St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-26
CATsRILL BEARS.
The TGrioHs Hays fn Hhfeh They are Cap
fEred or Hunters fH Wfnfer.
fPhuadslnhf. Tfras

lnoSe VINO Visit the many mountain re-
sorts among the Catskills in the summer.
have no idea that 1t is a wild beast hunting
ground in the winter. Such is the fact, how
ever, and perhaps no spot in the state is so
noted for bears and smaller animals as is the
neighborhood OF Shandaken, Ulster county
With the exception OF the few small settle
ments, the territory is one wilder
ness OF mountain and timber land.
Forty years ago nearly the entire
population were trsppers and huntsmen. At
the present time there are many backwoods-
men who gain a livelihood by fishing for
trout and other fsh in the summer and hunt
ing and trapping in the winter. In severe
winters the snow is deep on the mountains
and in the ravines and uotches. In the latter
places IL remains far into the spring. At the
present time tie snow in many places is
from three 10 five feet deep. There are many
wild aud picturesque spots in the town of
Shandaken, among which may be mentioned
the notch in Deep Hollow, the Hunter Notch,
Devils Glen. Wes;kin Glove and Big Indian
Hollow. Tee mouD;Eins that run up along
Deep Hollow are from $500 10 $500 feet
high and are tue winter homes Of bears.
These mountains are very steep and
abound in rocky lodges, under nearly
AL OF which can be found deep holes
or caves. Rugsel as they are they arc
beautiful objects to look at in the winter
sunlight, III IT snow capped peaks fairly dsz-
cling the beholder. In past years larger
bears have been killed than Of late although
instead o: becoming extinct amoag the Cats
kills, bears are more numerous now than
ever before A well knoxn Taper gives as
his reason for t1.s iha. numS-s OF years
ago, when tl- mountains were wei :im5ered,
the bears could scarcely dnd anything u ca.
and had 70 live on roots, bark aad whatever
game they could lay their paws on. Slnee
the wood has been cleared OF, shrubs and
bushes have grown thickiy, iutermingied
with briars and trailing vines, which furnish
berries aud other food Tor wild animals. As
bruiu Is very much Ike hog be will eat
pretty much anything ia the animal or vegi-
table line.
In the coolest weather bears usually house
themselves 10 small caves or openings, un .
der the lodges OF rocks, where 1t is dry, but
when the winter is open they come out and
are easily tracked over the light snow They
usually select the southerly face of a noun
tain for they holes or dens, probably because
1t Is warmer and more pleasant. Il is con-
sidered that they eat nothing while housed
up, but lie rolled up in a heap. They will
remain in that condition the greater part Of
the winter unless aroused BY dogs who scent
them out Dogs are their natural enemies.
Bears pay but little attention to the loud
yelping Of the dogs, but put on bold front
Few experienced dogs are foolish enough TO
go beyond the mouth OF a cave, for full
grown bear can ward of half dozen cool
dogs with the greatest ease. Waen a dog
receives fair blow from one of its paws IL
quickly ''goes to grass" with the blood
squirting from its wounds. At sight OF men,
however, bears become uneasy, and try
to escape. As a general rule they will never
fight man unless forced into it When
they have cubs aud are followed closely they
will keep them ahead and follow close in the
rear 10 protect them. If pushed closely they
viii make great show Of fight, growl and
tear the bark from the trees with much fuss
and noise. and do their utmost 10 brighten
OF the enemy, and II there is no help for il
they will fight freely when brought 10 bay
Bears, when known TO be with young, are
left alone, unless the hunters are well armed
for fight Experienced dogs greatly assist
the hunter, aud do much toward checking
the speed of the bear. Now and then they
nab bruin by a hind leg, which worries him
greatly. After dog has tackled a bear
once, however, he knows enough 10 keep
out the reach Of his paws, aud, being nim-
bier than bruin, he has little trouble in do
ing this.
Hunters are often given long and weary
chase over the mountains and through the
valleys ten, fifteen and even twenty miles,
generally in the toughest places, for the bear,
when he finds that he is tracked, will pick
out the most tangled and impossible places
be can reach, going down In deep ravines,
where the brush and briars are SO thick that
they will tear the clothing OF the hunters If
they attempt TO follow him, while bruin will
shuttle along, because Of his thick hide, al
most as fast as though on better ground.
The articles necessary 10 complete the outfit
of bear hunter are few and simple. A
good dog and breech loading, double bar
rel shot gun, heavy boots, coarse and thick
trousers and short coat and and a belt
with apartments for cartridges and
pistol prepare the hunter for his sport.
When the snow Is deep the chase will be
slow and tedious, but If there is only light
fall the huntsmen will get so interested that
they will keep up dog trot for some dis
lance. Care must be taken upon nearing
bruin that he does not scent the hunter, or
else he viii give him a tough time of it,
as the bear will make for the most tangled
spots and nine times out Of ten escape. II
the hunter can get within easy shooting dis
lance on good ground the bear, supposing
only dogs after him, becomes an easy vic
tim. Sometimes it Is easier and more profit
able to trap bears than 10 hunt them with
powder and ball. Various kinds OF traps
are used. The log trap, which captures the
bear alive, and the heavy steel trap, with
hook or log attachment. are considered the
best.
When bear finds himself trapped In steel
trap be usually makes for ledge of rocks,
aud then tries to break the trap by slapping
It down with all his might. aud as they gen
orally have great strength it takes a good
trap TO stand it. When q bear 6Lds that be
can not get nd OF the trap be tries TO get
away, but of course is easily followed, as The
trap with the attachments forces him TO ira
vel very slowly Some hunters claim that
when bear gets his foot IN the trap, and
finds lac can not get rid Of it, be will actually
chew of the leg, leaving part Of it in the
trap, and go of and nurse the wounded
stump so well that in short time II viii heal
up so that be can travel pretty nearly as well
as before. When a Shandaken hunter wants
TO capture q bear alive he uses the
log trap and bats il with a sleeps head,
well roasted, which viii tempt q bear into
almost any place.
Taking Osse'- SeTFat EEH