Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-03
A MIGHTY NlMROD.


The Remarkable Record for Bagging
Game Made by "a Maine Hunter.
There appeared before the committee on
fisheries and game at Augusta one of the
most remarkable hunters living in Maine
Alexander McLain. of Mattawamk eag,
sixty-seven years of age He gave his testi-
mony for the protection of game and for
the enforcement of honest law. Mr.. Nc.
Lain is remarkable from the fact that in
his experience as a hunter and guide for
forty seven years, killing more game than
any other man within her border, he has
always been a still hunter 1t is the boast
of his life that he never logged deer, even
when the law allowed persons to slaughter
game in an unsportsmanlike manner. Nc
Lain always gave deer fair chance for
his life.
In outwitting them he experienced the
real enjoyment of a true hunter. 1t does
not require much skill to put hound on
the track of deer, and then to station
yourself on the banks of lake, and when
the dog has driven the exhausted animal
into the water to shoot perhaps, by resting
your gun over stump. That is the mode
of the pot hunter and poacher, but not of
the true hunter and guide that McI.ain is
acknowledged to be.
For ten years he was fish and game
warden, and has done as much to protect
game as any man living in Maine He
never made dollar as warden, but brought
many a poacher to justice. Mr.. McLain
gives the following statistics of game killed
by himself Deer, 900, moose, 125; caribou,
IS; bear, 2l1; wolves, 50; red fox, $780, otter,
1G5; black cat, 1875; sable, IT'S; beaver, 35;
mink, 2l5; raccoon, AZ; lynx, As, and in ad-
dition thousands of muskrats and other
small game.
McLain has had many adventures in the
woods. Once he caught an Indian in a
bear trap The jaws of the trap fastened
about the ankle of the Indian and held him
prisoner for thirty-six hours. The In
dams cries were heard for a long distance
before the trap was reached. Five years
ago he had a fight with bear which was
caught in trap, AS he intended to take
up the trap he went into the woods without
his gun. When the trap was reached he
found an enormous bear fastened by one
foot. The bear had just got in and was
ugly. McLain attempted to kill the animal
with club. The clog which held the trap
gave way, and the bear, with the trap hang
ing to his foot, made for McI.ain and a
savage fight ensued. The bear caught Nc
Lain by the arm and bit it through. His
clothes were torn off, and occasionally a
portion of the skin with them.
At this juncture the clog caught around
n small tree, anchoring the trap, and Nc
Lain was able to make his escape. With
the blood pouring out of his arm he walked
two miles to the river, where an Indian was
encamped. His arm was partially dressed
and with the Indian and gun he started
back into the woods for the bear. The an
imal was found, but before the Indian could
shoot the bear pulled his foot out of tn,
trap, leaving his toes in the jaws and mad,
his escape.
Mr. McLain has caught most all kinds o
game alive. He caught live moose ant
sold him to Charles Yields, of Olamon, fo
$50, to whom he also sold three caribou
for Sl75 and thirteen deer for seven dollar
each. Seventeen young bears have beef
captured alive. Two wolves were caugh
in a trap and an attempt made to tam
them, but without avail. In capturing
them McI4ain piled brush on top of then
and then slipped a muzzle over their heads
He says Notwithstanding his years he i
ready to put his friends on the track O
game in the season, and will warrant tina
the hunt will not be fruitless. He ba
guided Belfast sportsmen and they are lou
In his praise.-Belfast Journal.