Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-09-25
SLAUGHTER OF JACK RABBITS.
Texas Ranchmen Kill Them BY the
Thousand

| IdDDll SOuiiIOb soy
Midland correspondent Of the st.
Louis Globe Democrat. In a few more
weeks one Of the big annual hunts will
take place on some ranch where the
rabbits are particularly plentiful. The
hunt will last all day and end with
barbecue. There will be plenty of fresh
meat for the dogs, the coyotes and the
buzzards when the hunters get through.
! Tender visitors from the
east might be inclined to think that a
hunt in which all the way from 500 to
| 900 jack rabbits are killed is cruel
They are not familiar with jack rab-
| bits.
The jack rabbit is a peculiar product
of. the plain. He does not live where
fields are closely cultivated, nor does
he linger around long after the mes
quite is grubbed, and the rich sod turn
ed over with a breaking plow. A wild
who also likes a little spice that comes
from invading a ranchman's garden and
orchard. The jack rabbit eats Sonly
things that are of more value when fed
to something else. Therefore, the jack
rabbit is a pest. And as pest the
ranchmen and settlers join hands in
getting rid of him.
But like most wild creatures, the jack
rabbit has a sentimental side. The
prairie dog talks in short, sharp barks,
which are really not barks at all, but
calls almost identical with the bluejay.
The prairie dog Is also an eloquent
conversationalist with his tail, which,
though short, is kept wagging all the
time. Old plainsmen say that one prai-
rie dog can talk to another wigwag
fashion without uttering a sound.
Some evening the. ranch telephones
in all the surrounding county near
where hunt is scheduled will ring a
general alarm, and the ranchmen who
answer will hear a message for all:
"Going to be a rabbit hunt at the j
| ranch tomorrow" That is all the no
ing the word will have passed around
in town and as many as have horses to
ride will make plans to join the sport.
| Soon after dawn the next day pro-
ranch where the hunt is scheduled.
Preceding them will be a wagon or two
| loaded with rolls of chicken yard fenc-
ing, which plays an important part in
| the hunt. The men with the fencing
will drive straight to the point where
the hunt is scheduled to end. Usually
this will be the mouth Of a small canyon
| or draw. Here will be built corral Of
chicken wire, and then stretching out
from either side of the corrars mouth
will be run long lines Of fence wire
held in place by stakes. Sometimes
these two wings or wire will make
V-shaped mouth quarter Of a mile
across. The point of the V is the
mouth of the corral and into it event
ually all the jack rabbits will be driven
| for miles around.
After all the preparations have been
made in the way of fencing the hunt
|
V-shaped wings. The hunters on
horseback will scatter until they are a
straight line across the prairie covering
several miles. There are women as
we'll as men among the riders, as the
riding is easy and liable to none of
the dangers attending the following Of
hounds after coyotes. The hunt has
captain, and at his signal, usually the
firing Of a revolver, the line of riders
begins to move steadily forward. The
outside riders move a little faster and
soon the line takes the form Of semi
circle.
Steadily the riders move across the
plain and steadily the riders draw in
near each other as the corral wings
are approached. Before the advancing
line the frightened rabbits are already
skipping along and occasionally an ex-
pert with a revolver takes a pot shot
at one from the saddle.
AS the wings are approached the
riders increase their speed and the rab-
bits run blindly. Before they know it
they have run against one Of the wire
wings. There is nothing to do but fol-
low the fence, and in a few minutes
they have run through the mouth Of
the corral.
| A rabbit would never think, if rab-
bits do think, of turning around and
trying to break through the line of
horsemen. He keeps on going until
surrounded by the fence, when there
is no escape. When the roundup ends
the corral is filled with rabbits. The
number may range from a few hundred
up to a thousand The rabbits are kill
ed with clubs or by dogs, and the hunt
is over
| Then comes quite as much Of the
DAYS sport as the hunt itSelf-the bar
becue given by the ranchman whose
pastures have been rid of the pest. All
day the beeves have been hanging over
the pits near the ranch house. Coffee
has been steaming in boiler kettles and
there is an abundance of bread and
pickles. The hungry hunters hurry to
the scene of the feast and, as it is usu-
ally o'clock or after before the hunt
is over, they are ready for the meal.
After dinner the remainder Of the af-
ternoon is spent in pony racing, may
be a baseball game or other amuse-
ments, and then there is another lunch
on the remnants of the barbecue.
The return home is made by moon
light and II o'clock finds all the hum
ters sound asleep after a day in the
open air. and dreaming marvellous
dreams Of jack rabbits as big as ante
lopes that can cover ten. rods at a sim
gle leap.