The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-09
LIFE OF AN OLD HUNTER.
PHIN TEEPLE'S EXPERTENCE Nv
THE PEhNSYLPANIA WOODS.
Man who Killed Urndreds Of Hears, Pnn-
there, Deer, and the Inst t3rsy Wolf
Trrrh by n Nurk-rhln'n STYLE of IImniing.

HoNEsDAfE, Pa, Jan. 6. 80 Old Phin
Teeplc of Preston township was In town for the
first time In wears few DAYS ago. Phin il
crowding seventy Eve years pretty close and is
probahvt the oldest active hunter IN the Stato
Since he was eleven years old ne has carried a
rife, and lived. "a II were. IN the woods. lie
looks Hike m m ~ f'rtv and within a month
brought down with his rife nawk on the wing
at a hundred Yards.
Phin-evervbody calls him Phin-hunted in
northwestern Pennsylvania when It was all will
derness, where nine cut OF ten OF the villages IN
this section arc now located. He SAYS he has
hung up many deer near where the Court
House In TINS place now stands. Tie has kent
record Of every deer and hear he has killed
si1co 1890. From 1911 to that time he dill not
keep account, but thinks he must have shot at
least hundred deer and ten or twelve hears.
The total NUMBER Of deer killed since 1920, In
Guiding thirteen the past season, Ia 3,0ls. He has
killed 40 bears, aud thinks he shot, In 1875, the
laat gray wolf ever known In this section,
although tie can remember when they we're
quite plenty When he was fifteen years
Old he snot panther. lie had been cent
from where his peope livrd up t. min
fall, and he took hts rifle with him. as he
always DID. lie GOT the cows and started them
home down the mountain road, and Thought he
would Ike acnt across through the woods IN
the hope of jumping w" n Deer AZ he was
Uassing CNulinhsl along, he heard something IN
the nru'n, and looking that W saw A lirge
panther coming toward him, clearing the scrub
OAK at every oound' aud evidently meaning
business.
A DEAD snor.
The Young hunter knew that II would
I've useless u try 10 escape from The auimnl. 80
re jumped quickly behind q pine tree. From
ohe side he icered around 1T the panther. whtch
had cleared the space between them to ABOUT
twenty yirjs. iuere ne hnd stopped aud was
crouchins down, lasling hl4t II, and glarlne ~
hnu-ry eXuet tattnn. Young Pun showed hi-
nm out from behind the tree, ran MS eve along
tue barrel, hud GOV, rcd n vital suot on the pan
ther. rte report ~ the rine was followed bv q
blood cGrdhns yen from the animal witch
noun ed several feet ~ the ir AMI fell back to
the ground de- "a. Phln tried to carrv his game
home, out IL was too heavy lie related
his adventure when he arrived AT the house, and
two men went out with him and brought the
psrtrrrs the IN one tn ls15 Nestces Tn. 4, ma
enumerated. he has Liied and ,ra1rcI inuu-
mrrabie foxes. mink, otter. eno other small
deer etnugh, ne ". TO bring him a large
Tue Old nuuttr loves to relate the adventures
he he's had IN the forest during ms long NE
thetoin. He Gays that tue reason the nump~r u
bear he has Kilied IS - sn II "a because never
made u puiil tp nurt the ~ muCn. The NeIrs
he Killed were mostly those he came across Rc-
cidenivlly IN tho woods ana many ~ them ne
was ooised to XIII fpr solf-prutcctiur. lie mas
nd Numerous hand-t0-h nd contests with
hc "a, even woundns one near It's den, wen 10
tururd On hun aud wts Joined Nv IT, mate, \
huge sne uehf, with two Cabs tie kilcd ,h"m
all Win MS knife aud nunuu9 axe. bar received
wounds the scus Of wnicl ne GAMES vet. He
ys he " uld rttnrr "tacNi ~ hal, dozen
beus tuan Que wounded burN brought TO bay.
TREtD Ry 4 uvcK.
Ola Pain tells great many stories OF his al
vent ures In tue woods. aud loves 90 dwell on the
many scrape- NJ ma. ueeu IA duiinz his LONE life
a. a hunter. A., tells about oaing freed once by
wounded and revenge ui buck, nd says IL was
about tus mcat exciting adventure ne ever ha i
IL was on the border OF Wsvn- and PIKE G ,uu-
ties, IA tue wear lS.l ABOUT turee miles from th-
village Of llaWley. He hunting On what / d.
called the Pauuac< III ige. There we're three IN
fN4. l.fF -. luFa Hon nj
ton. PUN stood on "A run way ne r The Wal
lenpaupack CreeS. and All at once an i'm nense
Duck came t. rius down from tue mountain
and plunged into tue stream. rha nun,ers'nt
rin- ptll after him, all put IL behind ht- fore
shoulder. TIE PUCK went down. bIt was up
81 in see md, AND turhed to take the back
track. PUN met MIN on the oauk. and drawn.
hi- huntiue-kniie attacked MIN. rue muck used
Us horns 'nd teet 70 nuch adNdnt .ge inat "a"
hunter was compelled t" nee TO save
his life. The deer was evidently de
te mined IA have nothing less tnan complete
victory, AMI purp ed. lhin "shinned II" up
the nearest Tree. ana took position on lint
| out OF the rea h of the infIriaisd ueasi. lie
Supposed, Of course, that the tuck would finally
| into the woods il did ncilh ?. nAt nft~r " Ia
/ my around tnc tree -rverti tunes a Iwu on
the ground oeuea h II, a. much - To say IN he
! bad plenty of tive AMI would " It for the hun
! the bank ~ the stream. II was bit. er cold, aud
nisht vas coming on 10 odd g. the un2iels-
compauioDs wouli come tn It wtV, a. they were
to meet nt place nbuut mile ~ tue
IL
| beck brought - bay was the worst thing
! In tne world To hg :, and ne did nOt care 70 get
out of the tree To ties, the quAlite- II the ono In
question. he deer was alert hnd al every
/ move NJ the freed huuter was IN lts feet m an
| Instant ready fur VIII I might come PUN shout
! ell for his companions until he was hudrse
/ Night came ON, and every minute 1t Grew col der.
| lie rom In 10 the tree, watched by tue deer,
| from i've o'clock IN me afternoon III ten at
| night The moon wLs snlnin md IL was
! hgnt as da'. To keep bis blood 10 ircuittion
he on ubed from his perch to the TOP OF the tree
/ and from time to time, A tea mat
tended win no httle difficulty and danger.
AOout ten O'Clock he he ri n shout, and re-
! TIL ned +. HI comp tnlOns wc out looking for
| hun. They appru lched the tree, but toe deer
was stll game, and stood hls ground nc inst tho
| Preston's rlh went Whizzi ~ through his heart,
and he fell ne ri In his track. Albion ~ tnis
happened atty We rs ago and more old Pam still
laughs he rIiy al the recollection Of his ridicu-
! lous yet very unple ashnt adventure.
THE RIFLE TEAM CHALLENGED.
Phin carries a ride he has had f1r forty years
II Is dOube-narro4leO aud cost $50. IL II seldom
out 4 mis- hands He has great contempt for
the style Of smoothing adopted by the rlhe teams.
ne saws nell mo te m OF men me youn,rs not
| undersix v,wno Will give the rifle team pdus aud
| beat them shooting, VI tney Nil shooLfar. He
thiuks 1t cniid'- pay - ike al me fancy posi-
| tions the rihemen do resting their guns aud cal
| culatng MALI an nnur over one shot.
Pnin's style of hunting IL II the never give-up
| sort Wnen he starts uecr ne makes directly
to head Tim on and snow sn well tue hlbits Of
trc aiin.l aud the woods he nuns that ne seq
| dom fails u strike a run-w that IL sure 10
trail OF deer, he never gives II up TIL he bags
| It. lie has followed nuck three DAYS. aud n.s
finally killed hin witain a hundred yard. ~ bis
Starting pYaNa lie once killed six deer In going
! a distance ~ three mile-. tie Killed two - one
! shot. They were all bucks. Before game got so
scarce IN this cOun ry, ne says H. was not "A rare
| thing Tor him ~ Kill tnree deer without moving
| from I'll, tracks, aud he mas Killed four. Wnen
| he was "A buy ne once IN his excitement shot his
ramrOd at lirgs buck. tie did not get the deer
| az the time. Toe next season, In dressing buck
| he had shot. ne fOund aDout foot Of ns ram
| rod IN the hind qLirtef. l. mad not toucned n
| vital spot. aud the wound had healed aud closed
| over the piece.
or late years phin has spent the deer hunting
season IN Potter county, the game benz more
| plenty there. lie goes out al tue opening OF tho
| season and STAYS IN tue woods until the law and
| the ngur of tIe we ither drive nln away. lie
| has two sous, WAC are chiJ7 OF the old block.
| They wOuld rather meet "A hear In the WOODS
| than ait down to "a feast. One Is Chris, -, and
| the Otner Lie, ~. Two years AGO tue boys
| brought in two big beaTs they Killed with their
| hunting axes ncir Wof Pond. Chris had ono OF
| his arus ne trly "onawed" OH ia the encounter.
| They have killed ten oeurs In thelr wandenngs
50 lar. and hung up fourt zen deei the past
| season.
Ola Phin has been wishing for years that
! there would no a war with lain. lie has Killed
| all sorts of mean "varmints," from wildcat
| down 10 a skunk, he Gays, and would Ike In
| shoot a Spdni rd before he dies. H. TANKS
"tLey are leetle the meanest reptiles he knows