BEARS IN 1870, TODAY OTHER NOTES. 105 



haunches to listen when they heard a noise and were not sure of its 

 origin. 



As to the number of bear at the present time and forty or 

 fifty years ago, through Northern and Central Pennsylvania, there 

 seems to be about as many now as there were then. This I attribute 

 to the fact that much of the country in other localities has been 

 cleared up and thus deprived bruin of his natural haunts. 



Forty years ago, in the early 70's it was customary then as 

 now, to keep tab on trappers as to what they were doing along 

 the trap line. Trappers of years ago would average from three to 

 twelve bears, according to how plenty they were and to what 

 the condition of the weather was. 



It often happens that when bear are plenty on the trapper's 

 trapping grounds, he does not have the best of luck in taking the 

 game. If shack is very plentiful it is sometimes difficult to get the 

 bear to take ordinary bait. The bear will also den up or go into 

 hibernation much quicker if they get fat, than they will if shack is 

 a little scarce so that they do not get quite so fleshy. If the bears 

 get real fleshy early in the season they will den up at the approach 

 of the first cold and freezing weather and sleep until spring. On 

 the other hand, if the bear continues to be a little lean, as he gen- 

 erally is during the summer, he will continue to search for food 

 during quite severe weather. They will leave winter quarters and 

 come out in search of food when there are a few warm days, or 

 a slight thaw, which they will rarely do if they go into the den 

 in good flesh. 



The bear is not like the raccoon. Their rutting season in this 

 latitude is in August and not in February and March as with the 

 raccoon and groundhog. Now all of these conditions has much to 

 do with the number of bears that a trapper may get during a 

 season. The number of bear taken in Pennsylvania by the average 

 trapper at the present time and forty years -ago may be slightly 

 less now than then but the difference is not great. 



There are more bear trappers today than forty years ago. Dur- 

 ing the months of October and November, 1909, there were nearly 

 one hundred bears caught in traps and killed with dogs in the 

 above counties mentioned. Bears were more plentiful through this 



