Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-11-17
TRAINING DOGS
TO HUNT BEARS
Their First Work Is Generally
Trailing and freeing
Pets.
BRUlN is A GOOD BOXER
lie Usually Succeeds in Giving the Dogs
a Good Tussle Before They
Are Whipped Off by
Trainers.
5RUIN is A GOOD BOXER
From the Memphis News-scimitar.

There is in training almost at the
ioors of Memphis what will soon be.
II it is not now, the finest pack of bear
dogs ever seen in this part of the
country. In the days gone by there
have been some fine packs in the Mis-
sissippi bottoms, but probably none of
these packs was as carefully selected
and as carefully trained, nor were they
made up of as high class hounds, SO far
as speed is concerned.
This pack belongs to Harry Payne
Whitney and Herman B.. Duryea or
New York and ]. NJ. Avent of Hickory
Valley. These gentlemen, together with
Hobart Ames of Boston, have for some
time a a game preserve of $4,000 acres
Of ground at Hickory Valley. On this
there are 100 hounds and 100 or more
bird dogs. These hounds have been fa-
nous for years after and wolves,
with which the preserve has been
stocked.
There is also a large pen of deer on
this preserve, and for a time Mr.. Avent
thought of training some of his dogs
for deer. However, deer and bear in
this connection are incompatible, and
last all Mr.. Avent secured from Sun
flower county, Mississippi, w pet
bear, with the determination of train
ing the pack for the biggest game to
I've lOGliu III llAAS OGSliOll' III NhlllCA
to this, he secured the Bobo pack of
hounds. Then the real work began.
AT the foot of a small sapling Brer
Bear walks to and fro, with the uneasy
restlessness OF q man who awaits the
morrow with a note due and no money.
Now and then he pauses and tugs at
his chain.
Away over the little rise OF open
ground there comes a musical yelp,
swinging in its tone with the cadence of
successive leaps.
Another yelp, in q different key,
comes family. The bear turns and
shifts the air Nearer and nearer come
the sounds. The first note has swelled
into a quartet and then into a chorus.
over The hill the leaders Of the pack
come dashing. The whole pack has OPP
ened with it's exciting song. Soprano
dogs that tax the high notes, baritone
dogs that strine a middle pitch and
deep Chested bass dogs that register
the musical background to the melody,
join in an ever swelling volume of
sound.
Brer Bear hastily measures the dis
lance between himself n the dogs,
and between himself and the tree. With
a bound he has reached the side of the
tree; three quick leaps takes him 20 the
top of the little sapling. No cat could
have made the trip more quickly.
The leading dogs, far in advance OF
the pack, come bounding to the foo of
the tree. They growl, bark and bay.
They leap at the tree, as though try
ing to fly up at the bear. Their fore
feet are sent shooting up its sides. The
claws make vain efforts to catch the
same sort of hold that made the bears
escape eaSy.
Snarling. growing, yelping. they tell
the story OF a freed bear to the follow
ing pack and 10 the riders who are
giving the blooded horses free rein.
The bear hangs over q limb, his head
lower than his body, and growls at the
dogs. The compliment is returned.
When the Horsemen Dash Up.
All at once the Whole pack breaks
over the hill. Its music is intense in
It's volume. Then a horses head shows.
The animal plunges over the little rise
and a string of other riders follow.
Here, a city man, preparing TO take his
meals from the mantel: there a girl
who sits a horse as part Of it, laugh
ing, swinging along after the dog band
as 1t sings out its chase charge.
The riders dismount. Trained hands,
whip and pole arrayed, take off the
dogs. Brer Bear is pulled from his re-
treat and brought to the ground. He
looks around the ring and sizes up the
dogs that are likely to prove the most
troublesome. With rare instinct he
sorts out the barking dog from the
one with a willing bite.
Apparently watching the barking
host that is turned loose on him, he
keeps a weather eye on the little Scotch
terrier that comes darling at his flank
from the rear.
Zip"
He sends an upper cut at the little
dog and turns him over.
Not a yelp comes from the dog. He
rallies and seeks. cautiously, a new
opening. A white hound, caught up in
the rushing pack, is borne within reach
of Brer Bears paw. A quick slap. a
dog rolling over and over on the grass
and a turn for a new attack follows.
An old red hound who has been wait
ing for another dog to get the attention
Of the bear, shoots in from chino and
bites his trademark on Brer Bears hind
leg. The red dog darts out, before the
bear, turning with cat-like rapidity,
can catch him.
Brer Bear makes his upper lip the in.
strument upon which he blows a snort
ing defiance, and he makes a mad rush
in q circle, through the attacking pack
He knocks down a couple of dogs, runs
over the rest and goes chasing around
his circle until the little terrier. ready
to get even for his slap. suddenly drops
= ~ - ~ 1NAAA $50 -
snap at the mir leg.
Brer Bear pauses suddenly, slaps
right and left and gets In the middle
of the ring, to take a new fall out OF
all dogs that come his way. A big, ole
dog that makes as much fuss as q
campaign orator surrounded by q
friendly crowd. gives evidence of a de-
sire to devour the bear.
Brer Bear takes a fresh running
start anG makes his savage annoyei
move back out OF range. With no idea
In the world that he might possibly
use his hind legs for defense. Brel
e guards mis- front with perfect ad
dress.
The old dogs keep. well out of the
bears way. worrying him from tht
front. nagging him from behind. leap
ing In when an opening presents itself
and sidestepping when the bear turn:
on them.
i MINDED from his encounter. the beal
Is allowed to go to his friendly tree
He leaps UP to II with remarkabl,
speed n leaves the yelping paci
swarming and scatching at Its base.
So this pack is being prepared TO
the chase.
The trail is followed, the bear fount
and h dogs taught what not TO d.
when interviewing his bearship.
OF course. In handling the dogs In
matter of this kind. Mr.. Avent knew
exactly whore b bear had gone ap<