New-York tribune., 1905-01-22
Animal Was Small but Vicious and Chased
It's Pursurer to Tree-Saved by Trick.


ingtoh Post
Perhaps nowhere else in Clinton County is the
forest Re so dense as 1t IS along the mountain sides
have been most plentiful during the season just
ended, and the successful hunter has been decided
Many renarksble incidents have occurred which
fehnsyVanlas wooded sections Some OF the
stories scarcely credible yet they always
people. wv y '''''' '''V 'O9'
without question Abner stormhole tells the
two other hunters. Stormhole left Lock Haven
tor the Nippanose Valley When they had reached
with a light snow. All three of the hunters had
quainted with the locality and naturally became
the leader After an hours hunt in close order the
prints carefully examined. all agreed that
they were made by bear Every impression T. IN
feet-three III front and two behind. Two of the
three foreless came down apparently together and
were about three inches apart
Th unusual tracks made Stormhole and his com
fve feet and their dogs soon took the scent, They
seemed timd, however, in pursuit Stormhoie SAYS
take nT rn the tracks ne boveVeT felt as though
it his part to make the start or at least dis
play the courage essential in a bear hunt.
Each man had his route carefully laid out and
St6rmhole began what ended In the most remark
able bear hunt known hereahouts He went up the
mountain side. forced his way through the under,
brush, slipping and falling on the snow covered
eaG ee hnf baTna of the hounds G told on him
that they We're still on the tran Nearer came came
4 could scarcely get through" said stormhole.
my way to sort of clearing. l really tired,
and for moment thought of rest. heard dis. @
tinctly heavy and unusual snorting. and tho
now became sharp. and I felt that / was close 10
to a place of safety. l got behind smooth barked,
was near and the thought Of the fve-footed beast
came like fash of lighting: l secured a firm
Then. with the fercest snort of all and a
beast. and mad as its size would permit;
around / was almost dazed 1 four feet
on the ground and an additional 'front.' Ieg teaIITs
killing of this beast would bring to a 9 fellow !
to add to the anger of the beast and its snorting
was something terrible @ When eae as1n vas 9ieG With
a useless frearm and furious bear two hundred
''Vainly worked with the gun while the beast st
a9y sdtys fhe gun aeedentay slipped the
raDdom e'' shot but it Stirred the bear, and he
came toward me with a rush, To the tree was
"The heavy spurs my hunting trousers aided
me nicely and was among the @ nFahehes me 6sId =" me-
captive and he rested at the trunk OF tne
a gun assured me that my companions were not
AS the hounds came out into the clearing t the
hear became restive and gave an unearthly snort.
1t was up to him to either climb the tree aIter
me or do battle with the dogs He chose the
former and his agility in getting up the Tree was
an evidence Of the usefulness of the extra leg ne
about twenty feet above the sloping side or the
mountain. When Brun got in the trst saaoie W On
boughs he rested Then my thoughts got pusy
as TO the best way to escape Tor coulu not
estimate how near my fellow hunters We're ~,
.'Scarcely twenty feet separated me from the
brute To drop to the earth meant serious IN
iury So I strapped myself securely TO the @ nnIo
usually carry straps of some sort AnotheI Gun n
shot gave me courage, but the report seeheu 70
irrifate the bear frenzied feeling came oVet
me as the beast began to crawl out on tne pIahtl
mon which I was The fifth leg seemed 70
steady him I felt that quick action was neceS ;
and I taunted Mr. Bear. Closer he came l nau
the measurement keenly in my mind aI9 aIS91 Win WIN
With ali the force I could. The scheme, was
desperate one but it worked nicely; ana De-
lieve 1t saved my life. . 49,, -,,ddsn1,-
ssThe motion caused the limb to bend suuoehlS,
and the bear. failing 10 hold himselb. was nuhs
ont oF the branches though thrown from
catapuIt The hexibity OF the limp carILeG III ne
bacl ard most fortunately l got myself rlghteu
Looking down, l saw the mouoniess oOuS - ~
Rear and the dogs standing over MN. . An.
,,TSv fha time craWled back to the hTSt sduue
of The branches my companions came up anu d., ~ ~
make sure one fired shot into MS pIdIn. .E
necessary, as we soon ledtheu nc '"0
fau from the tree had broken the peaSt neSI. n'eSI.os
.aThat was enough hunt for us ana We 4ISe 81 20
the dead bruin to starting point anu lttl iul
home There is the skin which readily s19StaIi SUBS M
tiates the story of five legs. and neeu o.eI no ~
ti'r oroofe az the manner in which 1t was siam
tbsn the verifcation by the gentlemen WIZ az
,,,iaI me-