Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-03-09
ENM.

day in that part Of the country ten
years ago, SO that it would have been
cause for more comment If person
did not see bear while journeying
TO or from the nearest town than 1t
would have been 10 meet one every
mile or so. MaXOn was therefore not
surprised when he saw that morning
the particular bear but he was sur
prised at the animals unusual size. Mr..
Maxon was 6S years old at that time
and had been a bear hunter more than
fifty years. He had killed bears by the
score and of all sizes and shades.
While panthers still existed in Ven
tura county he was,a famous slayer of
those fierce beasts of prey. He is cred
tied with having killed the last panther
ever seen in the country, although
there is one at present lurking in the
woods near the oil wells at Santa Pau
la. But among all the great wild dem
liens OF the forest that John Maxon
had laid low with his rife this bear
that east longing eye on the inmates
of the pigsty that autumn morning had
no equal for size or formidable appear
ance. The old backwOodsman went
back in the house and got his rifle and
quickly lodged two bullets in the bear,
which sent the animal bowling and
bleeding into the woods. The sur
vival OF the bear after receiving two
bullets in his body was the greatest
surprise that MaXon ever had III his
whole career in the woods. He sum-
moned his son and the two followed
the bear. But it entered a jungle,
from which the hunters could not dis
lodge 1t, and they gave up the CHASE.
the old man believing that the bear
would die from his wounds. A5 the
big animal was not seen again Mayon's
opinion that the two bullets he had
lodged In the bear had done for him
was generally accepted as correct.
Time passed and the big bear ceased
to be a subject for discussion in the
Ojai valley. A year ago Uncle John
Maxon, as he was known all over Ven
tura county, died. A few weeks ago
Jack Maxon, the old hunters eldest
son, while ON his way to Santa Paula
saw n bear cross the road In front Of
him, not far from his house, and its
great size at once recalled the big bear
OF 1885. Jack believed it was the bear
that his father had shot ten years be-
fore. 1t was bigger, he declared, than
the one Sam Rawlins killed out in
the Santa Barbara mountains in Octo'
Der, 1892, and that was the largest ever
bagged in the county, being seven feet
long and weighing 900 pounds. That
bear was stuffed and presented to the
state university museum, where it Is
now. A hunting party was organized
and long and persistent efforts were
made TO capture the monster, but he
! kept in retirement and his retreat could
not be found. On morning after q re-
cent shower one of Jack Maxon's neigh
| bors saw track in the mud, the size
! of which left no doubt that it had beer
made by the fugitive MaXon bear
! The footprints measured seven inche!
across the bali OF the track. In ;
! short time there were many hunters OIL
| the track, but the chase lasted fol
days and it was only a few days ags
that 1t ended. The bear was surround
ed in swamp by nine lusty hunter!
and the dogs were sent in to run hin
out He killed a couple of dogs before
he made break for the open. Ill,
crushed through the laurels and ap
peared within % rod Of ranchmal
named Henry Rogers, who is one of tn,
sure shots of southern California
Rogers sent ball crashing through TIT
big animals brain and IL fell dead IL
its tracks. In dressing the bear tw'
battered bullets encrusted with flesl
were found in his shoulder. Jacl
Maxon says he will make an affidavit
that they were the bullets his fathe
fired into the bear in 1886. and no on
doubts that such IL the fact. The mon
ster bear was divided and each Of TIL
nine hunters got fifty pounds of meat
The skin. according TO one account
measured eight feet and five inehe
from nose to tail, and another accoun
says the measurement was seven fee
eleven inches. The bear was particu
larry fat but, skin and all. he weighe,
over 500 pounds.