Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-12-03
In the Woods of Potter County.
THE FEAT OF HUNTERS.
An Angry Bear and Wounded Deer.
The Periious Situation Of the Hunters.

I"e IcHoHS Ou1Wto" ~ He huHtefS.
The Philadelphia Times of few
days ago, relates the following thrill
ling experience in the woods of Pot
ter county:
DIR. Bob Grier and party of sports
men of Jersey Shore, Pa, returned
from big hunt in the wilds of Pot
ter county on the 22d of November,
about twenty miles northwest of
Coudersport, where they spent a week
in pursuit of game. Grier is well
known as a great fox hunter and lover
of the chase, and on this occasion he
met with an adventure that is worth
relating. Thursday last he left his
party at the cabin where they were
encamped in tbs forest, for the pur-
pose of visiting a lumber camp about
four miles away, to see an acquain-
tance. He slung his Remington over
his shoulder, thinking he might get
shot at deer or bear. About half
way between the cabin and the lum-
Der camp was stage road but little
travelled. As he crossed the road he
came suddenly on a large buck. He
fired, infiicting a slight wound, which
served only to irritate the animal
The buck made dash for him and he
was compelled to climb tree, having
barely time to escape being trampled
to death. In his flight Bob dropped
his rifle and he had no other weapon
except the ordinary hunters knife.
His situation was anything but com
Portable, bat as there WAS a possibil
ity of relief from a passing team he
felt disposed to make the best of the
situation
BEAR on THE SCENE
After he had been up the tree about
an hour he heard the crack of rifle,
and almost Immediately two of his
companions, by the name of Sutton
and Cole, came rushing by, pursued
by bear of unusual size and activ
ity. They took refuge On a wild
cherry, which parted in two trunks a
few feet above the ground, one part
leaning slightly and very rotten, the
whole looking like two trees Once
up the tree they We're safe from I'M
mediate harm, if the bear could be
kept from climbing after them. In
the meantime DR. Bob, In fit of des
peratIon, concluded to risk an en-
counter with the buck In preparing
to descend he took the precaution to
fasten his knife, the only weapon he
possessed, by a piece OF twine to his
person, so that it might not be lost
if it dropped from his hand. Close
by a hemo ock had fallen, and the roots
at one end and the branches at the
other kept the trunk of the tree about
two feet from the ground, making a
place of retreat to which he could
resort if hard pressed He descend
ed cautiously, but the enraged animal
was on the alert and at once rushed
upon him. His great strength was
no match for the buck, which crushed
him to the earth and tried to stamp
him to death. On his hands and
knees, mangled and bleeding, be sue
ceeded in reaching the fallen hem
lock and crawled under the trunk.
The buck could just touch him with
its feet, but could not harm him.
Anxiety and pain were wearing Bob
out when he heard a cracking noise
at the root of the tree and sharp
cry of pain from the buck, which is
a familiar sound to the experienced
hunter. Peering out cautiously he
found the deer securely held by the
knotted roots of the tree and his
right leg dangling loosely, it having
been broken in tine efforts to escape.
He was satisfied from the desperate
struggles of the animal that it could
not extricate itself, and watching a
favorable opportunity he plunged his
knife into the bucks heart and sank
down exhausted
At this moment DR.. Holmes, who
resided some miles from that place,
and who was attending a patient at
the lumber camp, drove up and found
DIR. Grier, who was an old acquain-
tance, lying upon the ground, almost
exhausted from loss of blood. He
took Grier into the wagon, and after
leaving a revolver and knife in sight
of the men up the cherry tree drove
off to the camp for help.
FIGHT WITH EIUIN.
Meantime the bear, after many In
effectual attempts to climb the tree,
gave it up, and apparently relaxed
Lis watchfulness by lying down some
distance from the tree. Sutton, at
this time, thought at least one of
them might escape and broached the
idea to Cole, who objected, knowing
that relief would soon arrive. Watch
ing an opportunity, Sutton descend
ed the tree quietly, without being OBJ
served, and after moving cautiously
for some distance sprang to his feet
and started for the cabin with the
speed of the wind. Meeting the re-
lief party hurrying up to their as
sistance, he returned with them to
the rescue of Cole. Meanwhile the
bear had got up and moved to the
foot of the tree, when, apparently
missing one OF the men, he renewed
his efforts to climb it. Suddenly the
decayed part of the tree fell with a
crash. The bear was somewhat
stunned, but fortunately Cole was not
hurt, and he started for the revolver
and knife, which he secured The
bear pursued and overlook him and
hugged him around the body. Co.e
fired, but did not infict a sufficient
wound to make the bear relax its
hold. He fired second and third
shot, with no better result. But one
more bullet now remained in the pis-
tol. He felt softly ON tine bears S
L