New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-04
AN OLD-TIME CIRCLE HUNT
HOW ONE COUNTY WAS RID OF WILD BEASTS
BY THE PIONEERS.


eight bears thirteen wolves a panther, and don't
know how many foxes, killed in what Is now
the very heart Of the village said Orvin Decker an
Octogenarian resident OF Bradford County, Penn,
which lies few miles south OF Waveriy. win
the exception OF here and there clearing. and>some
isolated settlement, this part OF the Chemuns ana
susquehanna Valleys unbroken woods then, for
ii hadn't been many years since the first settlers
had begun 10 come into the region l am speaking
OF the year 1918, when a lad Of ten. / remem-
Der distinctly the great hunt that resulted In the
killing o; the great quantity Of game l mentioned.
Wild animals were so numerous as to be serious
drawback to the pioneer farmers in the growing OF
their crops, meagre at the best and in the keeping
Of their stock, TO nothing OF the continued fear
in which they stood for the peace and safety OF them
selves and their families. In the fall Of 1918 old
Colonel stevens. who lived down in the Wyausng
neghbOrhood conceived the idea OF Dig hunt. To bc
engaged in by many could be collected from
far and a given day, and conducted
systematic plan over wide OF country. He
issued a call for the hunt, and sent IL by special
messengers throughout the region interested, request
ing the farmers and all others who wanted To take
part in the grand hunt to make preparations for doing
so on December 4. News OF this plan OF Colonel
stevens to against the common foe was not
long in reaching this neghborood and Elias Matthew
son. leading man among Us. at once took measures
to organize q similar hunt for the benefit OF tho
sufferers along the state line The district to be der
was that living between the Snsquchanna and tho
Chcmung from what then called the Pine Woods,
on the south, where Athens is at the Junction
Of the two rivers, and the hills north OF Waverly.
That district is all the broad plain yon $50
to-day, with waverly. Sayre, Athens and other iar-s
towns dOttlng it and four great railroads traver'ng IT,
In 1873 IL was one wide tract Of forest
"The hunt was under command OF two captains,
MstthewsOn having charge OF the Pennsylvania men
and a named Tuthill directing the movements "
Nam Nor1 hunt Thapa
all. force that entirely too small to cover
properly the ground mapped ont. The Pennsylvania
men formed in line about the southern limit OF the
territory, from river to river. and the New-rorers
advanced from the northern hills, their line extending
from the Chemung River to sheppards Creek. Tho
idea was for the two parties to draw together To
common centre. driving such animals were in the
intervening area TO that point, cOrrang them there
and putting them TO indscriminate slaughter the
spot selected for the centre Of the circle was small
abandoned clearing. half way between the southern
line and the northern line That spot Is now occu'
pied in part by the bindings Of the Waverly foundry.
The hunters began their march early In the forenoon
They had orders not to fire gun until the rendezvous
was reached. Early in the day it was seen that the
force entirely too small to have the lines sufficiently
compact and many deer, bear and wolves made
their escape. A good many shots were fired in spite
Of the orders; and although several deer and bears
killed. the firing dangerous to the men thom-
selves. and after three had been hit with bullets
intended for fleeing game the firing was discontinued.
There many in the ranks. However. who weTe
not armed with guns. They carried ptchforks. axes,
clubs and even fals These hunters made good uss
Of their rude weapons on the march, rybani Decker.
of the Pennsylvania file particularly DISTINGUISHED
himself by dpatching two bears with his fail after
a desperate struggle with each. JacObus Van sickle
smashed the skull OF immense buck, rs II was
bounding by him. y young man named Van Devon.
who worked for Elias MatthewSon. ran his piohfork
a wolf nd hOWliul
beast aoft on the tines until it died. Another man
who earned fame that march from the Pine Woods
was Warren futile. An immensc panther which
had been startled from It's lair by the
advancing army Of hunters came bounding toward
him through the tops Of the trees. leapng from
TO another with the ease and light footedness Of
squirrel futile waited until the panther had so'
within easy gun shot As the agile beast leaped from
tree to alight in another twenty feet distant, ruttls
| shot it while Il in the air. The bullet passed
through the pan;hers heart The force Of the animals
leap carried it into the it had sprung reach. bus
the panther dead when 1t struck the branches and
| fell in a heap almost at Tule'S feet
"It was late in the afternoon when the circle ~
hunters had drawn together. that the advancing
lines were within hearing Of each other The spot en-
crcled BY the hunters probably half mile ea'i
way across. In that contracted space frightened ami
mails could be seendeer daring here and there Ike tho
wind seeking some avenue Of escape: now and then
sullenly back in the bushes wolves swapping and sna
ing I'm unavailng hiding places. In the ind>crimnata
firing that began in this corral it is wonder that
As many hunters animals were not killed. In the
excitement men shot whenever they saw Q bush
move No one killed. however. but several
were wounded. badly that he had TO be carried
away Deliberate murder came near being com.
mifted while the shooting in the corral was
going on 4 man named Frazier what ha
Thought was deer behind a scrub oak Ito
fired and was surprised 10 rise up from be-
hind the bush. This man was notorious backWood5
character known As Biz Decker lie wore a deer
skin cap FIazcr'S bullet had gone through the cap
grazing Dcckrr's scalp. Fortunately Decker Wa Of
the hunters who had no guns or Frazier would hav1
been a dead man the next second. A. it WAS. Decker
Grabbed "A Gun out OF another hunters hands. ard
leyced il at Frazier. The owner Of the gun struck
the barrel and pushed # down as the gun wa' dis
charged The charge ploushed the dirt from beneath
Frazier's feet Decker was instantly seized aud held
by several of the hunters, and Frazier hurried away
from the spot.
The killing Of game lasted for two hours. II Wa
| never known how many animals escaped. bar the
| number according to Elias Mauhew>On was easily
double the number killed. In fact, the result al the
hunt was disappointment to Matthew son. who thousht
forty deer eight bears. thirteen wolves. the panther
and the foxe, small showing for 80 many men. But
besides those killed at the rendezvous. fifteen head 81
game were bagged on the march up through Penn,yl'
yanll and "a many by the New York contingent ~
there. was a bounty Of - apiece for wOvs>, rlo Tor
nauthc> and - FOR bears in those days. the hunters
made a dollar or two apiece besides ne inn ana mcat
they got of the hunt and the public benefit they
| had rendered. -,
| News of Colonel Stcvens'S hunt. which came of TIE
| same day VA, awaited by our folks Win treat deal
of interest \ week later heard all about d.
That hunt made look like small affair II GOV.
erred An area wilderness ten miles square II began
ON the susquchauna road al NNsoN, and extended I'D
the river, mp the river to the mouth ct WylIn,n:
Greek ND the creek eight miles 10 road thai ran 10
the WysoX Creek and down that stream Ia the sartn;
pont I'm the centre OF that big territory circular
! spot "A mile across marked out a. the spot il
| which the game to be driven. In The eau ISSUED
for This hunt il was specified that every man come
armed either with gun, an axe a spear or a plt'h'
fork and a. many tin horns aS couh be gathered up
| wcrc to be brought along. Tin horns wertjtOer1bV
numerous in those days. a. every farm house iad oa
| for summonng the men from the woods or the heh
| when meal, were ready. or IN case q bear VOL or
panther invaded the premises. More than 1000 men
| responded the call. coming IN rom many hlles
| around They strung around the blg territory