Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-13
Misesllaneous 8saains.
HOG HUNTING.
Great Sport That Used to Obtain in
Arkansas.

Great Sport That Used to Obtain in
Arkansas.
According to a man who has lived in
Arkansas for thirty-five years, the
most exciting hunts ever experienced
were in the days when hogs ran wild
in the woodlands Of the state. says the
Alabama Gazette. Even domestic
hog is a. fighting animal and today
they will retrograde to wild animals II
allowed freedom of the woods, but the
ferocity of the domestic swine is mild
compared to the ferocity Of their an
cestors Of the wood.
The main things necessary to the
hunt Of the wild hogs was pack or
trained dogs a fieet-footed horse that
could clear logs and stumps with a
graceful leap and a rifle or a shotgun.
Fox hunting in England has formed
the basis for artistic pictures and
stories of both fact and fiction, but hog
hunting In Arkansas was a faster and
more dangerous game. 1t is declared
by those who know both.
Owing to the density Of the forests
the hogs were hunted in broad day
light. The animals roamed the woods
at night, but during the day they
slept in the boggy places. The dogs
which were trained for the hunt chased
ahead of the horsemen. The peculiar
yelps Of the dogs notified the hunters
when the animals had been sighted,
and the trained horses at once dashed
into a gallop.
In those days the woods were filled
with fallen trees. Sometimes the cane
brakes completely hid the obstruction
and horse and rider were dashed with
out warning to the ground. In order
to run faster the hogs would break for
open plots in the timber and then
horses and dogs would begin the final
dash for the prey.
The dogs were trained for the sole
purpose Of hunting hogs and they knew
the traits Of their game. The dogs
never attacked singly, but in pairs.
When they caught up with hog they
would run along by his side and both
dogs at the same moment would grasp
an ear. Sometimes one dog would lose
hold and this meant instant death to
the other dog. With one powerful jerk
of the head the hog would toss the dog
| in the air and then rend him to pieces
as he fell to earth. During a hunt
when a herd of hogs were being pur-
sued some Of the less skilful dogs al
ways lost their lives.
The hogs when finally driven to bay
made one final stand. They huddled
into a circle, all tails together. In ev-
cry direction there was hogs snout
pointing. At this critical stage OF the
hunt the dogs would circle round and
round and the hunters without dis
mounting would fire on the animals.
Large parties Of hunters were known
to- kill as many as hundred hogs In
day.
| These wild hogs, 1t appears. were
wild from instinct. Efforts to tame
the pigs. which were sometimes cap
tured alive, proved about as futile as
the absolute domesticating Of a Ben
gal tiger These young hogs could
be penned up, fed and more or less
petted, but it was only a question OF
time until some morning the farmer
would awake to find the pen broken
and the hogs escaped to the wilderness
of the woods.
In the forests where the oaks were
abundant there would In some years
be bumper crops Of acorns. The wild
hog preferred the acorn to any other
food The animals that fattened on
these nuts possessed a flavor OF meat
which is foreign to the corn and slop-
fed hogs of the domestic variety t.
Cay. These hogs, 1t is claimed, were
not killed wantonly. but were used for
food In those parts Of Arkansas
where the wild animals were plentiful
the smokehouses of the farmers bulged
with juicy hams.
A man who lives in Little Rock and
who is the owner of a large cotton
plantation, was a hog hunter thirty
years ago. He almost lost his life
once by jumping from his horse and
attempting to kill large hog by cut
ting it's throat while the dogs held on
to the ears.
AS h, jumped from his horse, the
charger frightened at something and
instead of standing by as usual, ran
off through the woods. The hunter
sashed the neck Of the hog, but did
not drive deep enough to cut the jug
ular vein.
The wound only maddened the al
ready infuriated animal, which turned
to rend the hunter. The faithful dogs
however, managed to hang on to the
ears Of the hog. Although this man
followed the chase frequently after
that experience. he never dismounted
from his horse to try another hand-to-
hand battle with the wild hog.
&B When the chimneys Of the roya
mint at Berlin are cleaned about $1,000
worth Of gold is taken from the SCOT.
35 Fifty-five vessels are constantly
employed in laying and repairing the
submarine cables Of the world.