The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-01-10
MISS0URECO0N HUNT.
Graphic Account or Night In southern MIS-
souri With = Pack OF Dogs and Lois
Of Enthnsiasm--some Pointers
a. 10 How It's Done.

A writer in that best OF all sports
mans papers. Forest and Stream. says:
Let me here relate some points about
western coon hunting. / notice one
article In Forest and Stream that
speaks OF the hunter ascending the
Tree. and then shooting the coon. This
may be all right in the east. but in
Southern Missouri. where / hunted
last spring. it Is considered as un-
sportsmanlilse 10 shoot coon as IL
would be TO shoot pheasant on the
ground.
After the coon Is freed the first thing
10 DO Is on the tree permits) To climb
the tree and get as near TO the beast
as possible. but II one had to shake
him out he would find his hands pretty
full In fact. unless the tree was quite
small IL would be almost impossible to
do so. The thing TO do then. after
reaching the proper place in the tree.
is TO break of Il limb rs long and as
straight as possible, on the end OF this
put your hunting cap and thrust il out
toward the coon. lie is Immediately
paralyzed with fear he does not wait
TO jump out but literally falls back
ward of the limb TO the ground.
Often large 'boar" coon no sooner
sees one coming up into his
section OF the tree than with
an angry growl he starts down to meet
the intruder; but once get your cap on
n stick. poke IL ut him. and all OF his
boldness is gone and he usually goes
with IL 10 the ground. Most hunters
carry a stick up the tree with them.
by putting il down the leg OF their
boot. An old rifle ramrod makes IA
good stick and is just about the right
length. Ii is really better 70 carry
the stick Up with you. for II the coon
Is an old one he Is liable TO show fight
and 1t Is n good thing TO have your
stick ready. j remember we'll the last
hunt / took before leaving Missouri.
II was during the latter part OF April
and the sap was pretty well up in the
trees. The night was very dark and
cloudy. one of those nights when II
seems as though 1t would rain but could
not. The hounds started trail and
had not run IL ten minutes when we
heard the leader bark ''troed." On
going TO the spot we found the whole
pack OF nine bcagles and foxhounds
whining and baylng up large water
oak. The night was so dark and the
limbs OF the tree so thick that the
coon could not be seen. started TO
climb the tree and had almost reached
the top when heard an angry growl
and saw pair OF shining green eyes
coming down toward me. grasped
the first limb that could find and tried
TO wrench IL OF. but being groom. 1t
was not ut all inclined To come. The
coon was almost at my elbow. ] saw
| could not break the limb. SO | turned
and struck him full in the face with
my fist. Down he went right In the
middle OF the bowling pack. Well. he
kept the dogs busy for almost an hour,
and ! assure you they were a pretty
| looking sight Wnen the coon was done
for. Old Ben. our jack rabbit dog. had
n piece OF his ear torn off ms big as n
quarter and our leader. THE Old
Man. had been bitten through tho hip
and was almost covered with blood.
The other dogs had their share OF
wounds, too. fancy can see them
now by the dim light OF the lantern In
tho depths OF the gloomy bottom for
est standing around tho dead coon.
painting and wagging their tails MS
much ns TO say. I'VE are the stuff. :"
Well, after the excitement was all over
found that too had been Injured in
the scuilie The knuclzles OF my right
hand carry = scar to-day where my fist
came in contact with the coon's teeth
when / struck him in the face.
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