Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-11-23
aHisesllaasous &saains.
-vARMINTS" ALL GONE.
5000 Mountain Lions Killed Of II
California,

California.
Three thousand mountain lions
slain in California in two years ex-
plains the plentifulness Of deer this
season, according to County Game
Warden Morgan, just back from
vacation on his ranch at Rosamond,
Kern county.
There Morgan bearded the lion In
his den but failed to get 1t, though
the animals abound in that wild vi
cinity.
Venison has been more abundant
in Los Angeles this season than in
twenty years, the veriest tyro among
hunters coming back to the city
with one or two bucks after short
trips into the mountains. Persons
who never tasted deer meat have
had it on their table, and they have
wondered why they could never get
1t before.
Morgan has the solution, and he
has figures to prove his case.
While humans may hunt deer Tor
but a few months in the year, the
mountain lion is obliged to respect
no season. It hunts every month,
and it slays does as we'll as bucks.
Sportsmen estimate that an active
mountain lion kills and devours an
average of twenty-five deer in
twelve months.
Thus, by the killing Of 5000 Of the
"varmints," the lives Of at least To-
600 deer have been preserved in the
last two years for the men with the
guns and ability to use them. This
does not take into account the natur-
al increase in the lion family, which
would have amounted to possibly
5000 more.
Little interest was taken in the
killing of the lions until the state
fish and game commission, realizing
the need for greater protection OF
deer and other game, offered
bounty Of $40 for each mountain
lion killed. This is not state law;
simply an action on the part of the
commission, which has at its dis
posal the money collected on hunting
licenses and obtained from other
sources.
At $40 each, the dead lions have
cost the commission 100000, though
1t is said that the bounty has not
been claimed in each case. The skins
Of quite a number of the animals
have been brought to Los Angeles,
where the bounty was claimed.
Some Of these animals are Of great
size, measuring twelve feet from nose
to end Of tail, while eight-footers
are common back in the sparsely
settled mountain districts.
Though Morgan failed to get
mountain lion, he and his party slew
five wildcats. eleven coyotes, ESQ
jackrabbits and other pests, not to
mention deer, duck, quail and mis-
cellaneous game.
Morgan and several friends had an
exciting wildcat hunt one day at
spot where two years ago c. E. Patter-
son, then supervisor, and James ]. JEFF
fries slaughtered six Of the beasts.
The game warden and his party got
FIVE; but they missed one, and there
by hangs a tale, but not tail.
When the cats were encountered In
a group by hunter in advance OF
Morgan and Fred Johnson, the man in
advance blazed away and killed three
bang! bang!-just like that,
Morgan says. The warden, who was
up hill, plugged two
others; but the biggest one Of the lot
tore down the. mountainside within
twenty feet Of Morgan, making one
leap of thirty feet into a dry wash,
along which Johnson was making his
way.
johnson was out for bear, or almost
but wildcats. In a holster
he carried a revolver; in his belt was
an immense hunting knife, and over
his shoulder was a shotgun.
The big mountain pussy, tearing to-
ward him like projectile from bat
tleship, seemed to turn Johnson's su-
perheated hunting blood into ice wa
ter. Turning like man who had left
his carfare at home, he raced for the
camp, only a short distance, where
women Of the party breathlessly
watched the animal as it swiftly gain
ed on the fleeing form. Off flew john
sons hat; his revolver popped out Of
his pocket and his cleaning hunting
knife fell in his wake; but the wild
cat kept on gaining.
Breathless and white. Johnson fin
ally reached his camp, having turned
his head not once in his flight. There
he found the women convulsed, and as
soon as he could sputter out an in
terrogation he found why.
About half way from where he be-
gan the race the cat turned suddenly
to the side and dashed into the brush,
where it was lost to sight. The wom-
en- saw this, knew Johnson was safe,
and their fun came in viewing the
scared hunter in his flight from a
danger that was only imaginary.-Los
Times.