The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-16
BEARS FAR TOO FRIENDLY
SEEM TO KNOW THE LAW DOWN
PENNSYLVANY WAY.
III the Closed Season They Pay Maraudlng
Visits to Berry Pickers and Fishermen
Two at Once Stole the Fruits Of
Macpherson's Labor-Two Cubs Drunk.

hWo ~ ouBC BtOlC Iu6 EEultS VI
Macpherson's Labor-TwO Cubs Drunk.
HARRIsBURG. Pa. Aug. 12.-While a whole
lot Of people In those parts Of Pennsylvania
where bears still live do not agree that the
bears are acting as they do simply because
they are aware Of the provisions Of the new
State law that protects them from early
spring until fall. 1t is a fact that bruin this
season has shown an unprecedented dis
position TO be sociable.
The way In which bears have come right
into lumber camps and fishing camps and
proceeded TO help themselves has been
not only amazing but a%ggravating to woods
men and campers. and they are far from
being %reoonoiled to a situation that re-
quires the posting Of s~entinels in camp.
day and night, to keep the disturbing bears
away and to save the provisions.
Bears have with the boldest assurance
and with a palpable air Of confidence
stalked from the woods into settlements
and sauntered leisurely through them, mani
Testing no inclination to make haste away
from them until the Harvesting Of dogs
and pelting of stones from the hands Of the
indignant populaoe urged them elsewhere;
and huokleberry pickes and trout fisher
iho lRtNc COulc III Will NdTlcu dSbOT tIIltlltS
Of tales about experiences with bruin in
the sauciest and most GO centric Of moods.
One Of these tales accompanied George
Macpherson home, up in Sullivan county.
Macpherson went out huokleberrying on
Eagle Mountain. The berries were plenti-
full, and Macpherson was not long In filing
a twelve quart pail. SettiAg this filled pail
down in the shade of a hemlock tree, he
went forth with another twelve quart pail
he had with him The, second pail was not
long in the filling and Macpherson returned
with it toward the hemlock tree where he
had left the first one to take up that one
and go on home.
Macpherson suddenly paused. however.
when he came near the tree and opened
his eyes wide. With its back against the
tree and the twelve quart pail Of buckle
berries between it's hind legs sat a pretty
good sized bear. scooping the berries out
OF the pail with its f%orepaws and %devouring
them with unmistak able signs of enjoy
ment. When Macpherson recovered from
his surprise he shouted at the bear, ex-
peoting that bruin would be frightened by
II and would scurry AWAY. But to Mac
pherson's renewed surprise bruin did not
brighten In the least. He paused in his
soooping Of berries long enough to look
up and see where the shout came from
and then busted himself with the feast
again. utterly ~unconcerned.
That made Macpherson mad. He put
his second pail of berries on the gr ound,
hunted up a big club and advance upon
the bear with fire in his eye. The bear got
right up and hurried of into the tall bushes,
taking the pail Of huckleberries with him.
Macpherson gave chase and followed the
bear until 1t dropped the pail and escaped
the whacks from the club that he plainly
felt were coming to him.
Macpherson got his pail back. but what
berries the bear had not deyoured had been
spilled. Using some language against the
law that forbade him carrying a gun against
bears In h~uckleberry time. he made his way
back to where he had put his other pail OF
berries or the ground. and when he got in
sight OF II he wa ready to utterly DEFY all
the bear laws and all other kinds of laws
that ever were. for there. with that pail OF
berries between his legs. and scooping them
out OF the pail just as the other bear had
been doing with the first pail, sat another
bear. looking more ag%gravatingly impudent
than the first one.
The bear saw me as soon as ] saw him"
Macpherson Ia reported as saying. and
evidently didn't like the look In my ewes
and the size Of my club. He set the pail
down. and l saw that he bad only just begun
to eat when l came upon him, 80 the pail was
about as good as full yet. But he was 60
put out that he had to leave the rest that
he was contemplate. enough to give the
pail a kick and send 1t flying, scattering
the berries over a rod Of ground. flung
the club after him az he went into the
bushes. but 1t missed him. He stopped
and turned, n for a minute | was sure
he was going to come back to have some
off he went. So l had to 60 to work and
pick those pals full Of berries again.
Joe Ebert. one OF a fiehinR party camping
on the headwaters OF Log Cabin Brook in
making himself liable to a fine Of s2s and
costs OF prosecution one day. and he saws
he is sorry yet that he didn't do it. He had
brought In from the creek after q hard
days fishing the finest catch Of trout Of
said. in spite Of what he discovered was
the efforts Of a bear to prevent him.
I hadn't been fishing a great WHILE
so Joe gives his story Of it, 1when I / began
to notice that muddied water and sticks
and all sorts Of stuff were following me
and going. ahead Of me and putting the
creek in the worst kind OF condition for
fishing. / never would have believed IL
II i seen 1t, but after a while / dis
covered that a bear was sneaking along
down the creek and every now and hen
getting into the brook behind me and
scrambling up the bottom of the creek
with its feet and scraping things In from
the banks OF he stream. That was what
was spelling the water for good fishing.
This went on for maybe q mile, and that
covered the best stretch Of fishing. Then
the bear left and went OF into the woods.
Il g back up the creek then and fshed
the ground over again and landed nearly
all OF he beauties I brought into camp
that day. The reason the bear acted that
way, 80 Sam Day, a native Of that country,
told me afterward. was that the creek was a
favorite fishing place for bears, they being
expert fishers, and that this one was simply
trying to spoil the fishing for me that day
n save IL for himself.
After ] had come in with my catch and
We had all looked 1t over and admired It
l put the trout on the cool grass by the
side Of a spring not far from the tent and
went Oh after the camp man TO have him
come and dress the fish. It wasn't ten
minutes before I was back to the spring
with the man, but thai had been time enough
for a bear to come in and swipe those trout
OF mine, but not long enough for him to
get out OF sight with them. NV MIN atood