Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-25
LIKE A HUMAN ON THE TRAIL.
Witness of a Wildcat as the Trapper
Read II In tho Snow.


Talk Of the intelligence and tact
that wild animals manifest in stalking
prey" said A. w. Stevens of Mexican
county, Pa, II never heard or read of
a more striking instance Of 1t than one
that came under the observation Of
Leroy Lyman, a noted woodsman Of
northern Pennsylvania.
After a fall Of snow he was going
came to tracks in the snow, in an old
wood road, which he recognized as
those of a wildcat. The trail kept
along in the road for some distance,
when it turned off at sharp angle
and entered the woods.
1.-The woods were devoid Of under
brush thereabouts. In fact, with the
exception Of few hemlock trees scat
tered about there was open space for
some distance between the road and
the timber line beyond.
1.-The tracks led straight as a chalk
line in the direction Of one Of the big
surprised to find thar it ended at the
tree, with the impression Of one Of the
wildcats feet in the snow, foot or so
Off the trail, near the tree trunk.
1.-The wildcat had not climbed the
tree. There was no other growth into
or upon which 1t could have leaped.
What had become of 1t was a mystery.
After studying the situation awhile,
Lyman believed that in that single
footprint apart from the trail, at the
tree trunk, he saw the solution Of the
puzzle. When he examined the trail
closely, he was sure Of 1t, for he dis
covered that each track bore the marks
of two Of the wildcats feet. The ami
NAL had returned to the road by taking
its trail back-and that without turn
ing in it's tracks. Then Lyman knew
that the wildcat was on the scent Of
game. and to secure 1t had been obliged
to resort to careful tactics.
Following the trail back to the
road, he found that the wildcat had
continued along it for about twenty
yards, to a spot where the ground at
the side of the road was two feet or
so above the roads level. and there 1t
had turned and climbed back into the
woods, behind another hemlock tree.
Beyond this tree and in line with it,
at a distance Of few yards, was an
other hemlock, and about the same dis
tance apart, straight in line, were two
more. A rod or so beyond the last tree
in the line lay big log. against which
the snow had drifted to the top.
THE Wildcats trail led from the first
tree of the row Of hemlocks to the Sec
ond, around which it followed, close to
the trunk, and so on to the second,
third, and fourth. From the fourth, as
the trail indubitably showed in the
snow, the wildcat had crept low to the
bottom Of the drift against the log, and
then along it and around to one end
There the scattered snow told the un-
mistakable story Of a leap from that
point of vantage, gained by tactics
startlingly human in the calculation
and judgment with which they were
executed.
THE snow on the opposite side Of the
log was torn up and scattered about
and covered with deer hair and blood.
It Is rare for a wildcat to attack prey
as big as deer, but this one was evil
IDENTIFY made desperate by hunger. A
mound Of snow a few feet away show
ed that the wildcat had won in the attack
for under it Lyman knew the beast
had buried such Of the deer as was left
after it had satisfied it's hunger for the
time.
when he uncovered the mound he
found the remains Of a doe. The
ground was bare on the lee side Of the
log, and there the deer had been lying
when surprised and overcome.
ITO the woodsman 1t was plain
that the wildcat had scented the deer
from the road, and laid plans for Its
capture. Stealing in as far as the hem
lock tree to which its trail first led, the
animal had kept the trunk Of the tree
between it and possible discovery by
its intended prey. Getting to the tree,
and still careful not to expose its body,
the wildcat had found it necessary to
reconnoitre to discover the position and
location of its game, so as to decide on
the safest tactics to adopt in getting
within capturing distance Of It.
ITO do this the wildcat had peered
around the tree trunk, during which in
spection it had put one paw out In the
snow to steady itself, making the sep
arate track near the tree. This
stealthy glance had evidently satisfied
the wildcat that further advance In
that direction was out Of the question.
for beyond the hemlock there was no
protection against discovery. So the
willy animal had backed cautiously
over it's trail to and along the road,
hacking in order that 1t might keep its
eyes in the direction Of the spot where
it had located its prey, thus to detect
any suspicious movement 1t. might
make, and note the result.
"Its plan was to seek the row Of hem
lock trees that offered 1t such strategic
advantage. This it did, and with the
successful issue that Lyman discov-
cred.
But with all it's cunning the cat
was no match for the wiles Of the
trapper who had read the story Of its
wisdom in those tracks in the snow.
Lyman replaced the snow on the mutt
lated remains Of the deer, and set his