The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-01
WITH FOUR TRAPS.
The Great Luck that Befell Pennsylvania
Hunter.

Tho Great Luck that BefeIl Pennsylvania
Hunter.
John Mann, of Curtin township, Centre
county, who for forty-fve years has trapped
and hunted in Pennsylvania woods, FREE
quently meets with experiences much out
of the usual run of those met with in the
life of beckwoodsman, says the New York
Sun. Up to within week Mann considered
the most remarkable experience of his
career as trapper to be one he had last
winter, but he had one a week ago that
leaves the other one way behind. His
last winters exploit was an ex-
traordinary days work in trapping.
He had four bear traps set in various
parts of the woods in Curtin township. and
started out early one morning to look after
them. The first trap he visited had done
satisfactory work, It had fine big bear in
it with a magnificent coat of fur. Mann
shot the bear and went on to another trap.
That one had a surprise ready for the trap
per. 1t had no bear in custody, but an
ugly. glaring, snarling catamount. the lar
gest one Mann had ever seen in all his ca
reer. 1t was not only ugly, but it was ex-
tremely tough, for the trapper shot six
rifle balls into it before it lay down. This
animal was over five feet long and stood
three feet high.
After killing the catamount the old trap
per went to the third trap, and there he
found awaiting him a monstrous old-timer
of he bear, caught in the trap by both
fore feet. How the bear managed to get
both feet into the trap was something Mann
could not understand, as it was thing un-
heard of in bear trapping. This bear was a
fierce one. and resented his capture with so
much tenacity that he would not die until
he had received four rife balls in different
parts of his body. That three traps in sue
cession should have yielded each such fine
prize was enough to astonish even such
veteran trapper as John Mann, tut when
third bear, as fine one as either of the
others, the old trapper was almost beside
himself. 1t was trapping exploit without
precedent in the Pennsylvania woods.
The third bear succumbed to Mann's
first first s hsr As si it had only been week Or
biggest five-prong buck ever killed in CEN
trail Pennsylvania-the deer weighing 1GO
pounds dressed-a feat that had aroused
the envy Of every old huntel, this great
days trapping almost set the woodsmen
wild, and John Mann has been lion
among them ever since.
But the browning experience of this old
trapper's half century of life in the woods
occurred week ago, and is related by
citizen of Curtin township. The farmers
living in that part of the state have suf-
fered great loss in sheep, poultry and pigs
this spring, through the frequent raids Of
bears, wildcats, and other predacious ami
mails. Mann does not trap bears as bust
ness during warm weather, as their fur is
not in good condition and their meat not
good for food. He is always ready, how
ever, to run down bears that are
preying on the farmers, or hunt to
their death catamounts that are en-
gagged in the same business. Ten days or
so ago he was solicited by number of
farmers to use his skill in reducing the
number of bears and wildcats that seemed
to be in more than usual numbers in the
region where the farmers lived. Mann
took a load of traps and his gun and pro-
ceeded to business. He set wildcat traps
one night and four bear traps. The next
day five of his traps each had wildcat in.
and the sixth contained the fore paw and
part of the leg of another. Two of the bear
traps had bears. A third trap was gone,
the chain having been broken loose from
the drag. The fourth bear trap had been
undisturbed. Mann killed the five wild
cats and the two bears, and started in pur-
suit of the bear that had carried off trap.
He tracked the bear to swamp and start
ed it out, the trap being fast to it's leg. The
bear showed fight, but Mann killed It with
two shots.-New York Sun.