The Red Cloud chief., 1889-08-02
FLORIDA WILD HOGS.


FLORIDA WILD HOGS.
HSse0o Little Man-EAtsrs whose Natures
Know No Fear.
One Of the many terrQrs that the
Northern huntsman has to deal with in
Southern Florida il the ferOciOus wild
hog. No one who has not encountered
this AMI, can appreciate its 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 a holder
fighter than the bear. There is moth
ing foxy about him. He does not pos
sess any of the traits Of the coyote or
the wolf, but will march fearlessly into
a fight alone. unaided. and with the
odds against him. When assailed he
becomes q fend incarnate and will At
tack any thing from q 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 as pos
sible, yet he does not fear to assail
him. and if on dry land. will swOop
down upon the alligator without the
slightest p~rovOcatiOn. and the chances
ara that in less than an hours time
there will not be q shred Of the ALI
gator left to tell Of the terrible conflict.
except the hide and skull
The huntsman would rather run into
q school Of sleeping. man-eating, alf-
gators. or q den Of ~rattlesnakes. than
take his chances with the hog. He Is
by far the most dangerous foe that .
hunter can encounter in the wilderness.
II he stumbles upon q 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 p0r-
tending hOwls SCOT bring reinforce
ments by the dozen. They attack the
hunter ut all points. While some are
snarling and swapping at his legA
others Are springing upon him from all
sides. some have him by the throat. and
Others are upon his arms
To shake them OF Is An utter i'm
possibility. 1t can not be done. Soon
the hunter becomes weak. and sinks tc
the ground from utter exhaustion.
When this stage arrives the balance i
comparatively easy work for the hog.
and the sportsman soo shares the same
fate a the luckless alligator. Their
teeth r small and as sharp a. q razor.
and they have been known to gnaw al
a tree for hours in their mad efforts K
appease their hunger.
Should a hunter be fortunate enough
on running across them to have a good
sized tree within easy distance. he may
save his life by taking to it. but he Il
even then in a bad way. The hogs are
bound to scent him out. and as sOO a
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. kven then the Old-timers will
not leave until they have thoroughly
shown their disgust by ~champing thei,
fOaming jaws ut the fugitive; and
their little eyes. full of malice, seem e
snap sparks Of ~ferocious fire. For q
Northerner whoscontemplates hunting
in South Florida. l 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.
Pittsburgh Dispatch