The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02
COWBOYS MEET ANGRY BEARS.
Lively Hunting in Texas-A Fighting Buck
Comes to Camp.

Comes 20 Camp.
STANTON, Tex, Dec. This seasons
crop OF western Texas hunting stories
promises TO exceed In variety that Of any
previous year. Although the bear and deer
hunting season is only fairly open some
stirring tales have already been brought
here of encounters which sportsmen have
had with wild beasts.
Jim Gordon, a range rider for W. w.
Wilkins. whose big ranch is over near How
ard Wells, was surprised the other morning
to see a large black bear numbering along
ahead Of him. 1t was in a rough locality
and the bear was evidently out to get its
morning meal of sotol roots.
Gordon stuck his rails" into the horse
and took after the bear. When he got
within throwing distance he deity circled
the moose Of his rope over the bears head
The cow pony sat back on it's launches
and drew the rope taut.
The bear got one of its paws underneath
the moose n dprevented the rope from chok-
ing it into submission. Then began a strug-
gle that lasted for more than ar hour.
Gordon dismounted and attacked the
bear at close quarters with a knife. He had
no other weapon. The bear rushed at
him and knocked him down, but was pre-
vented by the rope from following up its
advantage.
Thus the fight went on. Finally Gordon
got hold OF the rope. managed to tighten the
moose 20 that the bears wine was tempo
rarily shut of, and then rushed in and cut
the jugular vein OF the animal.
An silver tip hear gave Bean
MOCutahapn and fun Af hia nnuhnvG n
lively race in the Davis Mountains.
McCutcheon's pack Of bear dogs had done
good work in hunting black bears, but had
never run up against a silver tip. On this
occasion they got on the scent of a bear and
ran into a thicket.
In a few minutes out came the dogs, yelp-
ing at every jump, with a big silver tip beSr
in close pursuit. When the bear saw the meR
IN horses IL turned its attention to them and
charged right at one Of the cowboys with
McCutcheon. Before any one could fire a
shot all three horses broke away.
One Of the cowboys dropped his rifle and
the other was carried away by his fright
ened horse. McCutcheon got his horse
under control with much difficulty and
waited for the numbering bear to CON
within good shooting distance.
He fired at close range and the bullet
struck the animal, but did not stop it. The
horse made another plunge and McCutcheon
was thrown Of. He managed to keep hold
of his rife and placed a bullet in a vital spot
of Bruin just as the animal was about to
Law hold on him.
The deer which inhabit the Gallons leading
into DEVILS River are Of an unusually vicious
nature. Belvis Serge, who owns the Alamos
Ranch. DOWN. Crockett county. will bear the
marks which m Of the big bucks gave him
a few days < az long as he lives.
Serge and three or four men from his
ranch pitched camp near the mouth Of
QolanSCreek for a hunt. The other MEM
bers of the party made an early getaway
one morning Serge bad some things to
attend 10 around camp and haSremained
behind.
He was standing with his back to the creek
driving down a tent pin with an axe when
he heard a sudden rush behind him and
before he could turn to see what 1t was
he was knocked half way up the side of the
tent. The shock of the blow caused him
To drop the axe and he mex found himself
on the ground with a buck standing over
him, shaking it, antlered head in rage.
The animal turned its read sideways
and struck Serge on the right side OF the
face with n Of its sharp pointed prongs.
1t ripped q long deep cash in the flesh and
caused a flow of blood that nearly blinded
Serge. The one sided battle would prob
ably hav0 resulted in the death of Serge
but for the fact that he managed 10 get
hold of the axe.
He broke the animals front legs at the
first two blows. IL turned to fee. but could
not make much Roadway in its crippled
condition and was soon overtaken by Serge
and killed,