The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30
BEAR HUNT IN TEXAS THICKET.
ONE OF FEW PLACES WHERE
BRUIN MAY BE FOUND.
Pack OF Hounds Used I'm h Chase
VINO Killed His lIsth Bear-The Good
Luck OF q TenderfOOt- Passing Of Big
Game In the South rs the Forests Go.

Pack Of Hounds Used In the Cnase -HuhUof
VINO Killed His lIsth Bear-The Good
Luck Of q Tenderfoot Passing Of Big
Game in the South rs the Forests Go.
The Big Thicket of Texas is known
throughout the South wherever there is a
man who enjoys the chase Of big game.
IL Ia now recognized as one OF the few
refugee for the black bear and its dense
Tickets and open glades furnish places
and feeding grounds for the white tail deer.
There are also wild turkeys and bob cats to
be found within it's depths, but when any one
epeaks Of the thicket now it is always
associated with bear.
The black bear Of the Big Thicket is the
ordinary black bear OF North America.
Sometimes a small full grown bear Is killed
weighing as little as 300 pounds, and occas-
sionally one that will tilt the scales at CO.,
but the average is about 300.
In order 70 understand thoroughly how
the bear in the Big Thicket are hunted and
killed, writes a correspondent OF the Topeka
Stdte Journal, it Is necessary to consider
the two master hunters, Henry BUD
Hooks and his brother Ben. In this particu-
lar hunt another important factor wa
Ben v. Lilly Of Louisiana, who Is engaged
An hunting specimens for the United States
biological Museum and who on this occasion
killed his iIsth bear and let 1t be known
that he has never had to climb a tree and
has never had any hairbreadth escapes.
Ben Hooks il the master OF the hunt. He
manages the dogs and can come nearer to
keeping up with them than any one. he Is
a little less than 10 years old, 1.-THE as a
Vrevbol I'd and with the endurance OF a
we'll trained athlete. Bud, his younger
brother, Is heavier on his feet. He has a
uonstrous head covered with iron gray
fair and is Just az persistent in the chase
OF Bruin as his older brother, but Is prob
ably less often in at the death. These two
men have lived In Hardin county all their
lives and II they are your friends one OF the
most difficult problems Of bear hunting Is
solved. They DO not hunt for money and
they would much rather give you the shot
than take it themselves.
The bear pack is composed OF Dandy
the start dog, and Ramsey, Buck, Kin
Drag, Aleck Big Foot and Jack. Dandy
IA Q years old, entirely deaf, slow OF motion
hut still the head, the most important dog
IN the pack. He is a monster hound, prob
ahlv containing a strain Of cur. DE Is
utterly ODuV'Oub " CNViJ noNN -
NJ a bear. He has an unfailing scent and
once he strikes a trail he never quits until
the bear is dead or leaves b country.
The dogs are fastened together, two
and two, but Dandy Is allowed to roam
at will. The others might chase on after
a deer or bobcat, but the old dog can be
trusted to get what the party is hunting
for. As soon as the bear leaves his bed
upon the approach OF the dog the rest oil
the pack Is unleashed and away they al
20. bear and dogs, leaving Dandy far be-
hind. still persistent, with his nose close tc
the ground, loudly baying and following
rs fast as his heavy legs will carry him.
While the writer was In the thicket there
were two bears killed. The first one wal
shot by Mr.. Lilly In the first days hunt
after a chase Of only about half an hour
The second was killed within one day Of
A week later. As this one more closely
concerns the writer, the n Of his
chase and death will be told in detail.
The hunting party on this occasion wal
eomooeed Of ten people n eight dogs
Leaving camp at 7:SO In the morning, tbs
middle trail for the bear grounds-abouI
two miles southeast-was taken. A trai
Ia the Big Thicket is path cut through tbs
= VOFHHyA A0u LAukLCO " VI III Aoh oAA 51NhA
marked BY blazed trees. It Is easy enough u
follow In the dense jungles, because there
"a no place else that will permit the free
passage OF a human being, but in the oper
FORESTS and burnt outs" IL Is often difficult
to find, and once OF the trail a tenderfoot
Ben Hooks and Mr.. Lilly were in charge
Of the drive. The other member OF the
party were posted where the bear might
croes the trails. The drivers, with the aiC
Of Dandy, were supposed to find the beal
and start the chase. John Salter n the
writer were mounted and the rest were or
foot. A horse can be ridden IN the traili
IL the rider does not object To having his
knees and shins bumped by trees. but in the
ehicket a horse is next TO useless to one
Htfle used to riding. The men who are
stationed 70 watch for the bear are called
standers. and this time they were scattered
alonx the middle trail with two exceptions.
Bid Hooks was stationed near the Gun
Stick Pond on the Lightning road. and yohI
Salter, WHO bad a horse, was sent TO BlacI
Creek. foGr miles to che south. TIL writel
war glven a position on the middle trail OF
the south side OF the Hurricane Tn,
Hurricane is the hiding place Of the bear
AT eome remote date q tornado had broker
down all the heavy timber for about half
mile In width and two miles in length. 4
dense underground took the place OF tn
timber, and a bear may pass within teI
feet OF a hunter without being seen. Tn
hunt always begins at the Hurricane, anS
on this occasion Ben Hooks, Mr.. Lilly an'
the dogs entered the Hurricane south o
the Gum Stick Pond. Then ensued q loni
wait while Dandy prowied through IN
brush In search OF the track OF q bear.
A-..k 7nO Agolnak HhQn thu hNNn