The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-13
THE GOATS WHIPPED THE BEARS.
Sweeping victory of Two BiIIies on
Western Ranch.
From the Chicago Inter-ocean.


From the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
-Four years ago, when Jerry Hunssker
started his goat farm away up on the
mountains in the Pine Creek regions he
had no idea that one of the worst en-
emies he would have to contend with
would be black bears. He leased nearly
1000 acres of mountain land, off which the
hemlock. pine and hardwood trees had
been cut. A growth of underbrush Afford
ed excellent browsing, and as Hunscker
had raised many goats down in the
Schuylkin coal regions, where they had
little else but laurel to eat he thought
that the animals would thrive on the fresh
shrubbery of the Pine Creek hills. To-day
he has a drove of $50 goats, among them
being several of the most obstreperous
billy goats that ever paved dust or but
ted an adversary And ID Is a good thing
for Hunsicker that these fighting goats
were on hand; otherwise his kids would
have suffered worse than they did from
the bears
Pine Creek bears are famous for their
trout-catching propensities and the small
farmers back in the Puterhaugh noun
tains have suffered owing to their taste
for lamb Hunsicker's goats and kids were
something new for the Pine Creek bears.
For the first season or two, therefore,
the goats were unmolested. The flock
lourished, more than one half-grown
goat was slaughtered and shipped 10 an
unsuspecting customer as the meat of
fawn or doe. Indeed, some people who
know venison when they eat 1t, declare
that the meat from Jerry Hunsicker's
goat farm has a superb flavor. But last
fall the bears got onto the value of kid.
and Hunsicker's troubles began. Black
bears have killed and carried away at
L - -
fore the winter is over he fears that the
season. profits will have been spoiled. He
has had something more than trouble with
his goats this winter, and the bears have
been the cause of II.
The first winter that he lived In the Pine
Creek region he did some trapping for
furs He captured several black bears, and
from the skins of two of the largest he
had great coat made, with which TO keep
warm while out in the mountains taking
care of his boats. The coat comes almost
to his toes, and with cap made of bear
skin on his head the big goatherd has more
of the appearance of a black bear than a
man. He Is convinced of that fact HIM
self, since a week ago a rousing old billy
goat mstook him for a bear.
Hunsicker has one particularly pugna-
clous goat that he has named Weyler be-
cause of his ugly disposition. Weyler has
more than once stood between the flock OF
frightened kids and she goats and ma
rauding bear. The goats roam at win over
their masters preserve, and since the
SHOWS of winter have fallen they have been
forced to seek in the raVines the moss and
other tender browsing that the high
grounds no longer afford The other day
Hunsicker missed one of hts incest half
grown goats and made up his mind that IL
had fallen a victim to some bear. He de-
termined to keep a lookout for bruin,' and
A. 1..v
out from the shelter shacks he prepared
to follow them to their browsing grounds.
He knew the ravlne, nearly two miles
away, in which the goats were feeding at
that time and he started to make a de-
tour and work his way down from the head
of the ravine, thinking that by so doing
he might run across the bear. He was arm
ed with heavy revolver. He was never
much of a shot with a rifle. but his COM
rades in the cavalry service during the ci-
vii war say that as a pistol shot he IL
hard to beat. He does an his bear, fox
and wildcat hunting with a pistol, and
even when making the rounds of his traps
he carries nothing else in the way of fire.
arms.
He reached the head Of the ravine and
was making his way down along the little
stream under the hemlocks toward the
point where he knew he would find the
goats, when he discovered fresh bear
tracks in the snow. There were the tracks
of two bears. He had gone only a short
distance further when he came upon the
remains of one of his KIDS. He was sure,
then, that he was on the track of the
thevfng bears, and he knew, too, that the
fresh tracks meant that the marauders
we're already on their way to the flock for
breakfast. Half a mile further he heard
the frightened beating of his goats Gain
ing a slight elevation from which he could
r.I.k ntK. xktat he I.e,.-
good-sized black bear held al bay by one
Of the billy goats, who was prancing in
front of the apparently half-frightened
bear much like bantam rooster about a
Shanghai. The second bear he could not
see, and in order TO get a still better view
of the situation he crawled upon a log, one
end of which projected over a ledge OF
rocks. Picking over these rocks Hunsick-
er caught sight of the second bear down
in the ravine, acting very queerly. Bruin
appeared TO be In distress, for ne held his
paws over his abdomen and every now and
then rolled round much as a schoolboy
would do after a session with green ap-
pies. This bear interested Hunscker so
much that he forgot the other Indeed he
was so wrapped up in the bears antics
that he failed TO notice the approach of ths
pugnacious Weyler.
Weyler was the cause of the bears dis
tress HunsIckler's bearslin coat excited
the ire or the VICTORIOUS animal, and he
started head-on for the supposed enemy
And il was most unfortunate for Hum
sickler's, for without instant's warm
ing he received blow that sent him fly
ing over the ledge into the hemlock thicket
below. He landed within a rod Of where
the now partly recovered bear was sitting
Luckily for Hunsicker, his big coat and the
hemlock boughs broke his fall, and when
he got himself together ne found that he
was unhurt. Above him, looking down
over the rocks, he saw the triumphant
Weyler. Then Hunsicker bethought him
self Of his pistol, and the next second, a
bullet went into the bears body. Bruin
fell in his tracks.
Just then there was commotion in the
rear and Hunsicker caught sight of the
second bear coming tumbling down over
the rocks while two billy goats at the
edge stood In proud triumph looking down
on their conquered foes A second shot
finished the second bear, and when Hun