The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-12-03
A MAINE BEAR-HUNTEis.
Azaid His Bear Traps He Describes His
Pursuit..

Enoch r. Knapp is noted bear
hunter who lives on Bear river, in the
town of Newry, writes correspondent
to the Lewiston (Me. Journal. Bear
river is small stream that runs down
from a spur OF the White mountain
chain and empties into the Androscog-
gin at Newry. The hear-hunter's
house is neat cottage at the base of
Bear mountain, around which the
river runs. The road winds among
steep hills and thickly wooded noun
tains till it seems to loose itself, and to
lose you in the bargain.
This mountain has long been known
as favorite resort for bears. The
farmers in the vicinity do not try to
keep many sheep. One of them went
up on the mountain with a yoke of
oxen to haul out some timber not long
ago. A very large and hungry bear
appeared on the scene. and rushed at
the cattle with mouth open and eyes
full of fury. The oxen snorted aud
started ON a wild gallop down the
steep mountain. The farmers judg-
meut was as good as the cattle's. He
had nothing with which to defend him
self, and he had to think lively to de-
wise way of escape. He did an anus
ing but brilliant thing. Running be-
tween the oxen he caught hold of the
ring in the yoke and dangIed there un-
til the oxen had carried him to the
foot of the mountain and out of reach
of the bear. The old growler jumped
and snarled around the oxen's f1anks
and tore their hides, but could not
reach the man between them hanging
on for dear life.
MIR. Knapp has a blacksmith's shop
opposite his house, where ne makes
bear traps and shoes horses. His
traps are ingeniously made of iron and
steel, and one of them looks like two
stout wagon springs with a pair of
jaws in the middle. These Jaws are
bands of wrought iron with great steel
teeth riyeted into them. When the
jaws are opened and caught under the
stout steel springs, you sec trencher
in the middle of the machine. The
object of the boar-hunter is to induce
the bear to step his fore foot on that
trencher. The least pressure lifts the
catch. and the jaws fly together with
crushing force The teeth in the jaws
mako this kind of a trap bear-killer
as well as bear-catcher.
Your bear-hunter must use consider
able craft. Said Mr.. Knapp: 81 usu-
ally build cubby-house in the woods
of old stumps and decayed branches. l
sorter pile 'em up around, you know,
and leave little opening for the bear
to go in after he sees the consarn and
his curiosity is excited. l catch some
suckers or other kind of fish in the
river, and hang 'em up in the cubby.
Then l try to fix the trap so that the
bear will have to step on the trencher
if he gets the fish. A bear never steps
on log in his path, but always steps
over it. l usually fix the trap on the
other side of log or branch, so he
will be pretty sure to step over the log
and into the trap. A knowing old
bear won't go into one of these cub
bies. Sometimes, after trying to catch
an old sheep thief in this way and not
getting him, have caught the old fell
low by hanging q string of fish in a
careless way on tree, as if left there
accidently by some sportsman, and
putting the trap underneath. Some
times find track where bear has q
habit of fording brook. take away
steps on when he crosses, and put the
trap in its place. When the bear feels
after the old and familiar stone his
forepaw is caught in the trap. Some
bears have learned to smell a trap, so
we have to kill the smell. We do that
by daubing it over with lard and bees
wax. have twelve traps, and visit
'cIn twice q week. The bear is usually
caught by the forepaw. He don't live
more than twenty-four hours after the
jaw closes on him, as Il general thing.
In warm weather the pelt would spoil
if did not get it pretty quick after the
critter died. The fur is in the best
condition when the bears are housing
late in the fall. Then it is rs nice Us Il
merino sleeps wool. get So to $15
apiece for my pelts. The bears spend
the winter in the ledges about here or
under the stumps. Since we had that
hurricane that blew down so many
trees there have been lot of cozy
places for bears around here"
The skin of a bear caught the day
before decorated the barn door of the
Newry bear-trapper.