Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-02-01
LOTS Of BIG GAME III OREGON
Bear and Panthers Galore and Deer Il
Many Thousands.

Bear and Panthers Galore and Deer II
Many Thousands.
It would pay some one who is fond
IF 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
told Of hunters who arc residents there
The elk are not abundant though some
are found in the mountains. Tho griz-
zly bear used to DO thereabOuts, and IN
a recent visit to UmpQua | listened to
recitals of old time adventures when tho
grizzly figured as a holy terror One
story was of Is shots poured into bruin
before he was overcome. The cinnamon
bear is yet found, and the black bear Is
common.
The bear stories are not always Of
serious encounters, but partake Of the
ludicrous at times. Some 80 years ago
| had a sudden encounter with a modest
looking black bear who stood up and
looked at me awhile when | was pros
pecting alone among tho Blue noun
tains up Powder river. The bear was
surprised to see me and seemed to Won
der what was about in his dominions.
The meeting was quite unexpected on
my part as well, for l had lost no bear
and had 10 especial desire to find one.
had not even gun along to point nc
him; so, with a conservative tendency,
e. nd lF
finding any disturbance nor hearing
anything coming took a look astern, but
saw no bear Stopping to take breath,
l noticed something black waddlin9
away, and sure enough there was my
bear running faster one way than l
could the other Since then l have
doubted the moral courage OF ordinary
bears to face all ordinary white man,
and taken on probation many bear
stories-even some | have written my
self
There are bears among the mountains
Of Rogue river and the Umpqua, and
the stories | hear very often coincide
with my own experience. Bears are not
often dangerous unless you agsrayato
them. and 10 times out Of II viii fold
their tents like the Arab and as silently
steal away-if you stand and look at
them. But the bears are there all the
same, and if any Of your readers have
lost any such stock there is the place to
90 to look for them.
The Cascades and the hill ranges that
fill the interval with the coast ranges
that como down to the very surf limo Of
the Pacific. constitute an almost Unox-
plored wilderness. where the wild ami
mails roam undisturbed. When the hunt
ing season is on, game can be found in
great quantity. Wo0dchoDpers on a few
miles Of the road in Cow Creek canyon
are said to have killed 500 deer last sea-
son, using the hind quarters only. The
agent of the Southern Pacific at one
point has a couple Of hounds as well as
a mongrel that runs down game and
makes speciality Of chasing rabbits. IL
is said in the early mornings Of early
autumn he can look through the win
dows of the station house and often see
the antlers Of a buck ranging over the
hill point that crowns the scene. He
never fails when be chooses and will 90
up the hills half mile to start a deer.
Very often his dogs Will scent one and
start him down the run.
The cougar is not infrequent, as the
flock owner knows to his sorrow. Sheep
run through the hilly wilds 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 q
great sheep run, but the low price OF
wool and mutton comes hard on the
flock owner, so it hardly pays him to
watch his focks. The panther is not Of
ten aggressive unless it be against do
nestle animals. 1t 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. The
Mongolian pheasant has not get become
very numerous here, but will no doubt
in time. 1t is my impression that it pre-
fers 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
pheasaSsts he had shot in two hours not
far from town-half a dozen or more.
1t will be tine thing to fill these south
orn wilds with those beautiful birds,
and there is any amount Of room for
them there The ordinary grouse, the
drumming pheasant and the quail are
found here have seen coyeys Of quail
cross the road and run over the hills as
of old. when this was all a primeyal
wilderness If any spot invites the
sportsman with promise Of game, it
must be in these southern hills Of west
ern Oregon. Portland OregOnian
Sophie Arnould.
Alboni had a celebrated predecessor |
on the operate stage who also speculated !