The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-17
GREAT DEER sLAYRRs.
A sIan whs has Killed Oas Thsusana Dee



Ths Death sf GTesiey.
The Post Of Pittsburg, Pa, says
One Of the principal deer slayers IN
Pennsylvania is Andrew Stiner, ot My
srstOwn, Lebanon county. For nearly
forty years Stiner has camped out in the
Allegheny mountains during the season
for killing the deer, and many are the
stories lie can relate OF his exciting chase
or patient watch In the stiffness OF the
woods, niles away from human habitA-
tion. In the early times Shner's uncle
settled in the neighbOFhood Of Benning-
ton Furnace, now on the line Of the
Pennsylvania railroad, between Altoona
and the big tunnel, and IL was while
visiting the old uncle that Andrew got
fondness for deer hunting, which IN his
after wears has been his only amusement
For the last twenty years Stiner's
stalking ground has been in the head
waters Of the Big and Black MoahanOn,
in Center and Cleartield counties. His
companions have been for many seasons,
three men of that neighb0rhOod, who
are familiar with all the spurs and creeks
Of that mountainous region. jacob Test,
John Funk and William Ream have
camped out with Stiner every season
since 1856. Ream lives at OsoeolA,
Clearfield county. and Test and Funk
near Tyope. These men mark the
crossings Of the deer through the sum
mer, his retreats and feeding grounds.
They put up cabin near these places,
aud prepare the hunks and cooking ar
rangements. Then Stiuer Is sent for.
He comes with the ammunition, blankets,
gum boots. and such other articles as
are essential 90 a lumbermRn's ] fe, for
his three friends are loggers by occupa-
/ ton, and the annual hunt is not the sole
occupation OF their lives. They take
out a supply OF provisions, and, with
well-filled straw hunks in dry shanty,
plenty OF robeA and blankets, and good
I stove, they fix themselves nicely. For
several years their cabin has been six-
. teen miles from Phlllipsburg toward the
Snow-shoe mountains. Last year Suner
( brought back with him from that locality
20 Eyerstown an express car load OF
venison.
! Ream has himself killed over one
thousand, and il is said that Jacob Test
and Funk are not far behind him. Last
year an immense seven-pronged buck
bAtied every Attompt 30 bring him down.
II became a regular saying that they
were going cut 10 kill Greeley, for such
they have named this unusually large
deer. Stiner and ReAm got after him.
There was light slft Of snow upon the
ground. Just enough 30 trace the blood
drops Of "A wounded buck or doe, and
they started early 10 the crossings.
These men, from long experience, be-
come very familiar with the habits and
haunts Of the deer, and know the par
ticnlAr kinds OF weather in which they
seek the hill tops. or when they 80 down
into gorges Of the mountain. Fully
three days before a heavy snow storm
the deer all quit The mountain tops and
seek the big laurel swamps for food and
shelter until the storm u over. After II
has passed. il the weather gets colder.
they leave the swamps and take 10 the
high ridges OF the mountain Their
sense Of smell aud of hearing is very
acute. They must be approached against
the wind the hunter must face the blast
in his travels after deer, or he never will
as mnch as get O sight at one. The deer
cannot see Any distance, and on rainy
dave, when the leaves are wet, you may
often apprnacS within few yards OF
them without being observed. Indeed
this Stiner party have, ON damp DAYS,
when the leAves are so vet that the
sound Of every footstep wonld be dead
ened. approached within twenty feet Of
the largest bucks before they took the
alarm. which in those cases were Of short
duration. For the aim OF the trusty
rifie was q true rs its FIRE was deadly.
The dAy that Stiner and Ream shot
the big seven-pronged buck Greeley
they had started for him early. Late
in the afternoon as Stiner Was standing
watch AZ the door Of the deer crossings.
he saw Greeley coming full tilt towttd
him. Stiner and ReAm were close to-
rether on Black Bear Run. and distant
about ten miles from their cabin. StI-
ner gave him n shot, but the deer IN
creased its speed, and leaped the creek,
which nj that place was twenty feet
vide. nj one bound Ream hearing the
sound of Stiner's rife, came mp, only TO
be told that he had missed Greeley, but
upon the examination of the ground
il was discovered that Greeley had been
wounded. aud il was determined that
Rean. who could run all day like q
hound, should follow mp the trail. He
had not gone twenty steps when he came
across the big buck, which had been
pierced through the heart. II was
eight years old, and weighed 26O pounds
when dressed.
These old deer hunters have great
aversion 10 the big fox hound in chas-
ing deer. Nearly all the old hunters
use the half hound dog. These dogs
cannot run deer more than two hours,
and serve as signals when the deer have
been found. The deer are said TO be on
the increase in the mountains of Penn
sylvania this year.