Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1916-01-27
J. R.--HIS OTHER
NAME IS LEGION
JOHN RABBIT FORAGES IN
DROVES..DANGER TO TREES is
SERIOUS-RABBIT YARNS
THE FESTIVE JACK
GETTING IN BAD
Killing Coyotes Allows Rabbits To
Increase-Trees Or Jacks
Must Go

People tell stories of times when il
rained fish or froge or various kinds
of insects but the question is does il
ever snow jack rabbits. If not where
have they all come from?
Stories from the country say John
is marching on the farmers in COM
panies, regiments and brigades; he is
remarkably neighborly and fear
seems to have left him. He fills the
roadway ahead Of teams and in spots
makes the snow fields take on the ap-
pearance of life and motion.
Trees Will Suffer
The sad truth is John is feeling the
pinch of winter. He is by nature i'm
provident; he never lays up winter
store Of food like the squirrel or the
gopher, nor does he hibernate or bur-
row-up like the badger, the skunk or
the muskrat. John r. is an above
ground hustler and takes his chances
with the coyote and the grouse. When
the snow is deep his chance for food
diminishes and the instinct for self
preservation causes him to gather in
droves wherever any sort of food is to
be found. At such times the big hare
is destructive agent to be reckoned
with for in few minutes he can ruin
a tree that has received years Of at
tention, if it is not in some way pro-
tected. Tree bark is at or close to
the top of the list Of Jacks favorite
winter menu but when hungry enough
he will set his teeth to many things
less juicy, including common hay.
Worst At Wildrose
So far no reports have been receiv-
ed locally Of actual ferocity by the
hungry rabbit hordes but it is often
said that certain kinds Of liquor will
make a jack rabbit fight bull dog
land lick him, too) and it appears
that the jacks around Wildrose have
been driven to strong drink. A story
sent out from that town this week
says:
"T r ee-eating, dog-6ghting and
thieving rabbits are pestering the
farmers Of this district-and many
and varied are reports made of the
activities Of the long cared jacks.
That the rabbits are so numerous
as to cause losses to farmers, is not
questioned, some Of the stories told
questioned, but some of the stories
told are highly picturesque.
Jens Thompson sent his trusty
shepherd dog after a big jack rabbit.
For IS minutes the jack gave battle
to the dog, but superior weight be-
gan to tell and the rabbit took to his
heels, but not until he had made life
rather miserable for his adversary.
Now Thompson's dog SHES clear Of
rabbits.
As Bad As Beaver
Hans Rice declares his dog, ordin-
Try a good hunter and fine scrapper,
won't venture to face the squad Of
'abbits that makes a nightly visit to
lis premises, and which has been re-
ponsible for heavy grain losses.
Ed Larson found so rabbits around
lis haystack, the rabbits making way
With the hay in rapid order.
Hans Rice also tells the story Of
abbits eatin gtrees, declaring he has
'st many trees in that manner, the
abbits climbing up on their hind feet,
ating the bark and into the wood,
18th the result that the trees finally
all over.
James Goebel, night watchnnan, in
sts that rabbits are doing all the
:avanger work in the town, making
lightly visits to refuse cans, and that
ley are coming in increasing num-
ers every night"
Fewer COvotes, More Jacks
The law that puts liberal bounty
J +he covo+es is boon to his natural
rey. There is relentless war on
votes while few trouble to kill rah
IS. A bounty on rabbits, some
link. will become necessary to make
lree culture successful. The jack rab- t
t, they say, presents weak case at =
e court of human consideration-he -.
stroys property and aside from be- ]
g very doubtful article of food, is /
no known service to man. r