The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-08-03
FLORIDA WILD HOGS.
Fierce Little Man-Eatcrs whose Natures
Know No Fear.

Know No Fear.
One of the many terrors that the
Northern huntsman has to deal with In
Southern Florida is the ferocious wild
hog. No one who has not encountered
this animal can appreciate it's thorough
"cussedness." They are among the
fiercest animals that inhabit the wilds
of any land, although but little is
known of them right here in our own
country. The wild hog of Florida will
attack any thing; he seems to fear
nothing, and is by great odds bolder
fighter than the bear. There is moth
ing foxy about him. He does not pos
scss any of the traits of the coyote or
the wolf, but will march fearlessly into
fight, alone, unaided, and with the
odds against him. When assailed he
becomes a fiend incarnate and will at
tack any thing from cougar to an
alligator. He has none of the fear
which the latter possesses. and while
he keeps away from the cavernous
jaws of the alligator as much rs pos
sible, yet he does not fear to assail
him, and if on dry land, will swoop
down upon the alligator without the
slightest provocation. and the chances
are that in less than an hours time
there will not be shred of the alli-
gator left 70 tell of the terrible conflict,
except the hide and skull.
The huntsman would rather run into
a school of sleeping, man-eating, alli-
gators, or a den of rattlesnakes, than
take his chances with the hog. He IS
by far the most dangerous foe that a
hunter can encounter in the wilderness.
If he stumbles upon pack of them un
knowingly he is, nine times out of ten,
a dead hunter. Even should he sue
coed in killing any of them, he does
not escape, for their dismal death por-
tending 'howls soon bring reinforce
ments by the dozen. They attack the
hunter at all points. While some are
snarling and swapping at his legs,
others are springing upon him from all
Sides some have him by the throat, and
others are upon his arms.
To shake them off is an utter i'm
possibility. 1t can not be done. Soon
the hunter becomes weak, and sinks to
the ground from utter exhaustion.
When this stage arrives the balance is
comparatively easy work for the hog,
and the sportsman soon shares the same
fate as the luckless alligator. Their
teeth are small and as sharp as a razor,
and they have been known to gnaw at
tree for hours in their mad efforts to
nppease their hunger.
Should hunter be fortunate enough
on running across them to have good
sized tree within easy distance, he may
save his life by taking to it, but he is
even then in a bad way. The hogs are
bound to scent him out, and as soon as
they do they are sure TO range them
selves about the base OF the tree and
remain there for hours, until hunger
compels them to start in search of pab-
ulum. Even then the old-timers will
not leave until they have thoroughly
shown their disgust by champing their
foaming jaws at the fugitive; and
their little eyes, full of malice, seem to
snap sparks of ierocious fire. For
Northerner who' contemplates hunting
in South Florida, would advise him
to steer clear of the everglades, unless
accompanied by an experienced native.
who knows the haunts of these man
eaters, and how TO contend with him.
Dispatch.