The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-12-11
Indian fflode Of ~
~~ Bunting Bear.
BY Martin Hunter.

NDESCRIRING the manner of taking
some of the fur-bearing animals of
the Hudson Bay territory, the bear
comes first by its coat being earliest
prime of all other animals of the north
country.
The Indians, who, since the finishing
OF their last years hunt in June have be-
come tired of fish diet, are anxiously
looking forward to the 25th of Septem-
Der. On and after this date the bear
SKINS have market value with the
company, and the Indians go into berry
patches and swamps in quest of bruin,
who has for the past six weeks been fat
tening undisturbed.
Considerable bravery is shown by the
Indian in hunting these strong and fero-
cious animals at this time of year. Few
o. them have other than single-barreI.
understanding gun, and If they miss
fatal shot when firing, the result is to
them serious, if not death.
cannot do better in these series of
hunting stories than TO follow the foot
steps OF Wa-Sa-Kejic, who was one of
our most successful all-around hunters.
he had liking for the whites in general
and, from his kindness, for me in partic-
u'ar AT any time when ii was conven-
lent for me to leave the post he well
coined my company on his shooting and
trapping tours. Still, hunting the bear
IN fiat and dry berry patch requires
the greatest care and precaution to
make 1T a day of profit. Wa-Sa-Keiic
lands from his canoe on the leeward
side OF the patch he is going to recon-
hotter and ascends large mountain
whose wooded southern side runs to the
river shore; from the top of this he
scans the burned lands beneath him
with great minuteness for several seq
onds. At last his face lights up with
satisfaction, for his eye rests ON a large
black bear feeding to the windward of
clump of alders. Before starting 70
stalk the game, he notes the direction
OF the wind. the lay of the country and
the number of points of concealments
between him and his quarry. All these
essentials mentally impressed ON his
memory, ne loads his gun carefully and
1escends the mountain. Wa-Sa-Keiic
makes his way swiftly from the base for
ABOUT quarter of mile; after that |.
he goes with greater care. At last there
is only one intervening stack of willows
oetween him and the bear. From INV 9
vantage point of view I notice all his
movements and also that of the bear
winch is lazily feeding on the ripe, full {
berries. G
AT the extreme left-hand point of the
lump stands an immense rock. brought q
iere' no doubt, at the glacier period: 8
oward tbs the Indian is sometimes
rawilng, at Others crouching; at last q
he is safe in its shelter, with heart =
'eating with excitement. d
When he left the mountain fon tha &
ear was feeding toward this very rocL g
nd had SO continued. With gun on the :,
uh cock, Wa-Sa-Kejic carefully adj ?
ances his head around the base: in an =
nstant 1t is brought back to cover. for =
e has caught sight of bruin not 20 =
'et away and busy eating the luscious =
ruit still toward the rock.
- - ASJAS 0ditS uVe minutes lOnrpri -,
i appears hours to me as watchl. and II,
hen, with belt-ax well in front and =,
un seized firmly in his hands. stems -
Oddly out from his hiding place. As h,
sual with bears when surprised nj a,
ose quarters, the animal assumes an
'ect position, and at the same moment -,
e gun belches forth its death-dealinc -
niiet' and the monster falls pierced in
trough the heart. :.
That night the Indians squaw and N
lildren feast on berry-ed bear meat
I'd the growing boys listen breatbless'
to their fathers description of how
killed "Mus-Kwa.v
The foregoing is one way of huntinp an
ar, and the other is by trapping he
her deadfall or steel traps. This mode va
trapping is only practiced in the Fo
ring. Shortly after the bears come an
OF their deus they resort to creeks d.
ANAL Fivers' where carp and snail res