Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-01-23
rSAPPING A BEAR.
How ft is Done In the wiIds or Potter
County, y. ".

no" II ~ bone IN the Wtlds or Potter
County, n. Y.
benjamin J. Jones of Cortland
county, n. Y, on his way to the bear
regions. near the headwaters OF the
Sinnamahoning Creek, says he takes
more solid comfort hunting bears Tor a
month out in the wilds of Potter
county than he does on his fertile farm
in Cortland during all the rest of the
year. In talk with Farmer Jones lie
said:
SETTING THE TRAP.
l After / have selected a spot where
want to set a trap find a fallen tree
about foot in diameter. On the trunk
Of the trae place the butts of small
logs, one on top of the other, lust as
they do in building up log hut, and
let the other ends spread out on the
ground In the shape OF 4 letter V, with
the point OF the tree trunk. Then
drive nail in the log and hang the
bait on il so that the bear can come
along the next day, march right into
the log pen with the open front, grab
the bait and run off with it Oh, no,
l don't set any trap then The bear
has no difficulty IN hooking the bait
and making off with it. but he won't
come back the next day after to see if
there is any more meat around there to
be gobbIed up, but you can set it down
as fact that be will come nosIng
around again within week as sure as
he lives.
From now until the ground freezes
up Is the best time to trap bears out
there. Their skins are good from now
on, and they can scent the bait half a
dozen times further now than they can
after it gets so cold that the bait will
freeze. We use almost any kind OF
fresh meat for bait, and il it hangs till
it gets tainted little a bear will smell
II when he is a mile away, and hustle
around and nose about until he finds
| It. In cold weather the meat will
/ freeze right up, and a hears nostrils
can't scent IL ten rods away. That Is
one reason why 1 trap bears in October,
and the other reason IS because Octo-
Der IS the finest month In all the year
to be out in the woods.
"Just as likely as not he will make
his appearance on the third day. In
order &c know whether the meat has
been carried away or not, you have to
visit the place every day. When L find
that the meat is gone place fresh bait
directly under where the other has
been hanging, pinning 1t to the ground
with a crotched salping. Then l sci
the trap. L place it about three feet
from the bait, and in a direct line will
it, making sure that the pan of the
trap is toward the point from whict
the bear Is to come. If the pan /:
placed toward the bait, it is more thar
likely that the bear will bring his foo
down too near the end of the jaws, anC
In that case ten chances to one yoI
will find nothing but a bears toe ol
two when you 60 the trap. After
have got the trap set nicely covered
with leaves, and have hitched the chaiI
to either a small piece OF timber or az
iron claw a little larger than my hand
place a stick as large as my lie:
across the logs at the mouth or V
shaped enclosure, and then go away.
MAD ASA HORNET.
Everything Is now ready for him Il
nose around, and when he gets to tn
stick that lies across the mouth OF th:
pen he will not try to push 1t away
He will not even try to raLse 1t VI
with his nose or to crawl under it, bu
lie Will lift up one of his fore feet
throw 1t over the stick, and bring
down on to the trap. Then there I
some tall thTashing around, for tn
bear is just then one OF the most as
tonished animals in creation, and Ii
! LIS wild attempts to free his foot Ia
breaks down the bushes and tear
things up generally. He is madde
than a whole nest of hornets over tn
fix he finds himself in, but when b
learns that the trap does not hold hin
TO the spot he cools of bit, doe
everything he can think of 10 coax In
trap TO open its Jaws and nurses hi
painful foot.
Looking for the bear after you hay
found that the trap has been carries
away, especially when the undergrowt
is dense, Is very exciting 1t is ticElls
business, for you don't know wha
minute you may run foul OF tie beaI
and, il you happen to come pat upo
HIM, be will plunge at you and max
Z | such a noise that for a few second
| you will be almost beside yourself. /
, | there is ever time that a bear Wi
!. fyht any living thing that he gets HI
eye on, il Is when a trap Is maxim
: every minute OF his life miserable. IL
acts as though you had something
T do with getting him into the trouble
, | and he does his best to get square wit
you for It. or course you have = goo
gun well In hand when you find hin
and the weight or the hook on th
: other end of the chain keeps him frol
making quite as fast speed through tn
: bushes and over the logs as you make
and you soon stop his noise with
| chunk OF lead"