Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-19
FACTS AsOtT BEARs,
A Bear Ordinarily No sfore Dan,
gerOus Than a WOOdchuck.


l rise, says a writer in the Fores
and Stream, for a few remarks on the
bear. | have known bruin for tn,
past forty years. | have met him oil
the train in Northern Michigan anC
Pennsylvania and the North woods
| have seen him in Wisconsin anC
Minnesota.
Ordinarily bruin is about as danger
Gus as a Taeeoon or the festive wood.
chuck. But it does happen that thl
the mothero Of any mammal will ignore
danger to herself ia the defense of hel
young. Almost any animal will &
wild and reckless OF danger in defense
OF her young, and the bear is wonder.
full on muscle. Consequently when 1
a she bear turns on her tormentors il
is well to keep back about eighty FIVE
and a half feet. She doesn't want tC
hurt anybody. She only wants to gel
her babes away from that fearful biped
with the Derby hat and a dead rabbit
cut on his hair.
If you humor her you are safe
enough. 1t you want to put your
hounds on her making the c; cape Of
her cubs doubtful, we'll you take
your choice" If you drive her tc
desperation and she has the grit tc
stand by her cubs better you stand a
little back"
have bagged a good deal of bear
meat. | have been twice on a lone
cruise in the North woods. l saw
several bears there-all attending to
their own business.
SO slight was the danger from wild
animals there, and so childish seemed
the immense ornaments of the aver.
age tourist, that | came to leave, not
only my rife, but my revolver, be-
hind. And | found the eight ounce
rod and the pocket Ratchet all sufi.
eient for defense against wild beasts.
All the same, a she bear with cubs
may be dangerous. | will give three
instances hal | can vouch for:
Forty years ago Jim Steele with
a record OF seven panthers, twenty
one bears, aud 1900 deer, resided at
the mouth of "Asoph Run" He sent
his son, aged fourteen, up the creek
tor the COWS one evening. The boy
came back frightened and crying, saying
hat a big bear had chased and nearly
caught him. Old Jim was disguised
at the boys cowardice. Leaving bis
rifle he went back with the boy, and
at the mouth OF the Kennedy run the
boy commenced to say, 1T wa just
here when an immense bear jumped
from under the bank, reared on hel
hind legs and, showing all the teeth
she had growing, snarliDg and threat,
enint, made at the party. Old jim
took it in at once. Jump on ny
back" he yelled to the youngster
which the boy did at once; and yelling
backing and Furnishing a knife, al
the weapon be had, old Jim and the
boy got away. Then they saw the
mother bear cross the rifle" on the
creek and scatter up the mountain
side, to be seen no more of men for
ever.
Thirty. two years ago Harry Ellis,
born and bred on Pine creek, guided
party to the huckleberry hills Of the
barrens. While Prospecting for thu
best berrying grounds he was suddenly
confronted by an immense bear, which
arose from behind a large fallen trunl
and, rearing on her hind legs, mad,
directly at lin, roaring, grunting
snarling and showing her best array 0
teeth. Harry seized and fourished
pine knot, whOOping and yelling at th,
top of his voice, as be ran backward
at his best pace for a few rods only
when the bear turned and quickl,
conveyed her two cubs out Of danger
On the same range of hills | one,
went huekleberrying with Farmer T.
his wife and daughter on invitation
Our rig was a two horse farm wagon
the bottom of the wagon packed Will
inverted tubs and buckets. Distanc
to the ground twenty one miles.