow on the ground, for the
places where the jack rabbits are wont to
congregate. The jack rabbit is unknown In
the eastern part OF this country. He is the
counterpart OF the English hare. He Is larger
than tho common rabbit or acotton tall He
has long legs aud in a race Il . runner
worthy the attention OF the fieetest Of grey
hounds, The coursers search irthe snow for a
fresh jack rabbit track and follow it up. When
the rabbit Is spied the hounds are let loose and
rush after him, The whole crowd Of horse
men follow after, wLoopipg and yelling and
urging on their horses to the top OF their
speed.
The hounds do not attempt at first to catch
tho rabbit. They are too wary for that. They
simply try TO run him down. The Jack rab-
bit Ia an expert at lodging. and the hounds
try to head him off whenever be attempts to
make sharp turn. At last by superior
strength and the advantage OF two to one,
they succeed in firing him out, and he falls
an easy victim. Every time hound heads a
| V~rt.k <x<f l. -.
points are placed to the credit of the dog
which catches the rabbit. A referee, mounted
on swift, sure horse, leads the followers q
the dogs and marks tue points In this way
it is decided which hound wins Stakes OF
from s25 to 500 are usually up on these races
AN EXCITING TIME.
Mr.. Alonzo Williams, who spent several
years in Colorado and is an enthusiastic lover
Of the sport. tells the following story Of his
last courshig experience on the plains:
I'VE were riding along the dry bed Of an
arroya, and were just coming around mass
of rocks when we heard sharp 'histr from
! Bill, There, not twenty feet ahead Of us,
was big jack rabbit sitting up in front of a
| little cave or niche In the rocks. He saw US
and was of like q white streak over the
rocks. In an instant Bill slipped the leash
from the straining painting dogs With a
dash they were off, and the whole yelling
crowd were after them, squirting on their
horses at the top Of their speed.
1.-THE country was unusually billy right
there One minute We would be dashing over
q sharp bluff and down a steep hill Again
q high hill would shut off from sight for a
moment the dodging rabbit and the dogs
| Up the bill We would rush pell nell and
would get letter view from the top of the
| spirited chase. That WAS a run long to be re-
membered The old rabbit was unusually
large one, ami was apparently possessed of
| great toughness Of muscle and strength of
lung
He led the bounds q noble chase 1t was
fully Ave minutes before they caught up to
him at all, although they were straning
every nerve. Flora was bounding over tLb
snow with long leaps, her snout thrust down
almost to the ground. Belle was dashing
along, with head erect and every muscle at
its greatest tension. The old rabbit was
bounding along on its hind legs, looking like
nothing but a streak of light brown on the
snow.
"Finally they caught up with him Then
the fun began, He circled and lodged aud
doubled on his trail time and again until we
began to think they never would catch him.
Now they are right on to him The old rab-
bit makes a sudden dash to the left. Flora is
too quick for him. She wheels and drives
him back to his former course Hooray
score one point for Florar Everybody cI1es
out. Nobody pays any attention to the cry
but the riders keep up the constant shouting
and yelling, probably as a vent for the ex
element OF the moment. On they go. the
rabbit trying all manner of lodges to shake
off his pursuers. Now he tries the doubling
dodge. He wheels quickly and starts back
between the two dogs toward the horsemen.
! NEARING THE END.
with few strides Belle is ahead of him
and sends him back about his business. The
rabbit is now beginning to show signs Of
fatigue he does less running and NOR,
lodging. The dogs are apparently as fresl
as ever and can run all around him and heac
him off wherever he starts TO go. But they
can't catch him yet He is too artful anC
slippery for them. But he won't last long
His struggles to get free are becoming weaker
and weaker. He and the hounds are running
turning and twisting in every direction. Ac
cording to the referees count Flora has nov
scored six points and Belle five.
Suddenly the world seemed to turn arount
and found myself lying on my back witt
what seemed to be about forty boots wavin,
on to the little bronco's stomach He RAJ
off about twenty yards and began TO kcl
wildly at the saddle, which had now falei
down on to his hind legs A moment late
he had sent the saddle flying into the air an,
was of over the plains at headlons run.
Il heard shout from the men at the foo
OF the hill l jumped up and, forgetting m
bruises aud vanishing pony, saw the finish O
the prettiest race il was ever my good fol
tune to witness. The rabbit had made fou
lodges and each dog had scored two points
making the score s to In favor of Flora
Just as looked up Belle had made a charg
on the rabbit, thrust her long nose under HI
left fore leg and thrown him in the air. Tn
two dogs pouncei upon him as be fell and i
an instant the race over. Belle had wo
by q score Of to S.n-Philadelphis Times
. Tho Hanson VIII