Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-08

Such q condition OF things makes the
region n natural game preserve, the will
derness harboring the wilder beasts and
birds, while the clearings favor an IN
crease of small birds ana humber game
The earliest settlers were hunters and
trappers quite rs much rs farmers.
In those days bison and elk wandered
all over these mountains, and the last
buffalo in the State was not killed until
1915. and the last elk five years later.
These and the beaver are irreyocably
gone, but bearsand wolves. panthers and
wild cats, foxes, deer, small game and
birds remain, and no man can fail of
sport If he cares TO seek 1t, by canoe or
horseback, at a little distance from the
railways. Sometimes, indeed, the game
comes to him. 1t Is common incident
on West Virginia railways for a train TO
chase "A deer long distance, the panic
stricken animal striving to the last instant
to out-distance its terrible pursuer. and
frequently paying with It's life for It's re-
luctance to Jump from the track.
In winter they often como out into
the roads and are shot or caught IN
somebody's door-yard. heard an old
miller relate, with most ludicrOus pan
tomime. how he had seized n buck 10y
the horns and held its head down by
main strength, while it kicked about two
wards backward the neighbor who IN
cautiously approached from the rear
but the old man (he was young and
sinewy them hung on and twisted the
deers head in spite of its struggles,
until his wife could come with butch
er's knife and cut the poor creatures
throat
It was formerly the practice TO run
deer with dogs, and every countryman
kept hounds; but it was seen not
only that this was running sport but
caused disturbance Of the cattle grazing
upon the hill-pastures, and prevented
the keeping OF sheep. 1t IL now against
the law to hunt deer with hounds, and
they have not only multiplied, but have
tied into these protected mountains from
other States. killing them by any means
is unlawful except from Septem
Der 18th to December 18th, except upon
premises set apart for the protection
and propagation of game within the
boundaries thereof This clause means
principally the tract on Cheat river owned
by an association of sportsmen in and
out of the State, which has probably the
best hunting and fishing preserve on the
Atlantic slope. Prominent in this asso-
citation are members OF the South Fork
Climb. the breaking of whose dam caused
the disaster in the Conemaugh Valley.
Bears have always been plenty in
these mountains. There is n story ex-
tant of a PIONEER who killed thirteen
one morning near the White Sulphur.
This shows that thirteen is an unlucky
number for bears. That would be "a
good days work at present, but the man
who goes hunting for bears anywhere
in the eastern part of the State can find
them if ne knows his business.
Both bear-hunter and deer-stalker are
very likely to encounter wildcats or
lynxes now and then, and more rarely a
panther, painter" as the southern
backwoodsmen call them. The former,
known by the descriptive name of "bob-
cat, and catamount" (realiy cat of-the-
mountain) visit the fowl-yard now and
then, and when hard pressed may seize
lamb but for the most part they sub
sist upon "squeeruls, rabbits, chip
hunks, and sich-hke insecks, as an old
citizen informed me.