Aug. 31, 1890.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



89 



Mine is killed with first shot. Once five birds came in, 

 and none go out; bnt both our guns are empty when the 

 last one falls into the surf. Once I killed a pair, but missed 

 quite a number of double shots on account of the hard 

 pull of the trigger. 



The flight was not a large success, and only netted us 

 thirty birds — twenty-six willet, two calico backs, and two 

 "hill head" plover; so for want of better amusement, the 

 tide being low and no buds moving but the little sand- 

 pipers, we began taking turn about shots for pennies — 

 two pennies in "the pot," the shooter takes the pot if he 

 kills. This became tame after a bit, and we decided to 

 take up and go home. Two hours later we were at the 

 hotel, our birds in the kitchen, and ourselves a few min- 

 utes later in the glorious surf, enjoying our first bath. 



Etjmcott citt. Pious. 



THE BIG SWAMP BEAR, 



POINT PLEASANT, Louisiana.— Oa Dec. 1, 1889, I 

 left home with Jackson, a colored man who hunts 

 with me, to look for bears' sign. The first day, although 

 I found lots of mast, 1 saw very little sign; but the next 

 day I went to a large over-cup country, and there I found 

 sign in abundance, and some of very large bear. I re- 

 turned home that night and immediately wrote to the 

 Osborns, telling them I had found plenty of sign, and 

 that we would camp in the Tillett house on the Nebraska 

 plantation, but would leave it to them to set the day as I 

 could go ait any time. I received a letter from them the 

 following week saying they would be at camp on the 16th 

 inst. 1 then had Jack go and buy corn , and have it, with 

 cooking utensils, hauled to camp. On the 15th Mrs. M. 

 prepared what provisions I could pack on my horse, and 

 the next morning I started for camp. I arrived about 12 

 o'clock, and found Jack there. He had cleaned up, and 

 had the old house looking quite neat and comfortable. I 

 counted what dogs we had, and found ten. After resting 

 I told Jack to prepare dinner, as I thought the Osborns 

 would get in about 3 or 4 o'clock; they lived about 20 

 miles from camp. Sure enough, about that time I 

 heard their horses in the distance, coming up Tensas 

 River. It was not long before they came into camp, fol- 

 lowed by twenty-two dogs. There were Ike A., Rapp 

 and Ichabod O. Rapp called to Jack and told him to look 

 in his saddle pockets and he would find some bear's ribs 

 which he could warm. Rapp said that they had been out 

 the week before and had killed a very large bear, the ribs 

 were a part of it. After dinner we spread down our 

 blankets, and lay down to rest and plan the hunt for next 

 day. 



I told them about the quantity of sign I had seen and 

 about the track of a bear that 1 thought would measure 

 llin. They all laughed and asked Jack if I did not take 

 a bottle of whisky along when looking for the sign. 

 "Yes," he said, "but that bear's track was there, for I 

 saw it, aud you know I don't drink." I told them to wait 

 and they would see. 



It was left for me to plan the drive for the next morn- 

 ing. After a good night's rest and an early breakfast, we 

 were ready to start. I sent Ike and Jack to take the 

 stands, Rapp and I taking the dogs. Ichabod said he 

 would go along with us and take his chances in heading 

 the dogs off. The morning was dark and foggy. In 

 going across an open swamp we lost our course, and if 

 Rapp had not had his pocket compass with him we might 

 have had trouble in going to the place we wanted to 

 drive. As it was, while blundering around the dogs 

 started a bear, in fact, three bears; and went off like mad 

 in the direction of the slanders. We put spars to our 

 horses and started after them. We were going as fast as 

 we could, and just got within about a quarter of a mile 

 of them when we heard a gun fire. We checked our 

 horses for a moment and still could hear the dogs run- 

 ning. Ichabod said: "Those fellows have either missed 

 that bear or crippled it, and there will be the Old Nick to 

 pay; so come on and let's get there. But before we had 

 gone far we heard another gun; and still the dogs kept 

 on. When we got close enough we hallooed, and Ike 

 answered saying he had killed two bears and the dogs 

 were after the third one. We tied our horses and took 

 the cane. We had not gone far before the dogs made 

 the bear take a tree about 800yds. from us. I told Rapp 

 if he would go and shoot it I would follow after and cut 

 a trail. The cane was awful thick. I had cut about half 

 way when Rapp fired. In the meantime Ike came up and 

 said he was a younger man than I and he would finish 

 the trail and help Rapp get the bear out, but he was 

 almost famished for water. I took all the canteens and 

 rode to Mill Bayou, about three-quarters of a mile, filled 

 them, and when I returned I found all the bears out in 

 the slough and all the boys as thirsty as old topers. 



After cooling off, the weather being quite warm, we 

 concluded to go to camp. We arrived there about 4 

 o'clock. I went to see a man that butchered to see if we 

 could get him to sell the meat, as we did not want to quit 

 hunting, and the meat would not keep. He agreed to 

 sell the meat if we would give him $5 per day for his 

 wagon and team. I told him all O. K., and to be at 

 camp early enough next morning so that he could get 

 the meat out on Lake St. Joseph by sunrise, as it would 

 not keep longer than that day. Soon after I returned to 

 camp Jack announced dinner. Now, don't you forget it, 

 Jack knows how to cook. We were right for eating, and 

 that dinner disappeared by sections. 



About 4 o'clock next morning the wagon came for the 

 bears. For the hunt that day we took the same course, 

 but as it was clear we found no trouble, Rapp and I tak- 

 ing the dogs, Ichabod going with the standers. Near 

 about the same place where we had got a start the first 

 morning, the dogs struck a trail. The trail led in a dif- 

 ferent direction, but we knew we had men on the stands 

 that knew them all, and we did not feel uneasy about 

 the bears getting through any of them. The bear 

 jumped close to the stand that Ike was on and tried to 

 get through, but either saw or winded him and turned 

 off and struck for Mill Bayou. Ike knew if she got across 

 the bayou she would give us a long race before we got 

 her; so he put the spurs to his horse; and it was a close 

 shave.; Just as Ike got to the bayou the bear came roll 

 ing down the bank, a large barren she; with one barrel 

 he tumbled her into the bayou, and as she tried to crawl 

 out on the other side he finished her with the other. 



By the time Rapp and I got to them Ike, Jack and 

 Ichabod had her dressed. We carried her up a slough 

 near the trail that led to camp, and hung her up. 

 Rapp and I then took the dogs and drove up Mill Bayou 

 toward the Bearden Cane, the others going to the stands. 



We had not gone far before the whole team went off at 

 full- cry, except two dogs, they going in the opposite 

 direction. On examining the trail we found the two dogs 

 right, the team going on the back track. Bear dogs will 

 often do the like. In the meantime Ichabod came up. I 

 told him to go after the team and Rapp and I would fol- 

 low the dogs that were after the bear. They ran the 

 bear, a large barren she, until the sun was nearly down, 

 when she stopped to fight. About that time I heard 

 Ichabod coming. When he came up the two dogs were 

 about half a mile from us and fighting. Ike was close to 

 them. Ichabod told Rapp and me to get within speaking 

 distance of Ike and tell him to halloo and he would try 

 to get the dogs to him. He feared if we started to the 

 dogs that were after the bear the others would start a 

 fresh bear and both would get away from us. As it was 

 then getting dark Rapp and I started, and as luck was in 

 our favor, the bear began fighting toward us and met us 

 near half-way. We began to halloo. The bear broke 

 and ran on toward Ichabod and the dogs, and he soon 

 had the whole team after her. I knew then that that 

 bear's doom was sealed. She tried to take a tree, but 

 could not, as the dogs would pull her down every time 

 she attempted to go up it. Again Ike got there, and he 

 barely had time to shoot her before it was so dark you 

 could not see the end of your gun. Ichabad was on the 

 outside of the cane. He blew his horn. Rapp and I 

 went out. Ike and Jack staid with the bear. When I 

 got out of the cane I rode to tbe house of an old gentle- 

 man named Sims, got some lights and two or three negro 

 boys. 



We cut a trail to Ike and the bear, and got them out 

 into Sims's field. We then dressed her, packed her on 

 the horses, borrowed a head-lamp from Mr. Sims, and 

 started for camp. We took up the first bear as we went 

 along, and arrived at camp about 10 o'clock, pretty well 

 tired out. We did not wait that night for Jack to cook; 

 every fellow began cooking each one for himself. Some 

 broiled liver, some kidneys, melts, etc. We were a hungry 

 set, but after so long we got the keen edge of our appe- 

 tites somewhat appeased. Then Jack started his cooking, 

 and about 12 o'clock those that had fallen asleep were 

 awakened to partake of a delicious supper. 



The sun was well up the next morning before any of us 

 were astir. Mr. Kennedy came and found every one 

 asleep. We were awakened by the dogs barking and his 

 hallooing to keep them from biting him. He had had 

 good success in selling the meat, and said he could sell 

 more if we wished it. We gave him the two we had 

 killed, and told him what he could not sell to give away 

 as we were going to kill some more that day. 



It was late before we got off, as we all were sore and tired . 

 Rapp and I again did the driving. We set out about 10 

 o'clock. I proposed to go in the direction of where I had 

 seen the big track. I was certain that the bear had not 

 gone far from the place, as I knew he was fat and used 

 mostly around corn fields. We had not gone more than 

 a mile before the dogs struck a fresh trail. I told Rapp to 

 let them go, that some of the boys would kill it, and we 

 would go on and look for the track of the big bear. We 

 went on and got into Negro Bayou, which was then dry, 

 and we had not gone more than half a mile up the bayou 

 toward the fields before we found his track, which had 

 been made some time during the night. In the mean- 

 time Ike had killed the bear, the dogs had gone off after 

 a barren she, very fat.. 



I cut a cane and put it across the big bear's track, and 

 cut it off the width of the track. It measured llin. I 

 took the cane and started for the dogs. When I got to 

 where Ike and Ichabod were, I showed them the cane and 

 told them that that was the width of the bear's track, 

 and that it was fresh, and that we must get the dogs to 

 it if we had to tie them all and lead them. Ichabod, that 

 morning, in trying to head the dogs off on the upper part 

 of Negro Bayou, had run his horse into Mr. Sims's bear- 

 trap. After getting him out he found that he was unable 

 to travel, so he had got a horse from Mr. Sims. I had 

 left Rapp where we had seen the track, but fearing I 

 would have trouble in getting the dogs, had come on after 

 me. Ichabod , Rapp and I started with the dogs, leaving 

 Ike and Jack on the trails to head off. We did not have 

 much trouble in carrying them, as they were tired. On 

 getting near the place where we had seen the track, Icha- 

 bod took our start dog, old Tom, and went on ahead to 

 start him after the bear, knowing that as soon as he be- 

 gan giving tongue, the whole team would go to him. It 

 was no time before we heard old Tom squalling, and the 

 team made a break for him, with Rapp and me in a gal- 

 lop after them. When we got to where Ichabod was, he 

 was off of his horse looking at the track. "Well, boys," 

 says he, " I have seen many a bear's track, but this one- 

 lays them all in the shade." 



The dogs did not run long before they came up to the 

 old fellow, and then the fight began. Such a fight I never 

 before heard; although I have bear-hunted for twenty 

 odd years. I got off of my horse and climbed up the 

 bank of the bayou, and stood for some time listening to 

 them, forgetting, for the moment, that it was my duty to 

 assist them. Ichabod was standing close by and said to 

 me, "Did you ever hear the like before?" Rapp had gone, 

 which way I did not know. 



I said to Ike, "Let's get from here. The dogs seem to 

 be fighting to ward Sims's field. Our best route lies up the 

 bayou. Come, let's be off." We sprang upon our horses, 

 I taking the lead, and struck out, going as fast as we 

 could, only checking our horses to dodge a bush or vine, 

 here and there. We rode at a racing lick where we 

 could. Just as we got into the field where we had a trail 

 leading into the cane, we heard a gun fire. Then again. 

 Then two more reports in quick succession. Then we 

 heard Ike's horn; and we knew that the biggest bear in 

 the swamp was dead. We soon got to Ike, as he had 

 killed the bear on one of the trails we had cut the day 

 before. 



I have hunted bears for twenty-five years, and have 

 seen and killed many a one, but never in my life have I 

 seen one to equal that bear, either in woods or menagerie. 

 We had no way of weighing him. but I am sure he would 

 have weighed between 800 and l,0001bs. I sent his foot 

 to the editor of the Tensas Gazette. It measured across 

 the bottom 9in. Ike stands 5ft. 8m.; he lay on the bear 

 after it was turned on its back, and when his toes were 

 at the bear's tail he could not reach its nose with his 

 hands. It took four horses to carry the meat and one to 

 carry the skin to camp. 



The only dog killed during the hunt was killed by the 

 big bear. We did not get into camp until late that night. 



As we were all tired, and had more meat than we could 

 save, the weather being so warm, we concluded to break 

 up and go home. I only saved the fat portion of the 

 meat, and that Mrs. N. rendered into lard, which lasted 

 the family for several months. 



That was the last hunt for that season. I fear the 

 hunting for this season will be poor, as the freeze in 

 March killed the mast in the bud. More anon. 



Hunter 



STILL-HUNTING FOXES. 



I CAN not say that still -hunting the fox is a sure and 

 successful method of capturing them compared with 

 other devices, yet I have, in years past, carried it on to 

 some extent among the good old hills of Vermont and 

 New Hampshire. The fox is the most alert and sharp- 

 scented of our wild animals, and we must consider that 

 man of all else is his common enemy. 



Did you ever think how few foxes you have seen in a 

 wild condition, during all the years you have hunted over 

 the hills and fished along the'streams of your own town 

 or county? Very few, I dare say. And yet tbe trails in 

 the snow, and frequent sharp yelp-like bark, convinced 

 you that they were plenty, and near the farmhouse at 

 night, too. Well, this is simply and easily explained. 

 By their quick sense of scent and sound they detect your 

 presence first, and with light bounds seek safe cover at 

 a distance. 



I have in the past trapped many hundred foxes and it 

 was always at the season when fur was most valuable 

 that I hunted or trapped them at all. One season I took 

 more than 80 in steel traps; and in the early morning 

 just at daybreak I followed still-hunting to some extent, 

 capturing two one morning in about twenty minutes. I 

 was not always successful and would then go home, 

 leave my gun and started with my trapping outfit for a 

 round to my traps set for fox, fisher, mink and other 

 animals. It was many years before I got fox-trapping 

 down to a nicety and it was from a thorough study of 

 the animal that I was ever successful at still-hunting 

 them. 



I found the best locality for carrying it on was low- 

 lying fields or pastures, remote from farmhouses. Here 

 at daybreak you would find them hunting catlike for the 

 luckless mouse, for which they had a greedy appetite. 1 

 would place a composition on my boots, which is a great 

 attraction for the fox, repair to what I know to be a 

 hunting ground for them, walk in a circle on the wind- 

 ward side of some object, a stump, tree or cluster of 

 bushes, secrete myself there and await the animal's ap- 

 pearance. Sometimes I waited in vain, but a sportsman 

 must have patience and it will prove its own reward. 

 The fox would strike this trail and follow it past my 

 place of concealment. I have been able on many occa- 

 sions to call them within a few rods of my hiding place 

 by imitating the sharp squeak of the mouse. Be careful 

 to have the wind blowing toward you, or else they will 

 scent you and run away. 



I stood as silent as a tree one morning and watched a 

 fox catch seven mice in a few minutes, and at last when 

 near enough I pulled the trigger and the game was mine. 

 When I approached and picked up his lordship a mouse 

 dropped from his mouth, and upon examination I found 

 the entire seven mice in his mouth. 



If foxes are plenty trapping them is the only successful 

 method of capturing them to any large nu ruber. 



I have sold many foxes, alive, to hunting clubs at a 

 good price. Daphne. 



Jersey Citv, N. J. 



We have a man here who kills more foxes in this man- 

 ner than all the rest with hounds. Of course, still-hunt- 

 ing is impossible unless there is a good tracking snow. 

 When the conditions seem favorable our huntsman 

 "Paddy" Miles shoulders his gun, usually loaded right 

 barrel Bs and left T or TT shot. He starts off with a 

 slow easy gait, but woe to the man that follows him in 

 an all-day trip. I know for I have tried it. He is liable 

 to pass several tracks before he selects one that suits him, 

 and even then he may abandon one after following it a 

 half mile. He seems to know by the direction taken and 

 the crooks and turns the fox makes whether he is soon to 

 lie down for the day. As soon as the track leads toward 

 the leeward side of the hill and by those peculiar turns 

 in and out under small evergreens, etc., "Paddy" assures 

 us that he will not go "fur" before seeing him curled up 

 on a stone pile, snowbank or beside an old stump. He 

 now moves cautiously, and with the eagle eye of an Indian 

 he surveys each likely place before he shows much of 

 his person. Moving on fifty or sixty rods he finds his fox 

 has been joined by another and the pair have trotted 

 along together. The tracks lead into a brush lot and 

 "Paddy" says they are probably lying down together in 

 that gully. Now, with increased caution he moves on. 

 He crawls many rods to get a view into the ravine. He 

 looks, long and carefully, and is about to rise to his feet 

 and walk on when he espies yellow fur at the foot of the 

 old stump, about two-thirds the way up the opposite 

 bank and at a distance of about fifteen rods, too far for a 

 sure kill, so he slides backward until he is out of sight. 

 He has marked a tree on the opposite side, where, if he 

 can reach it, he will be within eight rods. A walk of 

 about half a mile brings him around to the opposite 

 bank. He reaches the tree and cautiously peaks out and 

 can plainly see their heads lying side by side across their 

 forepaws. Slowly raising his gun he 'fires at the pile. 

 One fox never got out of his bed and the other is killed 

 before he runs four rods. With both in his hunting coat 

 he appeai-s in town, having been out less than three 

 hours. Of course this is an exception to the rule, but he 

 has killed three in one day. Now, if we have any other 

 still-hunter of foxes I would like to hear from them. 



Eaton, N. Y. WlNO, 



The Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective As- 

 sociation have prepared a cloth placard giving the game 

 and fish seasons. It is an excellent plan to nail these up 

 where they will do the most good. Mr. Richard O. Hard- 

 ing, the secretary, at 304 Washington street, Boston, sup- 

 plies them gratis on receipt of stamp. The seasons will 

 open on woodcock, quail and partridge, or ruffed grouse 

 Sept. 15. Harding writes: "The seasons of t'.ese birds 

 being uniform there is no longer any ground for the old 

 excuse, 'out after woodcock and shot partridge by mis- 

 take.' Our Association would like to have had the open 

 season on all these birds begin Oct. 1, but as Oct. 1 would 

 be late for woodcock we met with considerable opposi- 

 tion, and had to be content with Sept. 15." 



