The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-22

writer listened intentfy. he was unable
| to tell which direction the dogs had gone
and after waiting about half hour he
mounted his horse and rode north on
Middle trail to the Lightning road; turn
/ ing down toward the Gum Stick pond he
l found Bud Hooks and Mr.. Lilly. They
old not know which way the dogs had
gone, but Dandy, who had chased a cub
out of the Hurricane while the pack
! had followed a big bear, had just re-
turned and started south toward Black
creek Mr.. Lilly and Bud at once de-
l cided that the big bear must have gone
in that direction. Mr.. Lilly then gave
| the writer the following instructions:
Ride down to the Buck trail and then
south toward Black creek past the Buck
pond If the bear has gone to Black
creek, he may come back that way, and
| If he does you will meet him"
Mr.. Lilly's Judgment was excellent, Is
future developments proved The Buck
pond was about two miles away by the
trail and in that direction the tender
foot from Kansas made his way.
The bear had run toward Black creek
just as Bud Hooks and Mr.. Lilly
thought. and there he encountered John
Salter a bear hunter of some distinc-
ton. The animal had stopped frequent
Iy on the way to fight the dogs, which
are always troublesome though eau
tious and when he had covered the
three or four miles to Black creek he
was pretty well tired out. Accordingly
he climbed about 20 feet up the trunk
of big pine tree where he was safe
from the dogs. Salter, from his stand,
heard the dogs in the thicket and made
his way toward them There he found
the bear hanging on the tree while the
dogs barked Spitefully below him. Inc
hunter brought his Winchester to his
shoulder and fired, and down came the
bear, and the dogs at once pounced upon
him. The shot was their cue and the
bear was supposed to have received
mortal wound. but he shook them off,
stopping only to knock one or two of
them over and again made off as fast
as his legs could carry him. Salter
had evidently fired too quickly or had
become exhausted by his long run to the
dogs, and so his aim was spoiled The
bear ran about a half a mile when he
again took refuge in a tree and Salter
again missed his shot. This time the
bear turned north toward the Buck
pond, stopping every Tow and then to
fight off the dogs.
When the writer reached the Buck
pond riding slowly he stopped and far
ahead he heard the yelping Of the bear
pack At the risk Of smashing knee
cap or two he spurred the horse to a
gallon. The barking came nearer and
nearer The dogs were in front of tbs
rider. and in the thicl1et to the left of
the Buck trail. Tying his horse, he
swung his Winchester across his arm,
first making sure that there was shell
in the chamber and ran toward the
thicket, where the sharp barking of the
dogs Indicated that the bear was at pay
When within a hundred yards OF the
place away went the bear with the dogs
at his heels, the hunter catching only
glimpse of the animal as he plunged
deeper into the thicket Following as
fast as possible, the Kansan got little
nearer than before when the bear again
broke away from the dogs He ran only
a short distance and again stopped This
time the hopeful bear-hunter, hot and
Derspiring. made a half circle. and Wnesa
opposite where the dogs were barking ne
came in full sight of the object OF his
search. only about 80 steps away. He
was standing with his forefeet on a
log and was looking back and swapping
at the dogs who were behind him at
safe distance. IT. wasst the act of mo-
ment to bring the gun into play, and IN
an instant a 44zeahbre Winchester ball
struck the bear frsu in the shoulder. 1t
was an easy shot. At the sound OF the
gun the dogs sprang at the animal ana
with a crash the dogs and bear all dis
aDDeared in the brush. Following as
fest as possible. the visitor had rot gone
over twenty steps when back came the
dogs, almost falling over each other IN
their hurry to escape. me hunter
ran on and thirty yards farther on he
near a log and gasping his last. He had
turned upon the dogs. charged and
dropped dead. 1t was not necessary to
IRE another shot. The chase was ended,
but it required some time before the
dogs could be induced to let the dead
bear alone. They had an old grudge
apparently, and continued to bite the
PROSTATE animal long after he had
breathed his last.
If the tenderfoot from Kansas felt a
sensation of pride, he should be for
given, for it was his first bear. Though
not naturally brave, IN the excitement
Of the chase he had forgotten to be
afraid No thought of danger had en-
tered his mind and the fact Is that
there is really little or no danger in
hunting the black bear. He is always
much more concerned in getting away
than in in1icting bodily injury. though
dogs are frequently killed. In this case
not a dog was injured
The problem that now presented It
self was how to let the other men in
the chase know that the end had come.
Every man who hunts in the big thicket
is equipped with q horn which is made
of an ordinary steers horn, scraped
| thin and with the tip end sawed Off
This can be heard three or four miles
after one becomes accustomed to blow
/ ing it and it is the signal of the hunts