The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-06-01
INFANCY OF WILD THINGS.
Pennsylvania woodsman Tells About
Bear Cubs and the Does Care
of Her Fawn.

I
one that, although alive and lively
when he found it with its mother
which he had thoughtlessly killed
was less than four inches long.
1T was perfectly formed, but soor
died, as bear cubs are sure to do il
they are less than a month old wher
taken from their mothers. Cubs
grow very fast in nature, and wher
they appear in the spring with theiI
mothers they are as big as half
grown lambs.
Il know many an old hunter who
not only wall not kill she bears that
have cubs; but win take every meas
ure to protect them. This is from
no prompting of humanity, however
II is simply with an eye out for the
main chance in the future, when
those cubs have grown to bears, fat
and in fine fur.
"a motherless bear cub is poor
property, ard a bear mother nurs-
ing her young is of no use either as
meat or for fur. But her cubs in
year will be worth from $40 to s15
apiece, and she will herself be worth
more than that by the time she is
ready to hole up the next winter.
1T is not an uncommon thing for
bear to have four cubs at birth.
have heard of five at a birth. Three
are common, two more common, but
one may be counted on as being the
most common.
THE instance Of five bear cubs at
birth can't vouch for from per
sonal knowledge. although / saw the
old bear, and the man who killed her
had five cubs, which he declared were
all with her when he shot her. The
man WAS known as a person Of We
racity, but have my own ideas
about a man who could find it in his
heart to kill a bear that had five
helpless little cubs at her side. But
that doesn't make him out a liar.
II have personal knowledge, new
ertheless. Of a bear that had eight
cubs with her when / came across
her II the woods, aud she was ear
ing for them an with motheriy ten
derness. That was after ] had heard
of the one with five cubs. and I felt
that had come to a conclusion too
hasty as 10 the veracity Of the man
who had exhibited them.
"This bear with eight cubs was
such an extraordinary and unheard-
Of thing that resolved to capture
the whole family alive if 7 could.
When the old bear saw me she with
drew, with q great show Of fierce
ness, to the refuge Of fallen tree
top. hustling the cubs along in ad-
vance OF her
White reconnoitering to see how it
might be possible for me to carry
out my designs on the bear fairly, /
stumbled over a dead bear only a
few rods from where the other one
and the eight cubs had their quar-
ters. II was big bear, and she had
had her cubs.
what killed her / do not know,
but / thought / had a clear explana-
tion Of the other bears remarkable
family. She had four cubs Of her
own, and. having come across the
orphaned cubs whining on the dead
body Of their mother, she had adopt
ed them and was rearing them with
her own. made no further effort
to capture. that bear family, and the
live she lfev undoubtedly dined on
Il. L.-searcas the dead mother of her
fos q eubsA MI
"Its : -TAg@ about fawns and
their mo. sStA fawn when first
born is for sjme hours unable to
stand. The doe does not remain be-
side it. but PAGES slowly around at a
considerable distance
Every little while she gives tire
mulous. low. bleating call. At the
sou1d tho fawn lifts its head and
tries, to struggle to its fest
SHOULD the doe scent danger. such
as the approach Of some one in the
woods. she runs away in a straight
line, but .laggingly and haltingly. as
though she were badly hurt. When
she is satisfied that she has turned
the enemy far enough away, she
gives three great flying leaps, which
quickly take her out Of sight, and
she returns speedily to her helpless
young.
"If she is not disturbed she keeps
up the pacing about and the bieating
until she sees the fawn able to rise
aud keep its feet. Then she prances
daintily away in straight line,
choosing always the easiest thorough
fare.
"As she goes she calls family, stop
ping every few yards to look over
her shoulder 20 see that the fawn is
following She conducts the little
one to a hiding place. and she can
and does hide her fawn from sight,
although one may be almost upon
it, as absolutely as the hen pheasant
clucks her brood into concealment at
a sign Of danger"