The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1885-11-14
A BEAR HUNTER
TELLS HOW flE MANAGES TO EN-
TRAP LUCkLEss RRllN.
Il FARMERS Silrewd Escape How II Bear
Trap Is Made and How It Must
BE Set Wary Old ones--
Saving the Pelt.
TLewiston Me Journal. ]

|
| ! found myself hobnobbing with g pea
hunter in the midst of his traps the othe!
day. The hunter was Enoch r. Knapp
who lives on Bear river, asmalI stream thai
runs down from a spur of the White noun.
| tain chain and empties into the Audroscog.
| gin at Newry. The bear hunters house is g
neat cottage at the base of Bear mountain
around which the river runs The road
winds among steep hills and thickly wooded
mountains till it seams to lose itself, and x
lose you in the bargain.
This mountain mas 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
yoke OF oxen to haul out some timber not
long ago. A very large and hungry bear
appeared on the scens and rushed at the
cattle with mouth open and eyes full OF
fury. The oxen snortsd and started on a
Wild gaiIop down the stssp ia ,untaln
A BRlLLI ANT IDEA.
The farmers iud gment was as good az
his catUle's. He hal nothing with which
to devise q way of escape. He did an anus.
ing but brilliant thing. Running between
the oxen he caught hold of the ring in the
carried him to the foot Of the mountain and
cat |of the reach OF the bear The old
GROWER jumped and snarled around the
oxen's TANKS and tors thsir hides, but could
not req ca the man between them hanging
on for dear life.
Mr.. Knapp mas blacksmith shop oppo~
site his house, whare he makes bear traps
and shoes horses. His traps ara ingeniousiy
made OF iron and steel, and one Of them
looks like two stout wagon springs with q
pair jaws in the middle, These jaws are
bands Of wrought iron with great steel teeth
riyatsd into them. when the Jaws are
opened and caught under tbs stout steel
springs you see q trencheT In hs niddls of
the nlachlne. The object Of the bear hunter
is TO induce the bear to stop his fore foot on
thai tre1cher. The least pressure lifts the
catch and the jaws tiy together With crush"
ing force. The tseth III the jaws maks this
Kind Of q trap bear-killer as well as q bear
catcher
CRAFTY BRUIN.
Your bear huntes must use considerable
craft Said Mr.. Knapps Il usually build 81
cubby house in the woods OF old stumps and
decayed branches. / sorter pile 'em up
around, you know, and leave o little OPEN
ing for the bear 10 go il, after he sess the
consarn and his curiosity lis excited. Iessch
some sucker or other kind Of fish in the
river and hang en- up in the oubby. Then
try to tx the trap so that the asar
will have to step on the trencher tf hs gets
the fish. a bear never steps on q los in his
path, but always steps over it. / usually
fix the trap On tother aide OF q log or
branch 60 he will be pretty sure to step
over the log AMI into the trap.
"a. knowing old bear won'G 20 into one of
these cubbies Sometimes sitter crying TO
catch IN old sheep thief in this way ard
not getting him, I have caught the old
fslioH by hanging string Of fish Id
a careless way on {. tree, as If loft thsre
accidentally by some sportsman, and
putting the trap underneath, Sometimes
find g. track where a bear has d habit OF
fording brook. I take away the stone III
tbs brook which che bear steps Oh vTEen he
CT osses, and put the. trap in it's place. Wheg
the
Hton - ,up urap. Some
bears have .earnsd TO smsli trap, 30 We
have to kill the smell. We do that by
daubing it over with lard and beeswsx
II have twelve traps, and visit 'em twice
q week. The bear is usually caught by the
fore paw He don't live moro than twenty
four hours after the jaw closes on h.-4l, as q
general thing In warm weather the pslt
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 as nice g
Merino sleeps wool / get S. to sl5 apiece
for my pelts The bears spend the winter
IN tho lodges about here or under shs
stumps Since we had that hurricane that
blew down so many trees there have been
lot of cozy places fer bears around here"