The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-12-03
Footprints Followed in Snow for
Over Twelve Miles.
Farmer Overtakes Bear After Long
Chase, and Now PeIts Of Five Of
Them, Worth at Least 500,
Hang on Side Of His Barn.

Williamsport, Pa.-The first Novem-
Der tracking snow brought grief to a
colony of thieving bears in the Brobst
mountain district west OF Trout run.
Frank Kinley, the loser of Ave sheep
during the fall months, and one of the
men who wants protection of the law
removed from the bear tribe, SO that
farmers can wreak vengeance upon
the overgrown pests whenever they
set eyes on them. is at least 500 bet
ter OF than he was the day before the
unreasonable snow fell, for he has the
hides OF five bears hanAing up against
the end Of his barn to dry, these pelts
representing the jackets Of the AMI
mails which he feels sure are the ones
that raided his place and killed his
Sheep.
Kinley. for three days before the
snowfall. had been picking apples.
hauling them to the cider mill and
drawing the barrels of cider back home
again. He wanted two barrels OF the
cider to cure for winter, and these he
rolled onto the ground next the smok.
house. but within two rods of the back
part Of the house. The next morning
one Of these barrels of cider had been
rolled down the hill and one through
the fence.
There was evidence OF bears In the
soft earth of the road. for there was a
perfect network of tracks. though the
creatures had been unable to get the
bung OF the barrel open: hence the
| contents were safe. But Kinley vowed
he would catch the thief. so he set a
| steel trap close to the barrel and per-
mitted the latter to remain in the road
But. unknown to Kinley. while he slept
soundly that night. snow began to
fall. and though the bears had re-
turned. they neither got into the trap
nor did they get the barrel open.
| The next morning in the inch or
more Of snow kinley had glorious
opportunity to track the animals. He
first thought the tracks were only
those OF two old bears and pair of
cubs. He and his two boys began the
chase soon after daybreak. but II
was almost noon before they came to
the lair OF the bears.
Once they came to where the bears
had lain in laurel thicket. but, as
though learning that they were being
pursued. they had resumed their
hike" this time bearing of as though
intending to make a circle of their
days journey. Upon discovering this
fact. Kinley himself started in a direc
ton that would take him to a poin,
cross-tracking the animals. II they KEEP,
their circle travel.
Once on the brow of ridge where
, he calculated the beasts would pass
he hid himself behind a rock and wait
ed. He had been there hardly hall
an hour when he heard a succession
OF grunts. and. squirting from his
cover. he beheld an old bear and two
cubs not a rod away from him. and
heading right toward him. He cut
loose with his rife, and while he only
wounded the old bear. he succeeded In
making ten-strike on the cubs, and
each of these tumbled In his tracks
In hardly a minute after the shoot
ing third cub put in an appearance
and a shot fixed it,
Then Kinley concluded that the
other old bear was not far of and
started on run down the trail ex
pecting to overtake II. but a shot from
the direction in which he knew his
boys must be indicated to him tina.
the old bear must have cross-coun
tered and was heading for the laurel
thicket again. Two more shots were
fred by the boys soon after. and he
heard one Of the boys calling: There's
snother."
Then he rightly concluded that the
bear which he had wounded must also
b. mailing for the cover Of the laurels
ard - ran u top speed In the direc,