The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-11
BEE HUNTING NEAR THE CITY.
SPORT KNOWN TO ONLY a FEW
~ THE HIGHLANDS.
Pursued by q small Number er Dweiiers In
the Hills. Though PrOnounccd One 0r
the Finest OF Autumn Pnstimes FOR the
Lover OF the wOods-Hmters' Methods.

While Runners are planning TO Kill grouse,
roodoock and duck, one Of the finest autumn
sports Of all is left this year, ss 1t has been
T. generations back, to the enjoyment
Of rural hunters. namely, the pleasing
and improving occupation OF getting a
A.a on the wild honey bee and capturing
bis hidden stores.
The Orange county woodsman who
lives on the Tome back of Fort Mont
romery aud whose statements regarding
This sport were recently sent to THE Sun
nv a doubling correspondent is not the only
mighty hunter OF local repute who has
chased the festive wild bee.
Phil Hager, who lived for years on Gro
Nest and later resided in the notch at the
head Of Storm King Glove and who recently
decided to end his days in a snug little cot
tsse in Stony Lonesome Hollow back of
West Point, is one OF the mightiest Q
hunters in the Hudson Highlands and has
= fund of lore on the subject. There are
also a score Of other native hunters Of
repute.
In the excitement and uncertainty Of
the chase, the danger and toll involved
and the sweet enjoyment of the spoils,
rhe bee hunter find full play for the exer-
rise Of all his faculties. The woodsmen
HkfClB LLoL u Dto &c q ~ uOlO hhoVAh&
creature than any feathered fowl.
The methods Of sscertaining the location
~ the home tree. where the coveted hoard
Of honey has been stored, differ, variou
bee hunters having their favorite ways of
getting a line on bees. just as the shotgun
enthusiasts have their particular hobbies
in seeking the birds. The writer found one
of them in a reminiscent mood n day last
spring, in the Glove under Storm King.
This natives custom in hunting the loca-
ton of the home tree, for it is the tree and
not the bee which is hunted, although the
bee itself is actually pursued, lis to carry
on som warm fall day a bit OF old honey
comb and a cup with a little honey in il.
Unless the day is warm the bees will freeze
up and remain in the hive, but they will
rome forth aRaiu. even after a protracted
cold spell. so long as there is any sweetness
10 be gathered from the earth.
The comb he places between two heated
stones. Its odor will soon attract any honey
bees that may be flying ~thereabouts. One
of these he will capture even at the risk Of a
sting and will place il in the cup. where it
will Immediately forget its wrath and attack
the honey in the cup.
The bee, upon getting it's fill, will rise in
the air, circle about and then make a Decline
for the hive, and return in time accom-
panied by several other bees from the same
hive. These in turn will bring still others,
until there is a well defined line Of bees
pointing a path through the air straight
toward the hive.
Another man gets a line on his bees differ
entity. He uses the burned comb and the
honey, but he employs two cups.
Having caught the direction Of the hive
from one cup, he stations the second onea
considerable distance away II gets a line
- bees flying from there also, knowing
that in all probability these bees belong to
the same hive as the others. The direction
II their flight assists him in finding the
hive.
Having found his tree, the most delicate
ask Of the bee hunter has to be performed.
He has probably got his line in the late
forenoon, when the bees fly most abundantly
md has carried his search for the tree
we'll into the afternoon.
Now he goes home, eats a hearty meal
and waits for darkness. With nightfall the
bees are all home and at rest.
Then he sallies forth. equipped for battle,
bearing mosquito netting, an axe, a lantern,
and all the pals he can carry. But let one
Of the mighty hunters tell the story:
Il found a swarm all alone one day, in a
big oak back in the mountains near Cat
Hollow. l figgered hat the tree was chuck
full of honey, but I didn't like the idee Of
gettin' stung takin' it out, 80 I promised
Jim Drew 10 show hin the tree and give him
half the honey IL he'd go up there with me
and do all the work.
A bee sting bothers me worser'n a snake
bite, but il don't affect Jim much after it's
stopped hurtin'. So he took me up on the
proposition, an was mighty glad to get
the chance.
1T was a pretty warm night and ! had
q notion that the bees, instid OF sleepin',
would be kinder restless. Not wantin' to
take no chances 1 didn't go near the tree.
hut sat down in the dark a little distance
away and told Jim to git to work. Fust he
cut down a little cedar and Topped OF its
branches.
What on airth is that fur?' I asked him.
why he says, that's an Indian ladder.
The hole whar they go in is just above
the cliff thar, an I'm agoin' to build a fire
on top the rocks an smoke 'em OUT
Man alive I says, you're crazy. It's a
~tarnstion hot night; can't ye see the bees
all roostin' outside!'
Thar was a wad OF 'em as big as your
head hanging onto a limb, and a lot fiyin'
around the tree. II wa so ALFRED hot
that they wouldn't stay inside the tree,
whar they belonged, n the heat seemed
TO have stirred their tempers up some.
Any way, he started up his Indian
ladder and l started TO clean out. He
didn't git more n halfway up when they
begun to cum at i'm. He begun 20 yell
and cuss, an finally he fell of the ladder
backward.
Hepicked himself up and hesputters out:
Col darn it, but they've got hot feet!' and
starts up the ladder agin good an mad.
He tried to go up thar three times, and say,
had to laugh. Finally he give 1t up.
We sat on a log an waited a while. an
then l told i'm to gimme the axe an take
the lantern OF In the woods q ways. Then
started down to the foot OF the tree under
the cliff.
"'Ye amt goin' 10 try an chop that
he says. why. We couldn't cut that tree
down in a million years
1t was a big one, all right, about three
feet through near he butt, but I had my