Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-09-18

as q bear hunter. This class Of ''Varmint''
has been quite destructive tOstOck in the
Upper PecOs Valley the past Winter, and
this Spring the fact has been demonstrate
ed to the ranchmen that there are more
bear IN the adjacent mountains than has
been known before for many years.
These animals have been growing
more bold in their depredatiOns for some
months, and have made such havoc
among the herds owned by Mr.. McRaY,
a leading ranchman Of that section, that
he was forced to cast about for some
method OF retaliation. Knowing Miguel
to be a good hunter. he sent for him and
employed him to put In his whole time
hunting bear In and about the grazing
territory requented by his stock. As a
result the Indian has already killed i've
bears this season certainly a record that
any trOnt1ersman might well be proud Of.
But MiguePs encounter with the last two,
fine specimens Of the black variety, came
very near putting a short stop to his
''reg'l lar blzness" as a bear hunter. He
jumped up this pair while engaged IN a
playful WreStle In a mountain canyon on
Friday last, and his first shot sent the
male bear bowling to the earth; then
another shot and its companion rolled
over pierced right through the heart.
But by this time the male animal had re-
gained his feet and was making for the
Indian with blood in his eye and death
IN his paws. Miguel waited a second,
thinking Omake sure work Of the second
shot when the bear got nearer-but the
weapon failed him. 1t was a repeating
rife, and the lever refused to work. The
situation was critical. A second time he
Wrenched the lever, but to no effect, and
by this time the desperate brute, render
ed so by the bullet in his side, was fairly
= 70 h1I 70 IL -,
"Club his gun" and 90 at him, and this
he did with a vengeance, but the bear
brushed it from his grasp as if it had
been a handful Of straw and with his
huge paw clutched the Indian by the
left arm between the wrist and elbow.
Then Miguel remembered his trusty
bOWie-knife. It was unsheathed in a
jity and he thought to catch his antagO-
mist IN the shOrt-riDs with his keen point,
but the willy brute seemed to discern this,
and the next moment had torn the flesh
from the arm that held the knife. By
this time it was a clear case of hug be-
tween the man and beast. AS the Indian
lodged the bears desperate blows he
caught the knife in his left hand and
then sprang forward and clasped the
animal tight around the body. This last
ed a secOnd-certainly not longer; for
the bear was then ina good way to grind
the man into mince-Qeat; when, with a
remarkably cool move, Miguel reached
around the bear with his right hand,
took from his left the knife and in the
next instant plunged it through the ami
mails side into his heart.
It will be some weeks before Miguel
viii be able to do any more hunting. He |
now wears each of his arms in soft cot |
ton bandages.
Parties in from that section to-day say
there are a great many bears in the /
vicinity of the Santa Fe Road and Gun
Clubs quarters in Woodruff Park. Not
alone the black bear abound Whereabouts, !
but the cinnamon and silver tip varieties
are plentiful, affOrding rare sport for all
who have the nerve to hunt them.