Telegram-herald., 1889-09-13

In winter they often come 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 a buck by
the horns and held its head down by
main strength, while it kicked about
two rods backward the neighbor who
incautiously approached from the rear:
but the old man the was young and
sinewy them) hung on and twisted the
decr's head in spite OF its struggles.
until his wife could come with butch
er's knife and cut the poor creatures
throat.
1t was formerly the practice 70 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. IL is now against
the law to hunt deer with hounds. and
they have not only multiplied, but have
fed into these protected mountains from
other States Killing them by any
means is unlawful, except from Septem-
Der Is 10 Decent Der IS, 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 sports
men in and out Of the State. which has
probably the best hunting and fishing
preserve on the Atlantic Slope. Promi-
nent in this association are mem Ders of
the South Fork Club. the breaking Of
whose dam caused the disaster in the
COnemaugh Valley
Bears have always been plenty in
these mountains. There is story eX-
tant Of a pioneer who killed thirteen
one morning near the White Sulpher.
This shows that thirteen is an unlucky
mum Der 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 he knows his business.
Both bear-hunter and deer-stalker are
very likely 70 encounter wild cats OF
lvnxes. now and then, and more rarely a
panther, painter as the Southern
backwo0dsmen call them. The former.
known by the descriptive name of bob
cat" and ''catamount' treally cat-of-
the-mountainl visit the fOwl-yard now
and then. and when hard pressed may
seize lamb: but for the most part they
suhsist upon sQuocruls. rabbits, chip
munks and sich-like insecks, as an Old
citizen informed me.
The panther. however. IS = constanr
menace 20 the sheep-fold and 20 the
calves OF tho hiil-pastured cattle. while
a great number OF deer are destroyed BY
II every year. and most wsntonly so.
for the brute often does no more than
20 suck draft az blood. and then 20 IN
search Of another victim.
rF- ~ -. III
fully during and following the war in
forssted and thinlY-settled mountain
counties that they presently became 4
terror 20 travellers in winter and did i'm
nense damage 70 live stock. Sometimes
bands would make long forsys from
their native haunts. and they almost
put an end % sheep-rsi<pg in the very
districts best adapted % it Now 3
bounty is paid for their scsips and
wolves are diminishing
Foxes are still numerous. principally
the introduced red one. bat many native
gra7 foxes still remain. They Are hunted
in winter With dogs. 1o0us snd poe
saus furnish local sport and squire s.
harez and the like are always present.
Nert - ~ deer and foK. however.
the wild turkey i the most Important
rare and snc~ IN awhile ther come
doan into the farming valleys disoov-
er'ng their mistake too late. ss rale
g. save heir feathers -
I 81 chat tEis morning -ith A. old
r-oIn-sineer sn3 hunter whe -ss
zsxea s5crt Wild surseys on re hills NJ
Fix River and whether ne eve~ sno -hern
Wall. yes - ~eplied. ''thsrs rizhs
smart 1 rurTevs 80 Ia lave san
ssvers long back