Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-23
A MAIN BEAR HUNTER.
Amid Bis Bear Traps He Describes HIS
PurRuft
90 a. 1850 ~ JoarnaL.

4
hunter in the midst Of his traps the other
day. The hunter was Enoch X. Knapp,
who lives on Bear river, in the town Of
Eewry. Bear river is a small stream that
runs down from a spur OF the White
mountain chain and empties into the
Audroscoggin at Newry. The bear hun
ter's house is a neat cottage at the base
Of Bear mountain, around which the river
runs. The road winds among steep hills
aud thickly wooded mountains till it
seems to lose itself, and TO lose you in
the bargain.
The mountain has long been known as
a favOrite resort for bears. Tue farmers
in the vIOiuity 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. very large
and hungry bear appeared on the scene
and rushed at the cattle with mouth open
and eyes tull OF fury. The oxen snOried
and started on a wild gallop down the
steep mountain. The farmer s judgment
was as good as his cattle's. He had moth
ing with which TO defend himself and be
had TO think lively TO devise way Of es-
cape. He did an amusing but brilliant
thing. Running between the oxen he
caught hold Of the ring IN the yoke aud
dangled there until the oxen had carried
him to the foot Of the mountain and out
OF the reach Of the bear. The old growler
jumped and snarled around the oxen's
flauks and tore their hides, but could not
reach the man between them hanging on
for dear life.
Mr. Knapp has blacksmith's shop OBJ
pOsite his house, where he 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 pair Of Jaws II the middle.
These jaws are bands Of wrought iron
with great steel teeth rlYeted into them.
When the jaws are opened and caughtun-
der the stout steel springs, you see a
trencher in the middle OF the machine.
The object of the bear 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
make this kind of a trap bear-killer as
well as a bear-catcher.
Your bear hunter must use cOnsidera-
bile craft. Said Mr.. Knapp:
Il usually build a 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 20 in, after he sees the cOnsarh
and his curiosity ia excited. / catch
some suckers or other kind Of fish In the
river and hang 'em up in the cubby.
Then | try to fix the trap 50 that the bear
will have to step on the trencher If he
gets the fish. A bear never steps on "a log
in his path, but always steps over it. |
usually iX the trap on totheF side of
log or branch, so he will be pretty sure to
step over the log and into the tr,p. A
knowing old bear won't go into one Of
these cubbies. Sometimes after trying to
catch an old sheep thief in this way and
not getting him. l have caught the old fell
low by hanging string of fish in a care
less way on Il tree, as If left there acct
dentally by some sportsman, and putting
the trap underneath. Sometimes | find
track where bear has habit Of fording
brook. | take away the stone In the
brook which the bear steps on when he
crosses, and put the trap in its place.
When the bear feels after the old and IA
miliar 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 il over with lard aud
beeswaX. l have twelve traps, and visit
'em twice a 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 general thing. In
warm weather the pelt would soon spoil if
| did not get it pretty quick after the crit
ter died. The fur is in the best condition
when the bears are housing late in the
fall. Then il is nice as MerinO sheep's
wool. / yet IS to Sl5 apiece for my pelts.
The bears spend the winter in the lodges
about here or under the stumps. Since
we had that hurricane that blew down so
many trees there have been lot OF coy
places for bears around here"
The skin OF u bear. caught the day be.
fore, decorated the barn door OF the Newry
bear trapper.