The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-31
HUNTING OSTRICHES.
EXCITING SPORT ON THE PAM
PAS.
The Chase Is at Times Dangerous to
Life and Limb, But Fun of Fas-
cinat,on = Great Agility of the
Birds.

The Chase Is at Times Dangerous to |
Life and Limb, but FUN of Fas-
cinat,on = Great Agility of the
Birds.
In South America as in Africa, the
ostrich is common and yearly great
quantities of feathers are exported to
the United States. The "rhea," or
South African ostrich, however, differs
from the African bird in having it's
head and neck completely featered, in
being tailless, and having three toes
instead of two 1t may be found in
large numbers in the Argentine and
Uruguay republics, and in the country
extending from Bolivia, Paraguay and
Brazil as far south as the Straits of
Magellan. Its home is on the pam
pas" or plains, sometimes on open
ground, and more often near cover of
grass and stunted underground. Since
the birds are wild and wary and their
feathers are in demand, methods have
been adopted to catch them, and these
methods are at the same time BUSH
ness and the most exciting sort of
sport.
A powerful horse in condition to
stand hard riding and long abstinence
from water is the first consideration in
ostrich hunting. The course is both an
noying and dangerous, for, though the
chase is on level ground, with no
fences to fear, the rhea takes at once
to the "pajas," or high grass. This is
not only hindrance in itself, but con-
ceals innumerable holes, made by
ground hogs and moles, that are con-
slant menace to life and limb. Yet,
on clear day, in the bracing South
American climate, with plenty of
game speeding before over country
with an undulation like the ocean, no
more exhilarating sport than the chase
of the South American ostrich could
be asked for. The most effective hunt
is that followed by the Indians or
Gauchos. They use the "bolas,' or
heavy hardwood, made round and COW
cred with rawhide. These balls are at
tached to thongs of the same material
which are joined together in the cen
ter. When all is ready the Indians
mount their horses and approach the
game in large semi-circle, sriding
against the wind, for the ostrich is
keen of scent, and once he suspects
the presence of man is off like light
ming.
When birds are sighted the riders
swing the bolas around their heads
with great rapidity, their horses all
the while going at full gallop, and
when within range hurl them at the
game, entangling their legs, wings or
neck, and tripping it, or stunning it it
hit on the head or any sensitive spot.
1t is wonderful to see the natives rise
in their saddles when at full speed,
swing the balls and hit the mark,
sometimes at distance of eighty
yards. If one bird is brought down
the rest seem to become panic stricken
and, instead of escaping, remain near
their fallen companion. In this way a
score of them may be killed on one
spot.
40 the man who loves hunting IN,
sake of the chase alone, horses ane
greyhounds appeal more. 1t is Z
| sportsmanlike race, where the game
has chance for its life. 1t is very
like fox hunting, except that the os
trich is swifter, if anything, and EN-
ployes even more lodges than fox
For instance, where the hunters arr
pressing close on the game, and i
| would seem that the dogs were abou
ito capture it, the bird takes advan
,tage of the last breath of air, raise.
one wing slightly, uses it as, a sail, ant
running slantwise against the breeze
.vanishes from sight like a leaf in
| whirlwind. II by any chance thu
| breeze dies out and the hunters agai1
/ feel sure of their ostrich, the latte
4 doubles like fox, and so quickly ant
so suddenly that the dogs pass beyond
making the hunt long drawn out, diff
| .fcult and exciting
Though game laws have been passe,
prohibiting the killing of ostriche
during the breeding season, little, i
any attention is paid to them. 1t il
estimated that from 100000 to 100000
birds are slaughtered annually, mum
Der which has not only thinned on
the species to great extent, bu
i promises in time to extinguish it al
together. The only remedy for this ii
country where law is ineffective
would be to establish ostrich farms
similar to those in Africa and Califor
i MIA.
Nor is the ostrich hunted for it
4 feathers alone. Its flesh is agreeable
somewhat resembling mutton, an,
omelet made of the eggs, or rather sew
eral omelets made of one egg, posses
/ a delicious flavor. Consequently eg.
hunting is almost as much of a spor
as ostrich hunting. Several hens la,
in one nest, which sometimes hold
1 from tweleve to twenty-five eggs. TIL
cock often matches the eggs, and
4 disturbed during the operation be
comes very dangerous, not hesitatin,
to attack with his legs man on horse
back.
Il Who's Who?
J