The San Francisco call., 1909-02-21
Irappmg Wild orses Nevada The Trappe Story Of His Wor

Continued from Preceding Page
% st least part OF the band is al
most assured But experience, or In
ettnct. has taught them not to turn.
Seven out OF ten bunches viii strive to
go just the way you DO not want them
60 go. and the presence OF man, com
oined with superior speed, VIII not
turn them
have even gone further, riding neck
and neck with some OF these game old
leaders; have beaten them across the
nose with my Quirt only TO have them
Elacken enough 20 dodge back Of nv
horse and continue on their way. The
wild horses also learned that the In
Vulnerable canyons. guilies and hills IN
the mountain ranges anord many hid
ing places for themi so when dia-
turbed Ia the valleys they strike out at
once for the mountainR from which
It Is almost impossible 70 bring them
back.
To walk them down q man must, In
theory, start out upon q saddle horse
OF known endurance, search for a band
Of horses, ride IN sight OF them, cause
them TO run IN any way they may wish
then following them or watch their
trail, all the time riding only at q
good fast walk. A few hours will
probably bring the rider IN sight of the
wild horses. which, upon seeing him,
win again dash away. The rider follows,
always at q walk. II the pursuer viii
keep after the same band for about
three days, giving them no chance to
feed or rest during the day, and very
little at night he VIII on the third
day be able TO drive them anywhere
just as one could drive bunch Of
milch cows This plan might be car
ried to a successful end in broad level
country where horses are not plenti-
ful, bat IN Nevada, with horses in sight
everywhere. e band once started joins
another herd, only to subdivide later
If the band gets out OF sight the rider
often unconsciously takes the trail Of
a fresh bunch and then another, there
by losing entirely the first bunch he
started.
OF the older methods the most sue
cessful IN my country IS to take q
number OF gentle horses and drive
them TO a section where It is known
wild ones viii be found Sharp eyed
men ride in front Of the herd con-
stantly on the watch for mustangs
After discovering a band a rider is
sent TO get around and come upon them
In such a manner as viii cause them
70 run toward the gentle bunch. which
has been concealed in a natural run
way, there allowed to separate into
smaller bands. and feed around in their
usual manner. Two or three men are
left with the gentle herd, which is
called the .perada-" These men either
dismount or keep themselves hidden
from view OF the wild horses Relay
riders are stationed at points or on
trails where the mustangs are most
liable 10 try to escape, the idea being
that the horses scared by the starter
viii run toward the perada, and can
be kept in that direction by the relay
riders. who jump out at the leader II
he attempts TO take his bunch away
from the desired course. With men on
all sides and behind, theoretically, the
mustangs viii forge ahead, eventually
mingling with the gentle horses. and
there being surrounded by men and
mixed with the others. may be driven
away from the range and corralled-
Thousands Of horses have been cap
tured in this way. but in some Sec
tiOns IL is now impossible to catch any
IN that manner. The horses have be-
come as familiar with the method as
the zen are themselves, and they es-
cape by running the wrong direction
when started, by refusing to leave the
trails guarded by the relay men, or
even # successfully run into the Pc
rada. viii either go right through,
sometimes taking gentle horses with
them, else remaining a few minutes,
then splitting and leaving one at a
time in different directions.
IT is generally impossible to turn a
wild horse back If he runs away alone
also should a rider attempt to turn
him back the Gordon OF men is weak
ened. and other horses may quickly
follow through the gap. Strangely,
stations are the only wild horses that
can be induced to return to a perada
after they escape alone; often they will
make dash and get outside the circle
of men. but If their mares are held
they viii return II the riders remain
quiet Horses which have escaped from
q perada are seldom ever caught In
this manner again-they never forget
and II pursued win always try to
evade another band of horses. Con-
seQuently. on every range there are
many mustangs which can not be
caught in any Of the methods I have
named; they represent the cream of
the stock, for naturally it is the strong