Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-04
FACTS ABOUT BEARS.


A Bear Ordinarily No More Dangerous
than q WOOdchuCA.
From the Forest and Stream.
1 rise for a few remarks on the bear. have
known bruin for the past forty years. l have
met him on the trail In northern Michigan,
Pennsylvania, and the North Woods. have
seen him in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Ordinarily bruin Is about as dangerous as o
raccoon or the festive woodchuck. But it does
happen that the mother of any mammal will ig-
more danger to herself in defense of her Young.
Almost any animal will go wild and reckless of
danger in defense OF her young, and the bear is
wonderful on muscle. Consequently when a
she bear turns on her tOrmentOrs it is well to
keep back about eighty-fve and half feet
She doesn't want to hurt anybody. She only
wants to get her babes away from that fearful
biped with the Derby hat and dead rabbit cut
on his hair.
If you humor her you are safe enough. II
you want to put your hounds on her, making
the escape of her cubs doubtful: well, ''yOu
takes your choice" If you drive her to desper-
alton and she has the grit to stand by her cubs,
better you stand leedle back"
l have bagged good deal Of bear meat
have been twice on lone cruise in the North
Woods. / saw several bears there-all intent
on their own affairs.
So slight was the danger from wild animals
there, and so childish seemed the immense ar
maments of the average tourist, that 1 came to
leave, not only my rifle, but my revolver be-
hind. And l found the eight Ounce rod and the
pocket Ratchet all sufficient for defense against
wild beasts. An the same. a she bear with cubs
may be dangerous. l will give three in
stances that can vOuch for:
Forty years ago "Jim Steele" with record
of seven panthers twenty-One bears and / 800
deer, resided at the mouth Of "Asoph Run" He
sent his son, aged IA. up the creek for the COWS
one evening. The boy came back frightened
| and crying, saying that big bear had chased
and nearly caught him. Old Jim was dis
gusted at the boys cowardice Leaving his
mouth Of the Kennedy Run the boy commenced
to say, sit was just here" when an immense
bear jumped from under the bank. reared on
her hind legs, and, showing all the teeth she
had: growing, snarling, and threatening, made
at the party. Old Jim took it in at once.
Jump on my back, he yelled to the young
ster. which the boy did at once; and Yelling,
backing, and hourishing knife, all the weapon
he had, old Jim and the boy got away. Then
they saw the mother bear cross the ''riffie'' on
the creek and scatter up the mountain side, to
be seen no more of men forever.
Thirty-twO years ago 'Harry Ellis" born and
bred on Pine Greek. guided a party to the buckle
berry hills Of the Barrens. While prospecting
for the best berrying grounds he was suddenly
confronted by an immense bear which arose
from behind large fallen trunk, and, rearing
on her hind legs, made directly at him, roaring,
granting. snaring, and showing her best array
OF teeth, Harry seized and fOurshed pine
knot, whOOping and yelling at the top of his
voice, as he ran backward at his best pace for a
| few rods only, when the bear turned and quickly
conveyed her two cubs out of danger.
On the same range OF hills once went buckle
berrying with Farmer I, his wife. and daughter.
Oninvitation. Our rig was a two-hOrse farm
wagon. the bottom of the wagon packed with in
verted tubs and buckets. Distance to the
ground twenty-One miles.
By dint Of starting at 3 a. m, and abusing the
horses to unwonted speed. we were on the
ground at II a. m. among berries so plenty that
the ground was absolutely hidden. 1t was a
short job to pick bushel Of berries on such
ground; but had been there before. and
thought knew of place, about three-quarters
Of a mile westward. where the berries were
equally plenty, but larger. So took large
tin pail and started. Half way to the ground
there is gulch to be crossed and this gulch was
badly blocked with fallen timber. When near
the bottom halted to select the best routes for
getting by or over some fallen trees that lay in
nay path, when very large. dingy-lOOking
! "brown-nosed' bear sprang on pine. sprang
OF again directly at me, got on her hind legs and
began to play the usual game of scare-showing
all herteeth. making the savage roaring, bark
| ing, growing noise common to enraged bears.
On the instant commenced a lively retrOgade
movement. Once caught my heels and tum-
bled over backward. but got up suddenly. 1t
was Chinese fight Growing snarling. teeth
and claws on one side: whOOping, yelling. and
pounding tlnware on the other. Nobody hurt.
Bear badly scared. As for myself | wasn't
scared Bit As for the bear; it goes without say
ing that when she played me offa few rods she got
down on all fOurs and took herself out with her
cubs for all she was worth