OOT. 33. 1885. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



247 



WITH THE BEARS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In a recent short sketch of bear hunting I promised to let 

 your readers hear from the big hunt. The parties who were 

 to meet me with hounds and guns for an all-daj'' bunt after 

 bruiu, failed to keep their promise. I took my horse and 

 rode up the river, haviufj,- sent word to the darlty who keeps 

 my dogs to go ahead with them. On aniviug at tlie place 

 of rendezvous we found only two men and three dogs, and 

 a^^ the suu was peeping above the trectops, it was then time 

 to go in with the dogs, for the bears generally leave the 

 drives after early moruinir, and return to the "Big Swamp." 



Off we go on "foot straight for th(! bear grounds, two miles 

 away. It is quite cool,' aud the air and bushes are heavy 

 with dampness, and tbe clouds promise more still. I divest 

 myself of my coat, and tbrowiug my gun over one shoulder 

 and my horn over the other, I start with them, knowing 

 that altbongh chilly now I shall be "hot in the collar" before 

 bruin is uitercepted, I have been all the morning debating 

 in my mind tbe question -whether to take my repeating .38- 

 cal., or my 2S-inch, 12-borc shotgun, finally deciding in 

 favor of the shotgun on accoimt of the thick undergrowth, 

 and the utter unlikelihood of getting a shot at short range. 



After going about half a mile the" dogs begin sniffing the 

 air and bushes, but we call them in and place them behind 

 us. Soon after, the leader of the party, the Veteran, calls 

 attention to an indentation in the hard, dry road, and remarks, 

 "That loolfs like a bear track." Almost" at the same instant 

 old Bounce, our old "strike" dog, opens with a roar, followed 

 by Growder and Jump in full chorus. We at once recog- 

 nize the bear bark of old JJounce, and knowing that bruin is 

 out of his latitude we make for the low grounds or bay glade 

 to cut him off.' After a good long run we arrive at tiie glade, 

 and all out of breath stop to listen. In the distance, a mile 

 or more away, we hear the baying of the dogs, away to the 

 right, but circling in our direction. About this time we are 

 joined by a "fifteenth amendment" with his muzzleloader, 

 and we string out about fifty yards apart, the dogs in the 

 meanwhile coming rapidly in the direction of our stand, the 

 tenor of Jump mingling with the deep bass of Bounce and 

 Growder. The Veteran strikes off for a point fiu-ther up 

 into the swamp, while I, out of breath, saunter slowly along, 

 keeping abreast of the dogs as they veer a little in the direc- 

 tion of the big swamp. They are coming now full tilt, 

 straight for us, and our hearts are thumping heavily from 

 the excitement and long run. The dogs are not more than a 

 hundred yards away when I see the darky cock his gun and 

 begin creeping along in my direction, peering into the bushes 

 at the same time, as though he hears something. My gun is 

 also at full cock now, fox'l too hear the rustle and crack of 

 bushes and twigs as some heavy body moves rapidly in my 

 direction, whether cattle or bear I can't at the time tell, so 

 dense is the undergrowth. I have but few seconds to wait, 

 for with a rush out bounds the bear, and as he strikes the 

 path I down him with my right, and as he rises I get in my 

 left, and down he goes again, but is up and in the bushes 

 once more, before I could say Jack Robinson. Iramediatelj' 

 the dogs are at the spot, and putting them back they go only 

 a short distance and begin baying. "He is down," cried the 

 Veteran, and in he rushes with me close at his heels, but the 

 dogs are aM'ain moving, and I am entangled in the bamboo 

 briers so that I can move band or foot only as I cut my way 

 out; so I make my way back to the path, but just before I 

 reach it a gun fires and the dogs bush, I know" the meat is 

 safe. One of the party crawls in under the briers and gives 

 the bear bis quietus by placing a load of buckshot in bis 

 brain. By this time quite a party have arrived, hearing the 

 noise so plainly from tbe shore, and we have a full pack of 

 dogs. We now go in and bring the bear out to the paths and 

 look for my shots. They are found instantly. A ball and 

 three buckshot in the left shoulder, penetrating the lungs, and 

 twelve buckshot, my last load, in his flank. Still he dragged 

 himself more than two hundred yards before giving in. He 

 was a fine fellow, weighing a little over two hundred pounds, 

 and very fat. 



It being still very early, and a large force of fresh dogs 

 and men havine: arrived, we proposed another drive, and the 

 proposition meeting approval, we directed two of the party 

 to take the dogs up the paths, while we would station our- 

 selves about a mile above in another drive. Having reached 

 our stands we waited patiently for more than an hour, but 

 heard nothing of dogs or men. The wind having risen, we 

 concluded the dogs had started and gone down wind, so w^e 

 returned to where the bear was killed, and after getting there 

 listened for the dogs. We soon heard Monroe's voice away 

 to the east of us, in another dtive, and pretty soon the report 

 of a gun sounded in the direction of the dogs, followed by the 

 toot of a horn. We immediately started in that direction, 

 and after going about a mile met some of the boj-s bearing a 

 fine deer swinging from a pole resting on the .shoulders of 

 two of the partjT. It seems that the dogs had started a large 

 bear almost immediately after getting into the second drive, 

 and he departed for parts unknown at a two-minute gait, 

 getting away from the boys and going in a direction oppo- 

 site our stands, the high winds preventing our hearing them. 

 The boys, or a few of them, had gone in that direction and 

 were trying to blow the dogs off. Monroe had quit, and on 

 his return struck the trail of a deer and immediately began 

 working it. He soon jumped, and the deer ran straight to 

 Smith, the darky who keeps Monroe. Smith having a very 

 good muzzleloader, cut short the chase by putting a ball 

 through the deer's bead. As the rain had now begun to 

 fall and noon had nearly arrived, we concluded to give over 

 for the day, thinking we had done well enough. 



The boys went again yesterday, but 1 have heard nothing 

 from them. We will join forces again next week, and if 

 anything occurs worth relating will let you hear from me. 



A. F. R. 



ADIRONDACK DEER AND HOUNDS. 



Editor Fored and Stream: 



The law prohibiting the hounding of deer was the crown- 

 ing act for the preservation of the deer in tbe Adirondacks. 

 If the game law has been as strictly enforced in all parts of 

 the wilderness as it has been in this section, at lea.st 2, 000 deer 

 have been saved that would have been slaughtered had the 

 law remained as last year. Now that there is no chance 

 under the law for the slaughter of deer, sportsmen, hotel 

 keepers, guides and all interested in the preservation of deer 

 in the Beaver River country have taken measures to enforce 

 the law in respect to deer. A competent man has been hired 

 and deputized by the State game constable to give him 

 authority, and has been on duty since the 10th of July. 

 Several arrests have been made for killing deer before the 

 first of August. So well has he succeeded that not the souod 

 of a dog in pursuit of deer has been heard m aJl the Beaver 



River country. He has proved to be the right man in the 

 right place, he is everywhere aud turns up where least ex- 

 pected. He should be a candidate for State game constable 

 the first opportunity. Mr. Moyer is a thorough woodsman 

 and familiar with all parts of the ninth game district, and is 

 much interested in the preservation of deer. He is paid by 

 private contributions from persons interested in the preser- 

 vation of deer. At the close of the season I will send you 

 the names of the contributors with the amount contributed. 



A few days since I chanced to meet a guide just in from 

 the Fulton chain of lakes and made inquiries about how the 

 law was being observed in that section. He reported that 

 the law in respect to hounding deer has been violated all 

 along that chain of lakes. "Where is the game constable?" 

 I asked. "O, he is at home; he kinder seems to let um drive," 

 he replied. 



Delinquent game constables should he removed and their 

 places taken by those more interested and who would attend 

 strictly to the enforcement of the law ; there are plenty such 

 to be found. 



What an agreeable contrast from last year at this time. 

 Then, go where you would in this great sacred temple "not 

 made with hands," you would hear the voice of the hound 

 in swift pursuit of the frightened deer and hear the rapid re- 

 ports of guns on every lake and stream in the hands of pre- 

 tended sportsmen and pot-hunters encaged ia the work of 

 murder and extermination. Now silence reigns supreme, 

 the deer wanders undisturbed in his native haunts and shows 

 himself in gratitude along the silent stream and quiet lake 

 and around the borders of the settlement, where a yeai- ago 

 he was a stranger unless forced there by the hound on his 

 track, which ended in his destruction. So glorious is the con- 

 trast that it does not seem possible that the people of the 

 State of New York will become so lost to all sense of hu- 

 manity as to again sanction by law this brutal mode of hunt- 

 ing. MUBSET. 

 NiniBER Four, Adirondaclts, Oct. 17. 



THE SPORTSMAN'S REVERIE. 



O NATO RE, Mother Nature, thou 

 Another bible art, aud ever 

 Wilt teach as thou hast taught till now, 

 And bloom with God, to perish never. 

 Dear Mother Nature, at thy shrine 

 I lay this tribute, it is thine. 



The huge log cracljles in the grate, 



And reverie steals gently o'er him. 

 As reminiscent thoughts create 



Landscape and incident before him. 

 Backward his heart and glance are cast; 

 He lives again within the past. 



It is the hush of the gray dawn- 

 He hears within its reedy cover 



The mallard splashing: now 'tis gone. 

 From off the sand a strong-wing'd plover 



Rises and circles high in air, 



And wanes the plaintive echoes there. 



'Tis sunset; low along the grass 

 He crouches, with his spaniel near him, 



And mai-ks the wildfowl as they pass. 

 The leadei swings; they yet may clear hmi. 



A right and left; they scatter high ; 



Two of their number fall and die. 



JEIe whips the pool with skillful wist— 

 The pool that sleeps within the valley. 



He strikes ; with many a dash and twist, 

 The wily trout meets every sally. 



The stubborn fight at last is o'er; 



It glistens on tbe pebbled shore. 



Recbned within the fragrant shade. 



He lists to Bob White's liquid yodle, 

 Which sweet and mellow to the glade 



Floats inward from the yellow stubble ; 

 And all the border of the wold 

 Is dark beneath and tipped with gold. 



The forest aisles he treads again— 



The forest dim aud old and solemn; 

 A Presence in the dale and glen 



A spell diffuses to enthrall him— 

 A Presence never seen yet felt— 

 And meekly he in spirit knelt. 



Within the hollow of his arm 



Neglected lies his trusty rifle; 

 Subdued before this higher charm, 



The hunter instinct does he stifle. 

 'Twere sacrilege indeed to wake 

 The frightened echoes from the brake. 



Listen ! The bay of the swift hound 

 Comes linging down the deep recesses ; 



The spell is shattered at the sound. 

 In graceful speed the quarry presses; 



A sbarp report— before his eyes 



In death the antlered monarch Ues. 



Sunset again; the lake a .sheet 



Of burnished, massy gold is shining. 

 And where the sKy and water meet 



The quivering sun is fast declining. 

 In hues wnich words and thoughts defy, 

 The painted clouds range up the slcy. 



Along the lake, along the shore, 

 The twilight falls, a blessing bringing; 



Homeward with measured stroke of oar. 

 All dreamily he passes, singing; 



In. softer tones the well-loved strain 



In echo voices comes again. 



Unto a mighty silver shield 



The placid lake its surface changes, 

 M the full moon o'er flood and field 



Illumes the sky and lower ranges; 

 And angel eyes in heaven above 

 Kindle the stars to looks of love. 



The last spark flickers in the grate. 

 The snow without is madly whirUng; 



He lights his pipe to recreate 

 The vision, through the smoke wreaths curling ; 



But visions do not come at call, 



And he must bid good night to all. 



Thosus F. Wat.son, 



A PROPOSED BEAR CLUB. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have just returned from a hunting trip through Oxford 

 county, Me. We found the bears very numerous, the farm- 

 ers are losing many valuable sheep, some have decided to 

 sell their entire flock this fall on that account. While stay- 

 ing at my brother's (S. M. Locke, postmaster in the town of 

 Roxbury) several sheep were killed, one came to the barn 

 with its side torn open, severing three ribs, opening into the 

 stomach, besides a savage blow on the shoulder and wounds 

 upon the back and neck. Mr. L. has lost a large number of 

 sheep, and had he not waged a vigorous war on the bears 

 with trap, he would have been driven from the field. He 

 has taken thirty bears, the laiit one in June, weighing 360 

 pounds; sheep bones were fouud in his stomach. In one 

 month he took seven bears. The traps were set on one-half 

 acre of land under oak trees. Mr. L. said the noise the hears 

 made (three were in at two different times) "was hair-raising 

 even to an old trapper. ' The amount of damage to the farm- 

 ing interests of Maine by bears, such as tbe killing of sheep, 

 damaging fruit trees and discouraging the farmers from 

 engaging in growing wool, is considerable. Why can- 

 not those rifles, now useless since the buffalo is gone, be 

 used to equal advantage in killing these pests? They will 

 furnish tenfold more enjoyment for each individual than 

 could be got out of the btilTalo. But we must have good 

 bear dogs to hunt them with, and as there are no dogs in 

 Alaine worth anything for the purpose, such dogs must be 

 brought from the South, where they have been used success- 

 fully. 



Tbe sport will pay well, for, instead of 75 cents for skins, 

 they would be worth from $10 to $30, and that, together 

 with a $5 bounty, and meat and oil thrown in, is quite an 

 item. And then there >re no swamps of deadly malaria to 

 destroy one's health, but the clear cold air of these fir and 

 spruce-clad heights, with innumerable sparkling .streams, 

 and the soft carpet of downy snow, enabling the hunter to 

 bring the dogs along the trcul until the bear is started, thus 

 dispensing with the "test dog," and almost doing away with 

 tbe tracking dogs. Who will volunteer to form a club to 

 purchase dogs and engaee in the hunt? Several persons of 

 the right slufl', say a half dozen or even less, would be able 

 to combine and have some royal sport. I have written par- 

 ties in the South to purchase dogs for such a purpose. Let 

 me hear from those interested in the subject as early as pos- 

 sible, that we may have a hunt this fall and early winter. I 

 take this opportunity to exttaid cordial thanks to the brother 

 sportsmen who have" so kindly responded to my call for in- 

 formation about the use of dogs in hunting bears. May I 

 indulge the hope that we shall hear from them often and 

 that others will contribute on this subject, so interesting to 

 many of the readers of the Forest and Stream? 



Bruin. 



The early snow fall on the summit of Pine Creek Moun- 

 tains has started the bears down to the lower levels. The 

 miners will have bear steaks and bearskin caps or overcoats 

 or the bears will have lodgings furnished for the winter in 

 tbe tunnels and prospect holes. Bears have increased 

 greatly in numbers iu tnis State since the great wind storm 

 of January, 1880, which threw down so niuch timber and 

 rendered the woods almost impassable in some parts of the 

 State and preventing the hunting of bears with dogs. In 

 some parts of Southern Oregon "the woods are full of 'em," 

 A gentleman who has lately been out to Coos county says 

 there are more bears than hog^ in that connij.—Oreriordan. 



It Would Have Delighted the Soul op an Adiron- 

 dack Clubber. — Honesdale, Oct. 18. Since the hunting 

 season opened in this State a, number of deer have been killed 

 in that part of Pike county woods through whicti the Hones- 

 dale Branch of the Erie Railway runs, between Hawley and 

 Lackawaxen, in Pike County. S. D. Van Akin, telegraph 

 operator at Lackawaxen, is a great deer hunter. A few days 

 ago he went into the woods a mile west of the station to hunt 

 for a large buck that had been seen in that vicinity. While 

 he was driving the ridge with his dog an enormous five- 

 prong buck came out of the woods on the other side of the 

 valley, dashed across the Delaware and Hudson Canal, 

 through a field, across the Lackawaxen River at a deep place 

 called the Whirlpool, and, climbing tbe railroad bank, cross- 

 ed the track and entered the w^oods where Van Akin was 

 hunting. Before it came within his range the buck got 

 wind of the hunter and his dog, and bounded back out of 

 the woods to the railroad track. At that moment a coal 

 train, on its way east, was approaching the spot, and the 

 deer sprang out only a few feet ahead of tbe locomotive. 

 The buck kept to the track and ran on toward Lackawaxen. 

 The locomotive was immediately detached from the heavy 

 train, and, putting it at tbe top of its speed, the engineer 

 and fireman gave chase to the deer. In spite of the great 

 speed the magnificent leaps of the buck kept him in the lead. 

 The locomotive whistle was sounded and the exciting chase 

 kept up for a mile, when the deer boxinded into the village 

 of Lackawaxen, and found itself in the midst of railroad 

 tracks, canal boats, quarry-men and passing cars. The 

 whistling of tbe locomotive had attracted the attention of 

 the entire place, and when the deer came dashing fmiously 

 down the track, hotly pursued by the locomotive, scores of 

 men, women, and children Avere out to see the sight. The 

 buck left the track and spi'ang into the canal. Instantly he 

 was surrounded by a yelling and excited mob. They pelted 

 the poor animal with stones and pounded him with clubs 

 from one side of the canal to the other until he was finally 

 forced to give up, and he was finished by a big quarry-man 

 with a club. Every resident of the village claimed a share 

 of the venison, and the carcass of the buck was divided up 

 so that every family had a piece. The magnificent head 

 and antlers were secured by Capt. Buck, of the New York 

 Hotel at Lackawaxen, who will have them mounted. 



The Worcester Side Hunt was to have been held yes- 

 terday. 'The two sides were under the command of Captains 

 A. H. Perry and J. A. Titus. The game score points were 

 as follows: Fox, coon, wild goose, 100; owl, hawk, mink, 

 50; grouse, 40; woodcock, 30; quail, snipe, duck, plover, 

 gray squirrel, 25; rabbit, 15. The supper will he served at 

 the Bay State House next Friday evening. 



Gardner, Mass., Oct. 16.— On Friday the members of the 

 Monomonack Sporting Club, of this town, start out for their 

 annual hunt. 'The two sides are under command of Edric 

 Coleman and Charles H. Newton. The judges are S. T. 

 Chamberlain and H. L. Graham. The result of the hunt is 

 to be a supper, to be paid for by the side having tbe least 

 game, 



