Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-10
HUNTING JACK RABBITS.
ONE OF THE MOST ExHlLARATING
SPORTS KNOWN OUT WEST.

Racing Greyhounds and q Light Fail Of
Snow Are Necessary--The Jack Rabbit
an Expert at Dodging-Description of
Que of the most exhilarating sports known
in the west is jack rabbit ,coursing on the
plains. A brace of racing greyEounds held
with leash, followed by score or more of
| lovers of the sport on horseback, start out on
bracing winter morning, when there is a
light covering of snow on the ground, for the
places where the jack rabbits are won't 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 the common rabbit or cotton TAIL" He
has long legs, and in a race is runner
worthy the attention of the fleetest Of grey
hounds The couIsers search in the 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, whoopng and yelling and
urging on their horses to the top of their
speed.
The hounds do not attempt at first to catch
the rabbit. They are too wary for that. They
bit is al expert at lodging. and the hounds
try 10 head him off whenever he attempts 20
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
rabbits off it is a point in his favor. Two
points are placed to the credit of the dog
which catches the rabbit A referee mounted
=. IL
the dogs and marks the points. In this way
it is decided which hound wins. Stakes of
from S225 to 800 are usually up on these races.
AN EXCITING TINE.
Mr.. AlonZo Williams, who spent several
years in Colorado and is an enthusiastic lover
of the sport, tells the following story of his
last coursing experience on the plains:
I'VE were riding along the dry bed of an
arroyo, and were just coming around mass
of rocks when we heard a sharp 'histr from
Bill. There, not twenty feet ahead of US,
was big jack rabbit sitting up in front of
little cave or niche in the rocks. He saw US
and was off like white streak over the
rocks. In an instant Bill slipped the leash
from the straining, painting dogs. With
dash they were off, and the whole yelling
crowd were after them, squirting on their
horses at the top of their speed.
THE country was unusually billy right
there One minute we would be dasning over
a sharp bluff and down steep hill. Again
a high hill would shut off from sight for a
moment the lodging rabbit and the dogs
Up the hill we would rush pell-mell and
would get better view from the top of the
spirited chase. That was q run long TO be re-
nembered. The old rabbit was an unusually
large one, and was apparently possessed Of
great toughneSS of muscle and strength of
lung.
de led the hounds a noble chase. Il was
fully five minutes before they caught up TO
him at all, although they were straining
every nerve. Flora was bounding over the
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 streak of light brown on the
snow.
"Finally they caught up with him Then
the fun began. He circled and lodged and
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 sudden dash to che left. Flora is
too quick for him. She wheels and drives
him back to his former course 'HoorayI
score one point for Floral Everybody cries
out. Nobody pays any attention to the cry,
but the riders keep up the constant shouting
and yelling, probably as vent for the ey.
element of the moment. On they go, the
rabbit IL wing all manner of lodges TO shake
of 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 4 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 anti more
lodging The dogs are apparently as fresh
as ever and can run all around him and head
him off wherever he starts to go. But they
can't catch him yet He is too artful and
slippery for them. But he won't last long.
His struggles 20 get free are becoming weaker
and weaker He and the hounds are running,
turning and twisting i'll every direction. Ac-
cordiug TO the referees count Flora has now
scored six points and Belle five.
Suddenly the world seemed to turn around
and found myself lying on my back with
what seemed to Ice about forty hoofs waving
over my head. Tue saddle had turned around
on to the little bronco's stomach. He ran
off about twenty yards and began to kick
wildly at the saddle, which had now fallen
down on to his hind legs. A moment later
he had sent the saddle flying into the air and
was off over the plains at headiong run.
Il heard siIout from the men at the foot
of the hill jumped up and, forgetting my
bruises and vanishing pony, saw the finish of
the prettlest race it was ever my good for
tune 10 witness The rabbit had MADE four
lodges and each dog hal scored two points,
making the score TO in favor of Flora.
Just as looked up Belle had made q charge
on the rabbit, thrust ner long nose under has
left fore leg and thrown him III the air. The
two dogs bounced upon him as he fell and in
an instant the race was over. Belle had Won
by 4 score Of 9 TO S."-Philadelphia Times.