Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-04-07
A RAZORBACK HUNT.
UP THE HOGS Is LIVELY
AND EXCITING WORK.


While it is generally accounted that
the sheep and AngOra goat furnish
most of the revenues TO the rancher in
the broken and wooded country south
of the Staked plains and west of the
Colorado river, il is nevertheless a fact
that the razorback hog contributes a
full share. Probably there is no coun-
try anywhere better adapted TO the
production of cheap pork. The hills
are covered with cedar and a great va
riety of scrub oak trees, and the can
yons and river valleys are heavily
wooded with pecan and Spanish wal
nut, so that there is always an abun-
dance of excellent mast, and it might
be mentioned that the cedar berries are
considered equal to corn in lard pro-
ducing qualities.
With this sort OF feed, which is al
ways abundant, the expense of care
and feeding is removed, the animals
simply running at large over the couu-
try, so that the only outlay required
is that of the first cost of Il few lead
for start Running loose in this way
they are not subject TO the diseases
common to the hog in the sty or feed
lot, and, being excellent fighters, they
hold their own with the wolves and
other wild animals which prey on the
sheep and goats. Thus they multiply
very rapidly.
In order to get the benefit of the in
crease in his stock, however, it is nee
essary for the rancher to get his mark
on the pigs. AS this, owing to the
roughness of the country and the wild
ness of the sows, is no small task, it is
generally the custom for all the hog
owners in q given section to turn out
together with their dogs and prac-
tically round up the range.
Compared with one of these "hog
hunts n cattle ''round up" is a quiet
and commonplace affair. On the morn
ing appointed the dogs are turned loose
and started out on n hog trail, and the
men ride after them just as on Il wolf
chase. AS the pigs cannot hold out
very long one of them is soon caught.
and his sQueals bring back the rest of
the bunch to his aid. AS soon as the
pig is free the sowS form Il circle
around the pigs, from which they now
and then dash out at their tormentors
and all the while granting like the rat
Ting of a hundred old wagons. BY the
time the uproar has reached its full
height the hunters ride up and hiss the
dogs on to seize the sOws. When one
is caught, two men go to the assistance
of the dog, one with Il club to beat off
the other hogs, the other with bit of
rope to tie the one seized. When all
of them have thus been put out of
the way of fighting, the pigs are
nd
are given their liberty, and the dogs
start out on n new trail. When it hap
pens that there are hogs belonging to
several different men, the pigs are sim
ply divided.
While the work of marking is more
like sport than labor il is not less eX-
citing than that of getting the hogs
ready for market, for as it is impoSsi-
bic to drive them any distance-even to
the corrals at the ranches-it is neces-
sary simply to butcher them out in the
hills
So along in the early part of the
winter, after the new mast has fallen
and the hogs are as fat as they will
get, the ranchers load their wagons
with salt, grub, kettles and lard cans,
take their dogs and Winchesters and
strike out for the hills. They make
camp near some spring or water hole
and then begin the work of killing"
which includes the rendering of the
lard and sailing of the meat. 1t is like
n great hunt. Whenever n wagon
load of lard and meat has been put up
1t is taken to the nearest ranch and
left there until the killing" season is
over; then Ii is loaded again and
to the nearest railroad point,
where ii Is sold at the market price.
1t is said that only one man in that
ever tried driving his hogs to
market. That was Uncle" Ben Pep
per, who lives a few miles above juno
ton City, on the South Llano river.
He had, he supposed, about 300 head of
fat hogs, and the idea of that killing
him. So he hired all the men
In the country, got all the dogs in KIM
bic and Edwards counties and round
ed up" all the hogs to be found. 1t
was, of course, impossible to keep the
herd together, and as il scattered Ben
ordered his men to separate a little
and keep moving toward Kerrville.
At noon on the fourth day the line
was within half n mile of the Guada-
Ioupe river, the men were half a mile
apart and every dog worn out. Then
Ben decided that he would like 10
know how many hogs he had, as after
passing the Guadaloupe it would be
impossible TO see them in the open
again. So he ordered the ends of the |
line TO swing in and close up toward |
the river. 1t was nearly sunset when |
the circle was completed, and he climb |
ed into tall pecan so as to get bet
ter view of the hogs when they should |
come swarming out into the river. He |
watched intently until night was fall |
ing; then he saw n lean. old sow |
emerge from the bushes and go down |
to drink, and moment later the driv- |
ers began coming out. He nearly fell |
mi of the tree He has nnrnr- tried L