Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-02-03
HUNTING WILDCATS AT NIGHT.
Tho Way They Garry on the Sport in the
South Carolina Woods.

HUNTING WILDCATS AT NIGHT.
The Way They Carry on the Sport in the
South Carolina Woods.
| was sitting on a log at the foot of
hill in Il clump of woods in upper
South Carolina, waiting for my com
panionS, with whom | had arranged Il
wildcat hunt. They said it was not
the right season, but, as cats frequent
ly destroyed young lambs and pigs. we
agreed to try IL nights hunt any way.
Suddenly my horse prickcd his ears
and listened attentivcly, and soon |
heard the clatter of horses hoofS com
ing up the road. 1t proved to be my
companions, who We're very tardy. We
now lost no time, and were soon
mounted and cantering briskly towards
the mountains.
Arriving at the foot of the noun
tainS we dismounted, and leading our
horses to Il sheltered spot some dis
tance from the road. fcttered them So
curcly and set out. A loud blast from
the horn reSounded through the noun
tain Solitudcs, the hounds dashed
away. and the hunt began.
After about an hour of waiting the
deep baying of Il hound about Il half
mile away told us that Il cat had been
scented, The other dogs hurried to
the spot. and soon all were going ut
full tilt on the trail. We had some
pretty brisk running and walking to
keep within hearing distance of the
pack. After about three hours of run
ming. walking. crawling. climbing and
falling over mountain, crag. gorge and
glen we heard all the hounds barking
furiouSly. apparently in one spot. and
-
six feet two. decided that they had
hayrd him. But there was IL mile of
the toughest land imaginable between
us and our game. We stumbled over
rocks. logs brush and gullies until we
came to the tree up which his catShip
had climbed.
one of the party had brought along
som" torch pine for the purpose of
shining his eyes. This was soon
lighted. and after much walking around
til" tree, cranng of necks and strain
ing of eyes. the glare of the torch was
reflected by two bright green balls in
the top of the tree. which rolled around
very dehantly
Here she air, boys; jist look at cr
eyes. exclaimed our knight of the
torch.
Jr> lrmmc hcv half show at i'm
with this here old muSket an his eyes
wont shine thar much longer said
our markSman. Placing the gun bar
rel on the torchmans shoulder. he took
careful aim by the torchlight and fired.
The shining eyes disappeared but the
eat did not fail. Soon, however. we
heard something falling on the leaves
which our hunters declared to be blood.
and so ii proved to be, for in about
tiv" minutes our game came tllmblny
down and struck the ground heavily.
All rushed up to see what sort of game
we had.
1t proved to be only Il medium-SiZcd
cat. 1t was the first one | had ever
seen. Its long, agile body was covered
with thick coat of yellow and white
fur. with now and then Il black spot.
The legs were short and heavy. with
larg" feet armed with long and power
full claws. The head was large and
round like that of an ordinary house
cat. His bristling "moustachc" added
great deal to the look of frrocity
which pervadcd his catship'S "fca-
lures The greatest dissimlarity |
observed between wildcat and an or
binary house cat or "tabby cat" as
our hunters called them. except in size,
was the extreme brevity of the for
INV '''ii' -NI''l lllS Jul Nil. llf
skin being all that is worth prescrv-
ing. the horn was blown, and off we
started again.
The next trail we struck was after
about half an hours travel. and the
hounds dashed away again. We fol
lowed as fast as we could. keeping lIp
on the highest peaks as much as posi-
bic. so as to keep within hearing of the
hounds. Perhaps an hour passed be-
fore they treed again. This time it
proved to be an immense catamount.
which is simply a large species of the
wildcat. He was as large as an ordi-
nary dog. and had Il very thick coat of
yellow fur, which was pied here and
there with glossy brown spots and
stripes. He had disdaincd to climb
more than twenty feet, where he sat
detiantly growing and glaring at his
pursucrs. Our gunner again raised his
piece, and with the report of the gun
his catShip fell lfelcsS to the ground.
As all of us were weary. we stopped
and built a fire of some bruShwood.
for at that altitude the air becomes
crisp towards morning, even at this
season of the year. AS the fire crack
led and sputtered many We're the tales
of former hunts and "reminiscences of
how good hunting was ''befo' the war;
and ''bcfO' the railroad come thrO' this
kcntry. Constitution.