Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-01-12
eAoGINc A BEAR.

old friend Capt Ned Richmond, dressed
In fringed buckslEin from top 70 toe.
Ned had been hunting large game for
living for the last twenty years. and
no one knows the haunts of bear.
mountain lion, elk, moose and deer
better than he
After our first greeting was over Ned
remarked: II am glad you came in ut
tins particular time, as have a large
bear located about eighteen miles north
OF here, and / have set two traps for
MIN at springs where there are fresh
signs OF his watering, I think the
chances are good for finding him in
one OF the traps in the morning, and if
you will go out with me early and take
your camera with you I think can
safely promise you a real, live bear to
photograph"
Now, of all the things have most de-
sired one was the opportunity to photo
graph live bear in its native element,
and eagerly accepted Ned's invitation
to accompany him to his camp in the
morning. Agreeable to his promise,
the giant rode up to theuhotel at an
early hour, leading an extra pony for
me to ride. i was soon in the saddle
strapped on We were joined by Ned's
wife, who has accompanied him on
many a bear hunt and is an unerring
rifle shot, as will be proven further on.
We arrived at Ned's camp about
noon, and after light lunch mounted
our ponies and rode up the mountain
side through thickets of oak bush to
where the traps were set. The first we
MI tod ho6
changed our course to visit the other
We had gone but short distance when
''Old Spos," the hound, gave tongue,
followed closely by the sharp, quick
yelps of his side partner ''Chub," the
shepherdodog.
Ned turned to his wife and said:
'.Nell, you had better stay here for an
hour, and if we don't come back in
that time you had best ride to camp"
Turning to me said: ''Those dogs have
jumped bear and we must follow
them quick; come on" at the same
time turning his horse and riding like
mad through the quaking aspen tim
Der and up the steep, mountain side.
/ followed closely until Ned came to a
halt and dismounted, saying: I'VE will
have to leave the horses and follow on
loot; the ponies can't climb this noun
tain as fast as we can"
With rife in hand we followed the
dogs, which had turned to the right
and taken up 4 draw" leading to the
top of the mountain, which in places
appeared to be almost perpendicular.
To the right of the draw was a cliff of
rocks, beneath which was crock
slide" caused by the breaking off of
the cliff, which had slid down the
mountain side with such force that it
swept everything with it to the bot
tom, leaving n broad path devoid of tree
or bush its entire length.
Ned soon left me far in the rear. as
he was used to climbing the mountains,
and his light, muscular body had nc
superfuous flesh, while my two hun
dred pounds of avordupois taxed my
unhardened muscles too severely to
keep up. He was fifty yards
in advance, when saw him
to his shoulder, and fire. CHANGING
quickly in the direction his gun was
pointed sa<v far up on the top of the
cliff above the rock slide large bear,
running toward the heavy pine timber
rife rang out the bear fell and rolled
of the cliff and came tumbling down
the steep rock slide to the bottom,
ing fallen some distance below and to
our right
Ned rushed down to where I was.
CRYING as he came: 1.-THE bear is not
killed, it is only wounded; and, my
God. he is going straight to where Nell
is waiting for u.s. We must get more
lead into him before he gets there"
He dashed down Il mountain side
at a furious rate, 1 following as rapidly
as possible, but not being so we'll used
to that kind of exercise it was impossi-
BILE for me to keep pace with the nim-
BILE, muscular hunter, who was putting
forth every effort in his power to over.
take the wounded bear, or head him off
before he should reach the Little Vega,
where Nell was waiting, unconscious
of the danger so fearfully near.
A wounded bear is vicious brute
and has been known to kill the unfor-
tunate hunter after receiving death
wound. Stories of wounded bears kill
ing the hunter came wildly to my mind
and redoubled my exertions to follow
Ned and render such assistance as
might be able to do. when there
came the sharp report of a rifle directly
ahead of us. We knew it was Nelrs
rifle, and the blood seemed to stop
coursing through my veins as we rushed
through the quaking aspen thiclset into
the Little Vega Fully expecting to
see a CHASTITY sight, which my over
wrought imagination had pictured. 1
came up attending, but instead there
stood Nell leaning upon the muzzle of
her rifle and beside her lay the dead
body of the bear, pierced through the
brain by her bullet Nell explained
that as soon rs she heard Ned's rifle
she saw the bear tumble down tho
rock, slide directly toward where
she was standing, and thinking
perhaps he was not killed 'she
made ready to give him a warm recep-
ton. As soon as the bear reached the
bottom he gathered himself up in a be-
wildered sort of q way not more than
twenty PAGES from where she stood and
in plain view. The pluclSy woman
raised her rifle, taking quick but SC
curate aim at his head. and pulled the
trigger. sending the leaden messenger
crashing through the brain, and caus-
ing instant death. While SHINING the
bear we found that Ned's bullet had
--x.a 81 ~,ssaJ fhropOh the neck