The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-15
BEAR HUNTING IN VERMONT
lFrom the New York SUM-

Don 3. CeIly OF Berlin, who lives about
six miles from Montpelier, has captured
five bears within a year. There are sew
era1 old bear hunters and trapperS nV-
ing near Montpelier and one Of them Is
credited with having taken 40 bears dur
ing his career. but these men are old
timers, and have not set a trap for 20
years Mr. Celly, therefore, decribes
himself as the champion bear trapper CT
the state All Mr. Celly's bears were
taken within eight miles OF the capital
city of Vermont.
There has been in Vermont tendency
on the part of various wild animals to
move southwark within the past few
years. In the case OF the bears this may
be accounted for in a measure by the
fact that the second-growth forests have
become big enough to afford them pro
lection, and that the roots on which
they love to feed are again abundant AS
related in the Sun, wolves have been kill
ed recently only a short distance from
Montpelier. The presence of the wolves
in this vicinity is accounted for by hunt
erS on the ground that they are attract
ed by the increase of the wild deer that
has taken place under the protection of
the rigid game laws
Mr. Celley's last capture was cub,
which was such cute little fellow that.
instead of killing it for the So bounty
offered by the state he took 1t home and
built a pen for it The leg of the cub
wound healed and in q little while the
cub was getting about In lively fashion
on three legs 1t subsequently became
great pet Mr. Celleyss girls fed it from
their hands and fondIed it as they would
any other pet A rain storm came up one
afternoon, and, as it threatened to last
ali night, Mr. Celley put a dry goods box
into one pen to shelter the cub. The
young bear, instead Of lying inside the
box as it had been expected to do, climb
ed on top OF it. jumped to the fence, then
down on the other side and made off into
the woods Tt has been seen once or
twice this summer and to all appear
ances has thrived-
To a couple of visitors recently Mr..
Celley explained how he came to set
traps for bears
ION August 5, 1884, he said. Z caught
sight of a bear 1t was the first one seen
in these parts for long time As the
farm work was not pressing just then
made up my mind to get that bear, and
for several days followed its trail here
and there without sighting IL again I
gave up the idea of shooting the animal
finally and determined to set traps I
not only caught the one I was after but
a second one beside before winter set in.
set two traps again this spring as soon
as the snow melted, and again had good
luck. catching two full grown bears and
q cub
Mr.. CeHy exhibited a trap in which last
OF the cub that was captured later AZ
ter setting this trap Mr. CeIIy did not
mountain one morning he found that the
trap had been dragged away The trap
itself weighed TWENTY-FIVE pounds and il
was hitched TO a clog six feet long and
six inches in diameter You can still see
the path the wounded animal made IN
dragging the trap and clog after her. She
half and then made her way up again to
within a short distance OF the place where
CelIy found her Near her were TWO cubs
which had followed her throughout that