<images to be added from SCHS collection>
During the Dust Bowl era, jack rabbits multiplied to the point of becoming a menace, eating and destroying all crops. In desperation, the farmers and ranchers of Seward County organized "rabbit drives" to eradicate the problem. The drives brought the population under control though even into the late 1960s Roy Smith's hardware store in Kismet would still pay a 50 cent bounty per rabbit pelt. Rabbit pelts sold to Roy were the source of pocket change for many young farm and ranch boys.
The largest drive culminated in the center of the Hitch Ranch. Another was held along the Cimarron River and is detailed in this February 15, 1935 article from the Liberal News.
Rabbit Drive Northeast
Will Cover Nine Square Miles Adjoining Cimarron River Sunday Afternoon
There will be a rabbit drive in the breaks and adjoining fields on the Cimarron River Sunday afternoon at 2:30.
The drive is centering at the section corner where the Fargo school building is located, which is about five miles down the river from the Edmonds Ranch.
The wings of the rabbit pens will run north and south from the corner at Fargo school.
The local men of the community, sponsoring the drive, have arranged for several captains to be stationed on roads leading to the drive, who will have plats of the drive, and will assign everybody to a positin.
Roads are as follows:
No. 1 road down the river from Edmonds' ranch.
No. 2 road south from Old Springfield
No. 3 road leading from Kismet and northeast.
The drive will cover nine square miles and should yield a great many rabbits if there is plenty of men to hold them. Everybody is urged to come with a club and make it a success.