Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-08-16
BIG WORK FOR ONE SHOT.
1t Killed Deer. a Panther and
Three Bears.


Two Cubs.
New York sun.
II bagged panther, deer and three
bears once and only fired one shot"
said Colonel Noah Parker of Gardeau,
Pa. II was out after deer, around the
hcadwaters of Cowley Run, in the
Potter county woods. Game was
abundant in those days. A fellow
didn't have to do any hunting unless he
wanted TO. All he needed 10 do was to
sit down somewhere in the woods and
just wait. He wouldn't have to wait
long before maybe drove of deer or
family of bears or panther or two
would come along by him. killed
nine deer one day without getting up
off the log was sitting ON. don't be.
lievo there's nine deer in the whole
Sinnemahonc spread of waters to-day.
"The day | bagged the deer, the three
bears, and the panther was still-hunt-
ing around the keadwaters of Cowley
run. The fact of the matter is, | had to
still.hunt that day because Zenas
Cowley, down at Sizersvile, had shot
my two hounds. Zenas didn't believe in
running deer with hounds, and he
always put a ball into anybody's dog
that came his way on the trail of
yenison. My two hounds were Russian
greyhounds. The day they were killed
Laroy Lyman came to me and said:
'"Wbapll you take for them two
hounds o your'n Noall?'
You can't buy 'em for 500 apiece
/ said.
81 didn't know said Laroy; but l
seen EN- taking deer over toward
Cowley's half an hour ago, and /
thought I'd ask you
In that case said /, 'you can buy
them hounds for four shilin'p
"And he could, too, for knew they'd
never come back if they had been so
forgetful as to take deer over toward
Cowley's. But there isn't any doubt
that is just what they did, for | never
saw 'em again. And they were the best
dogs in Pennsylvania. So | was out
still-hunting that day.
II sat down Mt the roots of big
fallen hemlock to wait and see what
would come my way. hadn't waited
long before | saw u big she bear and
two cubs come slouching up out of the
hollow and tumble into II clump Of
bushes, not more than 90 rods away
from where | sat. / was getting ready
to send a bullet into the old bear, when
saw IA deer break out of the woods and
come bounding along the open side hill
opposite me. Only few jumps behind
it game big panther, hot on the trail of
the deer, and as the panther was clear
ing more than 30 feet ut every jump |
saw that 1t wouldn't be very long
pltnSp lhpffApn hn hul hic nj tLot
deer.
"rhe course the deer was taking
brought her-it was Il doe--al0ng above
the bushes where the bear and her cubs
were lying. saw ut once that the deer
either saw or smclt the bears from the
way she kind o swerred us she went
past the bush. Now there isn't any
thing Il panther likes more than bear
cubs, and there is the dcadiest cnmity
between bears and punthers just on that
account. The old she bear smelt the
panther and got to her feet just rs he
was bounding by. The panther was
evidently top intent on the deer to either
hear or sec the threatening bear. of
course this all took place in few
seconds, and before | had made up my
mind just exactly what tactics TO adopt
to. get the most benefit ont of the situa-
ton. hadn't fully resolved yet, when,
to my surprise, | saw the deer wheel
like flash, leap clear over her savage
pursuer, and take her back track. The
panther took up the chase with renewed
fury, and gained rapidly on the deer.
was on the point Of stopping him with a
rifle ball, when l saw by the action of
the deer that she had discovered the
bears in the bushes, and it struck me
that she had scheme.
""rhere's going to be some fun here
thought /, and lowered my rifle.
with the passing of the panther the
first time, the old bear, seeing that her
cubs were not the object of the panther's
quest, had returned to the bushes and
lain down with her cubs again. The
second time lie went by she got up
again and stood ready to tackle him if
necessary, but the panther shot by
without noticing the bear. The deer
bounded on and into the woods. In less
than minute she came out again, with
the panther dangerously close. This
time the deer was headed straight for
the bushes where the bear and her cubs
We're, and she slackcned her pace
"Ahar said |. Smart deer! She's
going to turn that panther over to the
Ecarn
when she reached the bush she
leapcd over it, and the panther was
only one easy spring behind her. He
crouched to make 1t, but he didn't, for
right in front of him out Of the bushes
rose the gigantic front of the savage she
bear. The suddenness of this change
in the situation seemed TO surprise the
panther, but not for long. He was out
for blood, and if he couldn't get deer
blood he would take his chances with
bear. He dashed his long tail nervously
on the ground for second or two and
then launched his big body straight at
the bear. His claws were in the bears
shoulders and his red jaws at her throat
the next instant. But the huge bear
folded the panther in her terrible en-
brace and put all her strength in the
hug. | could hear the panther's bones
crack, and both bear and panther fell to
the ground dead. As discovered later,
the panther's fangs and severed the
bears jugular vein and windpipe both.
"'rhe deer took but two leaps after
bringing the panther face to face with
the bear Then she stopped and be-
came an excited spectator Of the result
of his strategy. When the bear and
panther came together her eyes blazed,
She shook her head high in the air,
stamped her feet, and relieved her feel
ings by resounding snorts. She seemed
to take tiendish enjoyment in the sight
of her deadly foe in the foils Of the
equally savage bear. When the two
combatants fell to the ground and rose
no more the deer approached them eau
tiously, smiling and snortlng, and stop
ping every few steps to stamp her feet