Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-21
JACK RABBIT DRIVES
SPORT OF THE WEST

a half mile long extending in opposite d.
rections to assist in driving the rabbits into
the pen. A. o'clock the grand marshal
stood up in his wagon and gave his or
ders as to the conduct of the drive. The
Pendleton men were ordered to take the
left wing which the marshal personally
commanded, as we'll the center. Hepp-
ner and lone men were ordered to take the
right wing under separate commanders,
while the local men were ordered to the
center. All the horsemen were ordered to
the extreme outskirts of driving line OF
MEN two miles long. The driving line was
V-shaped, the men being armed with all
sorts of clubs. On a given signal the
march began toward the slaughter pen.
Eagerly and excitedly the drivers beat the
sage bush. At first only a few 'bunnies'
showed Themselves, but the army adj
vanced they became more and more nu-
merous. Those who escaped the clubs of
the heaters sped with characteristic leaps
toward the slaughter pen. When they at
tempted to leap through the line on a
retrograde movement. death from club
surely followed. Hundreds of dead bun
MES marked the path of the invaders. AS
the army of rabbits approached the netting,
followed by the army of drivers the fright
ened Dummies leaped over each other and in
all directions seeking to avoid the DEATH
dealing clubs. With the loud yells of the
crowd and roar of voices the excitement
became intense. The rabbits that had es-
capped up to the netting made frantic leaps
to get into the corral Here they were
piled two and three deep, leaping over and
on each other. and fiercey attacked the
netting. Occasionally, by a giant leap, one
would clear the eght-foot fence and escape
THE scene within the corral as the club
bers entered, dealing death blows was
rauseating in the extreme. The rabbits,
when wounded or dying, uttered their pecu-
| liar and ptiful cries. Some men dubbed
,, away with fendish delight, and others
kept stolidly at 1t because of the necessity,
as 1t seemed to them. Fully 900 of the ami
mails We're captured alive and taken away
for a live rabbit shoot. A few tender
hearted persons saved some alive, and liber-
ated them at the first opportunity. Still
others carried away many live rabbits to
kill and eat when desired. Altogether, the
rabbits slain and taken away alive amount
ed to $500. Personally 1 took the part
| of a spectator only, and that only to lin
! tied extent.
| 1T is conceded that the rabbits are a
menace to the stockmen, and that their
| wholesale elimination is a necessity. They
| destroy the alfalfa and, where their num-
| bers are large, clean the ground herd
| of sheep would do. 1t is only by the aid OF
| these periodical drives that their numbers
| are sufficiently kept down to prevent the
| stock from starving. On the ground where
| the present drive took place 1t was stated
| that in ten days the rabbits would be as
| numerous ever. and that another imme-
| diate drive would be necessary, followed by
still others. AS soon as snow files the rap-
| bits desert the hills and flock to the pro-
| lection of the sage brush of the lowland.
| Is is then that the Inhabitants plan the
greatest slaughter. The propagation Of
coyotes Is here protected, as the coyote Y
the drive free luncheon vas served and
the people dispersed to their homes