Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1893 — NOVEL ELK HUNTING. [ARTICLE]

NOVEL ELK HUNTING.

Mounted Mexicans Cateh Them with Lariats. In the latter part of July and during August the Mexican, or “Californian,” as he is locally styled, has his greatest field sport—hunting the elk. At this season elk are the fattest. They come down from the mountains, f.->othills and crags attracted by the luxuriant pasturage of the valley lands coursed by streams or fronting upon the sea. In these favored localities the heavy dues add luxuriance to the wild grasses, oats and other grains. At this season, because of their extra bulk, elk cannot run so fast Ordinarily they give the fleetest horse a close race. The Mexican elk hunter is “armed” only with a lariat and a lima, a crescent-shaped-knife which is tied at the end of a slender pole about ten feet in length. The luna somewhat resembles the moon ; hence its name. The luna is used tohamstring the elk after the lariat hasbeen thrown over his horns. A party of ten or fifteen Mexicans, thus equipped and mounted on the fleetest horses, will charge a band of 100 or more, each man selecting his victim. On being lassoed the elk will plunge violently, almost pulling thehorse ferward, for the lariat it fastened to the pommel of the saddle. But the trained horse throws his weight backward and stands stiff, with nerves strained to hold the powerful elk in check. The Mexican sits calmly on the horse, talking sarcastically to the ■struggling elk, bestowing praise upon himself and smoking his cigarette. After the animal exhausts himself the Mexican throws the luna and hamstringsthe elk. He then cuts its throat with the luna, or hunting knife, if he cares to take the trouble to dismount. Immediately he is off after another, for the stampeded band will soon escape, tothe foothills unless they have been run into a glen or on an isthmus, when the slaughter is terrible and cruel. It usually requires two men to dispatch nn elk unless the hunters are very expert —oneto throw the lariat, the < ther the luna. To cut the throat of a wounded elk as he turns his large, full eyes, expressive of fright, sorrow and reproach, upon his merciless captor requins a hardened heart and robs the sport of -its pleasures seemingly. Birt the Mexican regards the coup de grace as the acme of the chase. An elk will yield seventy-five to twentyfive pounds of tallow. It is largely used by the rancheros for cooking purposes, because of its superior whiteness, hardness and delicate taste. It commands agood price in the market, as does thehide.—[San Francisco Chronicle.