St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-09-01
4 GREAT BEAR. HUNT.
FIVE BEARS KILLED..
THE DAYS Of BOONE ano CROCKETT
go 81 EcuPSED, .,,i, III

20. : fcursEp. ...'. z@ i. {
On last Saturday afternoon = party Of
four. combating Of Messrs. E. M. Tohey,
H. J. Fowler; Chas. Taylor and the driver,
John Mathisson, left town for the St. Fran.
ois river country, on the east sid, Of tho
Mississippi, about twenty miles from St.
Cloud. Arriving In the evening At Capt.
Briggs farm, about fourteen miles distant,
they went : half mile further and came
upon large bear, which Mr.. Tobey shot.
1t was brought to St. Cloud next day by
Capt B.
The party oamped that night about four
miles from the Captains. Next day they
went to the St. Francis and returned in the
evening, finding plenty Of small game. On
Monday morning they started in direction
somewhat more southerly, and after going
about five miles found the oak trees broken
and stripped Of acorns. This was sure
sign Of the vicinity Of bears.
: 1t was not long before large bear was
seen disappearing ever small hill and in
to tsmarack swamp. The wagon WAS left
and the swamp surrounded by Messrs.
Taylor, Cobey and Fowler, while John waa
sent in with the dog to chase bruin OUT
He had gone but about ten rods into the
swamp when he same upon = ''nest" of six
old and four young bears. He had Bal
lard rife, and Immediately gave one Of the
old bears ball, which started it to bowling.
Feeling in his pocket for other cartridges,
John found he had dropped them, and then
he commenced ''howling." This brought
the outsiders to his sssistance-they sup
posing that tho bear Vas embracing him
much more warmly than was agreeable.
Mr.. Fowler, in coming in, met Two, and
made two shots at each; Mr.. Taylor met
and shot 1t one, and so did Mr.. To-Day, but
none proved fatal. Reaching John, they
found three cubs up tree. and two old
bears dancing around said young man, with
in few feet Of him. Fowler and Tobey
both shot at the old ones, sending them of:
Fowler then shot one Of the cubs in the
tree, bringing It to the ground; John shot
another, which was secured; while Mr..
Tobey, after putting three balls into the
third, brought it to terra !frme. AT each
shot the cubs would howl; this would
bring back the two old bears and they
would swell the chorus.
The cubs being killed, chase was made
for the old bears. The brush in the swamp
was so thick that it was impossible to zee
an object until almost upon it. Our hun
tiers soon came to IN opening and discover
ed the two large bears. Four shots were
put into the old one-said to be as large Is
. heifer-covering the ground with blood,
but both escaped and crossed into another
swamp.
The party then returned to the cubs. In
coming back, Mr.. Taylor shot at and kill
led q large bear. Another rushed by
Messrs. Tobey and Fowler-both fired, but
failed to stop the animal. The three cubs
and large bear, were dragged out.
It was then agreed that Mr.. Fowler
should return with the dog, while the 9TH
ers surrounded the swamp. Crawling in,
be saw huge bear about ten feet ahead
Of him, and gave it the ball in his rifle.
The monster, roaring. rose on its hind legs
and came toward him for . hug. He had
i've more cartridges in his hand, which he
placed, one after another, in the rife, and
fred into the breast Of the advancing ami
nal, but without any other effect than to
cause it to howl terribly. He dubbed his
gun and struck the bear twice, the second
time telling it to the ground. After this it
left. Mr. Taylor gave it . parting shot.
Mr.. Tobey and John next entered the
swamp. They came to bear; both shot :;
it turned on them, when each shot twice
again, and the bear left. .s..-a.. -.
Mr.. Fowler was on the outside. 1t va
1t this time that a young man, just from
Boston, Having heard the firing At Capt.
Briggs, came to Mr.. F. He would '.eive
his pony for shot At live bear" Mr.. F.
intimated that he would doubtless soon have
IN opportunity, and sure enough = huge
bear came rushing towards them, following
the dog and striking it st every leap with
its paw. When within dozen feet Of our
friends, tho dog stopped, when the bear
caught it and curled up for hug. Mr.. F.:
shot the animal in the head, when it rolled
over on its back and stretched out ~ If
dead. Looking around for his anxious
friend, he saw him , long distance of, with
his Colts repeating rife in his hand, ma
king tracks for home. Mr.. F., walked clo-
ser to tho bear, when il jumped mp and
started of, passing Mr.. Taylor, who gave
it : shot. Mr.. Fowler also gave = couple
Of parting sslates. They tracked it some
distance by the blood. ,r j5r~., +
The party then gave up tho hunt, being
thoroughly exhausted. They had killed
four bears in the swamp, and wounded:
three ~ is supposed MORALLY. The great
difhculty WAS that the calibre Of their guns
wss not heavy enough. They returned to
town the same evening. To- r., 49,.
hsssrs. Tobey, Taylor and John started
again on Tuesday afternoon. "~....
We would like to know II . more exciting
chapter can be. found in the history of