St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-26
cATsKILL BkARs.
The TdrfoEs Ways fn Witch They are Cap
fured By Hunters la Winter.

4Lto~ WIZ fArL nc u-duE tIOQutdlu IT,
sorts among the Catskills in the summer,
have 10 idea that It 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 ShandEken, Ulster county.
With the exception OF the few small settle
ments, the territory Is one wilder
ness OF mountain aud timber land.
Forty years ago nearly the entire
population were trappers and huntsmen- At
the present time there are many backwoods-
men who gain a livelihood by fishing for
trout and other fish 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 uotctes. In the latter
places Il remains fer irto the spring. Al the
present time the snow in many places is
from three to five feet deep. There are many
Wild and picturesque spots in the town Of
Shandaken, among which may be mentioned
the notch in Deep Hollow, the Hunter Notch,
Devils Glen. Westkill Glove and Big Indian
Hollow. The mountains that run up along
Deep Hollow are from $500 to $500 feet
high ane are the WATER homes OF bears.
These mountains are very steep and
abound IN rocky lodges. under nearly
all OF which can be found deep holes
or caves. Rugged as they are they are
beautiful objects to look al In the winter
sunlight, th-ir SNOW capped peaks fairly dsz-
zHng the beholder. In past years larger
hears have been killed than OF late although
instead o. becoming extinct amoog the Cats
kills, bears are more numerous now than
ever before A well known t-a9per gives as
his reason for th's that numb. os years
ago, when tas mountains were we:i .imbe.ed,
the bears could scarcely ind anything 70 ca;
and had 10 1--we on roots, bark aad whatever
game they could lay their paws on. Since
the wood has been cleared of, shrubs aud
bushes have grown thicSiy, intermlngied
with bria-s and trail.ag vines, which furnish
berries and other fool for wild animals. As
bruin Is very much Ike hog he will eat
pretty much anything 10 the animal or vegi-
table line.
In the coolest weather bears usually house
themselves 10 small caves OF openings, un
der the lodges Of rocks, where it IS dry, but
when the winter is open they come out and
are easily tracked over the light snow. They
usually select the southeriy face OF a noun
IL Is warmer aud more pleasant. It is con-
sidered that they eat nothing while housed
up, but lie rolled up in 3 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 10 the loud
yelping of the dogs, but put on a bold front.
Few experienced dogs are foolish enough TO
go beyond the mouth Of a cave, for a full
grown bear can ward of half a dozen good
dogs with the greatest ease. When q dog
receives fair blow from one OF its paws IL
quickly ''goes 10 grass" with the blood
squirting from its wounds. At sight Of men,
however, bears become uneasy, and try
to escape. As general rule they will never
fight Il man unless forced into it. When
they have cubs aud are followed closely they
will keep them ahead and follow close IN the
rear to protect them. II pushed closely they
will make a great show of fight, growl and
tear the bark from the trees with much fuss
and noise, and do their utmost TO frighten
OF the enemy, and If there is no help for it
they will fight freely when brought to bay.
} Bears, when known 10 be with young, are
| left alone, unless the hunters are well armed
| for a fight. Experienced dogs greatly assist
| the hunter, aud do much toward checking
| the speed of the bear. Now and then they
nab bruin by hind leg, which worries him
greatly After dog has tackled a bear
once, however, he knows enough TO keep
out the reach of his paws, and, being MIN
bier than bruin, be has little trouble in do
ing this.
Hunters are often given a long and weary
chase over the mountains and through the
valleys ten, fifteen aud even twenty miles,
generally in the toughest places, for the bear,
when he finds that be Is tracked, viii pick
out the most tangled and impossible places
be can reach, going down In deep ravines,
where the brush and Oriars are so thick that
they will tear the clothing OF the hunters II
they attempt 10 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 q 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 IL there is only light
fall the huutsmcn will get so interested that
they will keep up a dog trot for some dis
tanee. Care must be taken upon nearing
bruin that be does not scent the hunter, OF
else he will give him 4 tough time Of it.
as the bear will make for the most tangled
spots aud nine times out Of ten escape. Il
the hunter can get within easy shooting dis
lance on good ground the bear, supposins
only dogs after him, becomes an easy vic
tim. Sometimes 10 IL easier and more profit
able TO trap bears than to hunt them witt
powder and bell. Various kinds Of traps
are used. The log trap, which captures the
bear alive. and the heavy steel trap, will
hook or log attachment. are considered th,
best.
When bear finds himself trapped In stee
trap be usually makes for ledge of rocks
and then tries to break the trap by slappins
il down with all his might. and as they gen
orally have great strength. It takes a gOoC
trap to stand it. When q bear 6Lds that h
can not get nd OF the trap be tries 20 ge
away, hut OF course is easily followed, as IN
trap with the attachments forces him 20 ira
vel very slowly. Some hunters claim tha
when bear gets his foot in the trap, ant
finds be can not get rid OF it, he will actuall
chew of the leg. leaving part OF it in thu
trap. and go of and nurse the wounded
stump so well that in short time It viii hea
~ so that he can travel pretty nesriy AS vel
as before When a Shandsken hunter want
70 capture a bear alive he uses th'
log trap aud bats It with sleeps he nd
well roasted, which viii tempt bear int
almost any place.
Taking One. seIFat WiH.