The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-09-04
A BATTLE WITH A HAWK.
A FIERCE CONTEST OVER THE POS
SESSION OF A FISH.
The Bird Seizes a Hooked Pickerel
and Attacks the Fisherman in His
Boat-Game to the Last.


and Attacks the Fisherman in His
Boat-Game to the Last.
George Decker, Monroe County fish
erman, was fishing few days ago in
Goose Pond, says Pocono Penn.) letter
to the New York Sun. He hooked a
pickerel, and while he was reeling it in
big fish hawk that had been sailing
around at great height above the pond
all day without favorably locating any
prey swooped down and seized Decker's
pickerel in its talons. The pickerel was
at the end of about fifty feet of line when
the hawk struck it. As the hawk arose
from the water with the fish it quickly
reeled out all the line, which was $50 feet
in length. Decker braced himself and
hung. on to his pole, which was long
bamboo in one piece. When the hawk
had run all the line out, the hook being
still firm in the pickerel's jaw, the big
bird was brought to a standstill. The line
was strong enough to hold out against all
the hawks tugging at it, and the hook
was so deeply imbedded in the pickerel's
bony jaw that the strain, great as it was,
did not tear it loose. The hawks strength
started the boat, and the bird was soon
towing it across the pond by means of the
hook in the pickerers jaw and the pole in
the tisherman's hands.
The hawks audacious act in swooping
down upon the hooked pickerel so dunn
founded Decker that he had been towed
some distance before he awol1e to the
necessity of making an effort if he wanted
to save his fish and tackle. He had
medium-sized six-shooter with him, and
drawing it, he began peppering away at
the hawk. Only one of the shots took
effect, and that was the last one. 1t
struck the hawk in one of its legs. With
a sharp cry the bird released its hold on
the pickerel, and the latter tumbled back
into the water. But the hawk was not
through with Decker yet. Upon drop
ping the pickerel the ugly bird darted
savagely down upon the fisherman, and
attacked him in the boat. This was
movement so entirely unexpected to the
fisherman that he was carried completely
off his feet by the force of the hawks
assault. The hawk fastened its claws in
Decker's shirt at the waist, and began
vigorous onslaught with its powerful
beak, seeking to drive it into the fisher
mans eyes. Decker had dropped his
pole, but retained his pistol in his hand.
This was empty, however, and the only
use he could make of it was to use it as a
billy in defending himself. By raining
blows on the birds head and neck, while
he protected his face and eyes with his
other arm, he managed to fight the bird
off until he regained his feet, when he
thought that the bird would either give
up the fight or could be easily disposed Of
The hawk, however, showed not the
slightest disposition to give up, but re-
sumed its attack with renewed vigor
The narrow boat placed Decker at great
disadvantage, as it rocked and tipped at
every movement he made, and rendered
his footing 50 uncertain that he had to
guard against tumbling into the pond as
well as the hawks desperate lunges and
strikes. Decker at last managed to make
a successful grab at the hawk, and seized
it with both hands around the neck.
This would soon have choked the bird TO
death, but in making the grab the fisher
man tipped the boat far over to one side,
and before he could recover his balance
his pitched headlong into the pond,
carrying the hawk with him.. To save
himself from drowning he was forced to
release the hawk which rose from the
water, and Decker struck out for his cap
sized boat. The hawks blood was still
up, and as the swamped fisherman was
swimming to his boat the bird swooped
down upon him and fastened its talons in
Decker's hair, his head being the only
part of him above water. Decker's hair
was thick and heavy, and the hawk Sc
cured firm hold in it and tugged away
at Decker's scalp like an Indian prepar-
ing it for the knife. Decker dived be
meath the water, and, seizing the hawk
with one hand by one of its legs carried
the big bird uuder with him. A desper-
ate struggle ensued below the surface,
but there the hawk was so entirely out of
its element that by the time Decker was
himself forced to come to the surface he
had succeeded in drowning his bold
antagonist.
Decker reached his boat and climbed
upon it, dragging the body of the big
hawk with him. Then for the first he
had time to think of his fish pole and the
pickerel. He discovered the pole, which
was in the water 200 yards from where
he had dropped it, and from the way it
was moving along Decker was satisfied
that the pickerel had survived its expert
ence with the hawk, and was still alive
and active with the hook in his jaw.
Decker was in the middle of the pond,
on his capsized boat, and helpless to get
near his rod, or get ashore without swim
ming. He took off his clothes and struck
out for the fish pole. Sure enough, the
pickerel was still on the hook. Decker
swan ashore, handling the pole with
one hand, and succeeded in landing the
pickerel, which was over two feet in
length. He then swan out and pushed
the boat ashore and righted it. The
hawk, which had made such an unprece-
dented fight, measured six feet with its
wings outstretched.
This mammoth hawk had made its
haunts in wild hills around Goose Pond
for over twenty years, and had defied all
the skill and wiles of hunters in captur-
ing it. Only last season, in this same
pond, Decker had a lively fight with an
enormous swapping turtle, which he had