The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-12-20

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was destroyed lbecause bruin had
sweet tooth in his head.
The hills between Canton and Mas
sillon we're favorite resorts for deer.
They came up out Of the swamps to get
grew on the higher ground. Usually
thcy fed there at night and took re-
fuge in the swamps In the day time,
where they were secure from the ap-
proaches of hunters.
Hounds were used for chasing the
deer from their hiding places, and they
were then shot by the hunters who
stood at advantageous places along the
runways. The growth OF vegetation
was so thick at that time that the
deer were compelled to follow the game
trails through the forests and swamp3,
and thus they were an easy prey.
The greatest skill was, however, DIS
played by the still hunter, who with
nothing but his trusty rifle went into
the woods and stalked his game, shoot
ing 1t without the aid of dogs. 1t took
hunter to secure the deer In this way
but men who became expert at this
style of hunting were usually more tue
cessful than the doggers.
SCARCITY OF AMMUNITION.
Ammunition was a consideration in
those days, and many ruses were re-
sorted to to catch game without wast-
ing powder and ball. Deadfalls were
used to catch bears, and turkeys were
caught in great numbers by construct
ing pens with bitches dug under one
side. Along the ditch corn was spread
plentifully and the turkey would fol-
low the train of corn into the pen.
When he found he was caught he would
raise his head and try to escape through
the openings between the logs, never
thinking of going out the same way he
came in. Sometimes an entire flock
would be captured In this. way.
When the settler began to raise tur-
keys on the farm, 1t became neces-
sary to raise nothing but white ones,
for the hunter who saw The black tur-
key in the woods never hcsitated to
shoot He shot first and truced the
birds pedigree afterwards.
The earliest settlers used the flint
lock rife. These crude guns were used
up until about 10 years ago wfoD the
percussion ball came into use. Shortly
afterwards the copper cap that protect.
ed the percussion was discovered by a
Frenchman, and its use coon sp:ead
throughout the whole country. For
several years the gunsmiths OF those
times were kept busy changing flint
locks to the new style of locks.
Shooting matches were common IN
early days, and especially at Christ
mas frollicks were tests Of marksman.
ship made. Ask any old-timer, AMI
he will tell you that in those days the
crack shots could drive n nail at 40
yards or pick the eyes out Of squirrel
from the highest trees. That there
were some remarkable shots in those
early days cannot be doubted, and the
guns made by the old gunsmiths, while
not having the extreme range Of the
latter day models, would shoot as true
as anything now made, up to certain
distance.
AGE OF THE STRONG ARM. "
These shooting matches wore usual.
ly for turkeys. Whisky was an ele-
ment OF discord then as now After
the shooting was over, men became
boastful of their physical prowess and
many personal encounters resulted.
Men fought in those Ia! to determine
who was the better. Each community
had its champion, and at shoots and
musters champion ran up against
champion and blood was usually shed
in copious abundance. There was no
Ill feeling, no rushing to fire arms, no
cutting with knives. The bare fists
and the ability to wrestle settled all diff
ferences. 1t was physical age.
Christmas had little Of sentiment aud
less of religion in 1t.
With the advance of civilization, all
these things gradually changed. The
aesthetic began to intrude and finally
held full sway. Santa Claus now
reigns and the day Is given over to the
children. Some with taint Of their
forefathers in their veins, get up tur.
key shoots now on public holidays, but
they have lost the zest of the olden
times. Hunters now go afield equipped
with modern guns and an outfit that
would have made the old timers smile
They carry enough ammunition for
one days shooting to have lasted the
pioneer year. Birds that were then
unnoticed are legitimate game now.
The deer is gone, the bear is seen only
In the parks or menageries, the only
trace of the wild turkey now found
is his blood In the modern bronze breed
which Is seen on almost every farm.
With the disappearance of the gamc
went the old hunter. He is still with
us, but he no longer follows the track
OF the deer or pursues the willy turkey.
BY the modern fireplace he sits living
over again the exciting scenes Of tho
early days. His race Is nearly run. A
few more years and he will have gone
the way of the red man and of the
animals that inhabited the forest. Le-
gend will recount his deeds, but the
actor himself will be but memory.
Convincing nroof of Tho afylcocv 10