Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-02-02
LOTS OF BIG GAME IN OREGON.
Bear and Panthers Galore and Deer
Many Thousands.

MANY 1nousanus.
1t wodld pay some ono who is fond
of sport and equal to descriptive writ
ing of sporting matters to take tour
through the mountains and hills of
southern Oregon and hear the stories
tod of hunters who are residents there
The elk arc no: abundant, though sonie
are found in the mountains The griz-
ely bear used TO be thereabouis and in
recent visit to Umpqua listened to
recitals of old time adventures when tho
grizzly figured as holy terror Ono
story was Of IS shots poured into h-uin
before he was overcome. The cinnamon
bear is yet found, and tho black bear is
common.
Tho bear stories IRE not always Of
serious encounters, but partake Of tho
ludicrous ut times. Some 80 years ago
| had sudden encounter with n modest
looking black bear who stood up and
looked at me awhile when | was pros
pecting alone among the Blue noun
tains up Powder river. The bear was
surprised to see me and seemed 10 won
der what was about in his dominions.
The meeting was quito unexpected On
my part as well. for had lost no bear
and had no especial desire TO find one
had not even gun along to point nc
him; SO, with conservative tendency,
] turned and ran far away, and not
finding any disturbance nor hearing
anything coming tool, look astcrn. but
saw no bear. Stopping TO take breath.
| noticed something black waddliDg
away, and sure enough there was my
hear. running faster one way than
could the other Since then | have
doubted the moral courage Of ordinary
bears 10 face an ordinary white man,
and taken on probation many bear
storicG-cvcn some I havo written my
self
There are bears among tho mountains
Of Rogue river and the Umpqua. and
tho stories hear very often coincide
with my own experience Bears arc not
often dangerous unless you aggrayaie
them. and 10 times out Of II Will fold
their tents like tho Arab and as silently
steal away-if you stand and look at
them. But tho bears are thore all tho
same, aud if any of your readers have
lost any such stock there is tho place to
20 to look for them
The Cascades and the hill ranges that
fill tho interval, with the coast ranges
that come down TO the very surf limo of
tho Pacific, constitute an almost unex-
piored wilderness. where tho wild ami
mails roam undisturbed. When the hunt
ing season is on, game can be found in
great quantity. Woodchoppers on few
miles OF the road in Cow Creek canyon
are said 10 have killed 500 deer last sea
son. using the bind quarters only. Tho
agent Of the Southern Pacific ut ono
point has couple Of hounds, rs well as
a mongrel that runs down game and
makes speciality Of chasing rabbits. It
is said in tho early mornings Of early
autumn he can look through tho win.
dows Of the station house and often sec
the antlers Of buck ranging over tho
hill point that crowns the scene. He
never fails when he chooses and will go
up tho hills half a mile to start deer
Very often his dogs will scent one and
start him down the run.
The cougar is not infrequcnt, Us the
flock owner knows TO his sorrow. Sheep
run through the hilly wilda and take
their chances for life. At present save
your sympathies for the mutton, for it
is hunted much more by bears and pan
theirs than men hunt wild beasts All
this region of the Umpqua has been .
great sheep run. but the low price of
wool and mutton comes hard on tho
flock owner, so it hardly pays him TO
watch his flocks The panther is not Of
ten aggressive unless it be against do
nestle animals IL is fond of veal and
rather prefers it to the best Southdown
mutton; so calves suffer. and small pigs
also become victims.
The hills also abound in birds. Tho
Mongolian pheasant has not yet become
very numerous here, but will no doubt
in time 1t is my impression that il pre-
ters civilization and the vicinity of
wheat fields, but it should do well in
these everlasting hills At Eugene saw
a hunter come to town with a string OF
pheasants he had shot in two hours not
far from town-half dozen or more
IL will be u dne thing 20 fill these south
crn wilds with those beautiful birds,
and there is any amount of room for
them there. The ordinary grouse, the
drumming pheasant aud the quail arc
found here. / have seen coveys Of quail
cross the road and run over the hills as
OF old, when this was all primeval
wilderness. II any spot invites the
sportsman with promise of game. it
must be in these southern hills of west
ern Oregon. -Portland Oregonian.