46 FIFTY YEARS A HUNTER AND TRAPPER. 



and soon became separated and it so happened that I was the only 

 one to get a deer during the day. When I got to camp I found 

 Bens ( on was not in yet, so I did not tell that 1. had lolled a deer, 

 but thought I would wait until Benson came ; in and see, .what 

 jluck he had. If he had not killed anything I would give him the 

 ,.hint and let hitn have the credit of killing the deer that I got as 

 '.sort of off-set on Hill, ; on the bear hunt. I stayed outside gath- 

 ring dry limbs for wood until I saw Benson coming and I 

 planned Jo meet him before Hill got to talk to hijp< I, learned 

 that Bens,on had not killed anything, so I told him where I -had 

 killed the deer and that if he cared to he^could 4 a i m ^j t he-;deer, l as 

 his game. Benson was much pleased with the .idea and as -I had 

 told him just, wh^re I had killed the deer it, was easy fxpr Benson 

 to explain to Hill where the deer was shot. Hill did not believe 

 that Benson ha^ killed a _deer and ^aid , he, would not believe he 

 (Benson) had killed one if he did not know that he had been 

 alone and anyway .he must see the deer before he would believe 

 it. I took the first opportunity when Hill was out to tell Benson 

 which way to go so that he would be sure to find the deer and 

 the next morning the boys went out and brought in the, deer while 

 I went to look after some traps. The boys stayed a day or two 

 longer and then went home declaring that t,hey had had the best 

 hunt of their fives. 



I will now tell of some of my hunting and trapping with Mr. 

 Nelson and my first experience with a big cat.' About I860; when 

 I :Was a mere chunk of a boy, a man by the name of Perry Hoi- 

 man was camping on the extreme headwaters of Pine Creek, hunt- 

 .ing and trapping. Early one morning Mr. Holman came out of 



the woods after groceries and other ^pcessaries. Qn-Jiis way out 

 he saw where a small bear had crossed the road just at the top 

 of. the hill on the old Jersey Shore turnpike and about five miles 

 from Mr. Nelson's, place. Mr. Nelson, ,ai that time .always kept 

 one or two good bear dogs. Mr. Hodman told Mr. Nelson of the 

 bear's track and said that the bear haji. . gone into a l,aurel patch 

 on the west side of the road and that^.the track^was . i very fresh. 

 He thought if ..Mr. Nelson f would take his dogs and go out, that 



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