The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-13

head Of Scraggy Lake. The bear house
was built right at the end OF the camp, and
sixty or eighty feet from the water. He
crossed the lake in his canoe one day to
visit the trap. trolling for pickerel on the
way. Approaching the landing, he stood
up in his canoe and looked towards the
bear house to see II he could catch a
glimpse OF the log he had attached TO the
trap as u clog. He had not nearly two
hundred feet OF line, and his canoe had al
most touched the shore as he drew In the
last of it, and threw the spoon In the
bottom OF the canoe. At that instant a
bear rose up from behind some logs at the
landing whore he had been crouching and
Sprang the length OF the chain towards Nc
Kenny. Six inches more of chain would
nave allowed him 20 reach his aim, but as II
was he fell short and only succeeded in
Splashing couple OF palfuls OF water into
the canoe. McKenny had been looking di-
rectly over the bears head and the animal
had undoubtedly realized his opportunity
OF catching the hunter. though It is hardly
probable the bear selected his hiding place
with this end in view.
Milton Parker OF Grecnvlc had bear
eat Up the entire body OF a horse that he
had put out for bait before he succeeded
IN getting the animal to put a foot in his
trap. Ho covered tho horse with brush
bu; each line tho bear VISITED the spot he
carefully pushed away the brush until he
had discovered the exact location Of the
hidden trap before he began eating. FL
nally, Parker set another trap AT some dis
tance from the brush pile. and caught the
bear Instead OF profiting by the catch, how
ever, Parker Is out the price OF n first.
class boar-trap. He had almost given UP
hope OF ever capturing the bear. and on
the particular occasion when the bear
walked off with his trap ne had left his rife
behind, and only carried n small revolver
with him. The bear seemed aware of the
fact. for when Parker caught up with him
he charged back on his trail going faster
than man could run, despite the weight
OF tn" trap and clog. Parker fred one
shot from the revolver, which seemed to
have about as much effect on the bear as n
pea shooter, and then he ran. Fortunately
he was near flow dam, and once among
the fallen trees the bear could not follow
him with any degree of speed. After chas-
ing Parker to cover. the bear pursued his
way as II nothing had happened. Parker
took the trail again only to be charged
second time. and his nerves had by this
time received so much OF shock that he
turned around and went home.
On the following day Parker and his bro
ther-in-law took up the trail where he had
left It, but though they followed II several
miles, they did not come up with the bear.
The cunning animal travelled down the bed
OF a large brook and probably left II where
1t passed through rocky country abound
ing In lodges and caves. At any rate. Meth
er bear nor trap was ever found. though
for several years afterwards three-legged
bear that was possibly the same animal
frequented the region.
Maurice Durkin OF Norcross set bear
trap several weeks unsuccessfully last fall
and then thought he would try for martin
instead. He moved the trap thirty rods
from its former position into thick growth
OF young frs and hardwoods. and put a
small bait above 1t. and set II to go off at
very light touch. The bush was thick
and there were no large trees with the ex-
ception Of big balsam. which grew close to
the spot where the trap was set. Maurice
visited the place two days later and walk
ed under the balsam. He heard scratch
ing above his head, and several pieces Of
bark and dead wood fell from the tree He
sprang backwards. and the next instant a
large black bear fell to the ground almost
| at his feet. In less time than II takes to
tell It, the bear had disappeared in the
| bushes, leaving a badly ratified and dsap-
| pointed hunter gazing into vacancy. Maurice
| found his trap in a crotch of the tree, TWEEN
| ty feet above the ground In it were few
| black hairs. and a fragment OF tough skin
| from the sole OF a bears foot. The trap
was so securely wedged that he had to cut
down the tree to recover 1t. Maurice AYERS
| that II II had not been for the warning Civ
| en- by the falling bark and wood. he would
| certainly have been hit by the bear and
| probably killed, though not after the ortho-
| dox fashion OF people who succumb to in
juries received in bear fights.