The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-08-14
AT A JACK,RABBIT DRIVE.
HOW THE LoNG-EARED ANIMALS
ARE RoUNDED-UP,
A Picturesque Description of a Sue
cessful Hunt in California-The
Chase With Greyhounds.

our famous Jack-raDDlt drives, 90 youg
queried a gentleman just returned from
California.
"Well, in sections of California the
native rabbit has become almost as terri
bic a pest as the English rabbit has in
Australia, and ranchmen are compelled
to protect their crops and orchards with
rabbit tight wire fences. In all likeli-
hood the animals will continue to multi
ply and compel the State to do something
for their extirpation. Meanwhile the
ranchmen are using the most effective
means for abatement within their reach,
namely, the now celebrated rabbit drives.
l was at several of them while at Bakers
field, and at each of these thousands of
the little pests were killed.
"The thing is managed much as an
Indiana fox drive, with this addition,
that the roundup is in tight corral into
which the rabbits are driven, and where
they are slain without chance of escape
When one of these drives is gotten up
word is sent out through the surrounding
country, a captain and lieutenants are ap-
pointed to see to the proper arrange
ments, and on the morning of the event
several hundred people, mostly mounted,
are on the grounds. No guns are per-
mitted except to n few men, who are be-
hind the lines, to shoot what rabbits may
break through.
"The participants are deployed in long
lines, forming a square, open at one end,
where the corral is situated. AS much as
four or five sections of land are thus en-
closed with human fence, if it may so
be called.
"At signal given by the captain the
lines begin moving up the corral, each
man making as much noise as possible.
The rabbits, of course, attempt to get out
of the way, and are thus driven in the
direction of the corral which is provided
with flanking fences, forming wide
mouthed V, the point being the opening
of the corral.
''For some time any one not acquainted
with the sport would hardly suspect that
there are any rabbits in the ring, save for
the occasional bobbing up of a pair of
long ears among the scrub and sage
brush, but as the lines begin to tighten
the rabbits become very conspicuous in
their efforts to escape; however they sell
dom break through the lines once the men
approach each other pretty closely, but try
to escape by way of the corral, there to
find themselves hemmed in.
''It is a curious, indescsibable sight to
see thousands of these creatures impris-
oned in the narrow enclosed space and to
watch their frantic endeavors to get out.
Once in the enclosure they are mercilessly
dubbed to death, and the thing is moth
ing more than the commonest butchery,
redeemed by the fact that it is in self
defence and that the rabbits will eat up
the country if left alone or killed only in
sportsmanlike manner.
'But," continued the reporters will
ing informant, "while drive is butch
cry and pals upon the taste after one or
two doses, a jackrabbit hunt over the
plains, with hounds and horse, is as fine
n sport as can well be imagined For
this you need a couple of greyhounds and
kind of a trailing hound to start the game
and a well-trained pony. This is a sta
pile sport in the West and men keep
packs of fine grey hounds for the chase.
Trailing hounds are necessary because
the greyhounds run by sight alone, and
thus would be unable to start the rab-
bits. Kansas, Indian Territory, Califor-
mia and parts of Texas are famous places
for this variety Of sport, which is really a
combination Of race and chase, for the
owners Of greyhomds will pit these
against one another and against the
rabbit.
Gas the jacks do not take to the
brush, but run in the open, the hunters
can mostly see the progress of the entire
chase. Imagine that your trailing hounds
have jumped up Il rabbit. 1t is then
given a short start before the grey
hounds are loosened, but as soon as they
are released they fly after Master Long
ears like the wind. He is not letting
any grass grow under his feet, either.
With his ears laid fiat over his back he
sails away at tremendous speed, APP
parently taking leaps of not less than
twenty-five feet. You follow on your
pony, taking short cuts to keep the chase
in sight, but if you give your pony the
bride he will follow every curve and
AbNtSN VI t1lG Hilllt anu llpuLNNs On YOU
fly as fast as horses hoofs can go; if
there are fences, you jump them; OBJ
structions only make the sport more eX-
citing, and now the fun begins. Master |
rabbit is getting tired. lie has doubled |
the greyhounds and comes back toward |
the slow hounds with the speed of !
The dogs try to intercept |
him, but he bounds clear over them and |
off he goes again, much TO their astonish- |
ment. Now the slender greyhounds are |
close upon him. Watch what he does |
See him dodge! Over and over tumble
the greyhounds in a rash effort to snatch |
him as he squats suddenly and then shoots |
off at tangent. They are upon him
again, and again he repeats his manGuvre
and escapes, but he tries it once too Of
ten! See the leading hound has picked !
him up on the fly and the race of this
rabbit is run.
"Does one ever escape? Well, some
times, but if he does it is only to 90 off |
IN the bush TO die, for the terrible strain
)f the run kills them. They are swift
and can, L believe, 90 better
han a mile a minute, but they can keep
{ up for only two or three miles, and
hat is "A very long run for them, They
must have a pretty good start of the
bounds to make spirited chase, and you