Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-09-24

Of hunting sea otter, black bear and
marten. After proceeding to relate in
part, in very fair English, how 1t was
all done, one of the spokesman
promptly demanded So before proceed
ing any further. When told that Sc
attic reporters seldom possessed 50
much money, they were not one bit
appeased, and got up and strobe away,
refusing further details.
The party have three otter skins,
number Of black bear skins and mar
ten skins. The Indians frequently get
as much as $500 for a sea otter in
Alaska, and they expect 70 get better
figures Black bear frequently brings
$50 apiece in Alaska, and as high as So
is paid for marten. The hunters ex
skins and furs here, and say that If
such proves the case they will bring
all their catches here next year. Fred,
who is small man, with keen, black
eyes, is said to be the best hunter in
Alaska, and apparently felt very proud
of the distinction. He has a record of
five sea otter killed last year, for which
he received $1,000. These were killed
during three days hunt
This year sea otter were scarce, and
the hunters say that next year and the
year following no otter will be taken,
and they will be given chance to
multiply. This year, with 100 canoes
out, but Is sea otter were taken. The
chase after the sea otter is along the
coast of Alaska in the vicinity of La
tuya bay, which is under the frowning
brow of Mount Fairweather The In
dams say it is very dangerous coast
for canoemen, and this year they had
three of their canoes thrown upon the
beach by the tremendous surf and
broken to pieces. Nearly every year
several of the hunters lose their lives
by being upset off shore during the
storms, or are thrown upon the rocks
along the coast.
Last year, while Fred was out at the
time he made his banner killing, his
unele's canoe was upset and his friend
drowned The hunters use small
shotgun in killing the sea otter. The
animals are most often seen well out
from land, and when one is sighted
every hunter is Immediately upon his
feet in the bow Of his canoe, and the
next time the otter sticks his head
above water a score of guns throw
their leaden pellets in his direction
The sea otter is very wary, and is per-
haps the most difficult Of all fur-bear-
ing animals to Kill. White men never
attempt its capture in Alaska waters.
The Indians hunt the black bear in
the interior from Latuya bay, near the
base of the mountains, and in the
gorges. They use trained Alaska dogs,
usually four or six in a party. The
hunters provide themselves with rifles.
but say they could not succeed in cap
turing many without their dogs They
also use bear traps, such as are to be
bought in the hardware stores, in cap
turing them, and long time ago they
say they used to make trap them
selves which was not dissimilar from
the deadfall of the backwoodsman, A
big log, heavily weighted on one end
and elevated and held up on triggers
at the other, constituted the trap
proper. To get the bear to place him
self in position to be struck down by
the log, fence of logs was constructed
about the trap and bait so placed that
when the bear attempted to pull it
away he sprung the trap.
Marten are hunted and caught along
the coast of Alaska from Sitka west
ward, and for some distance back in
the interior The Sitka Indians do not
go much further west than Latuya bay
but do a great deal of hunting about
the southern end of Baranoff island