The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-03-03
Hunter Sees Panther Like He
Used to Hunt.
Animals Are Not Extinct In State Of
Pennsylvania a. Generally Sup
Posed-May Have Escaped
From Menagerie or Circus.

Waterville, Pa.-William Button.
who lives on the mountain about two
miles north, and who when a young
man had more than one exciting ad-
venture with panthers, declares that
the belief that panthers are extinct
In Pennsylvania is a mistake. He
says he saw a panther in open day
light one forenoon during a trip he
made through the wilds of the country
north Of his place on an inspection OF
his bear traps.
Button Il seventy-one years OF age.
and has lived In the Pine creek region
ever since he was a boy Of seven.
when his people came In over the old
Coudersport pike and ''sQuattea" on a
piece OF land along that thoroughfare
and followed the business OF trapping
and hunting and filling a small piece
Of ground In the neighborhood of what
Is now Haneville.
Young william was schooled In the
wilds and at eleven years of age was
fine shot with a smooth-bore rife.
and year later he killed big pan
Their that had followed him and his
mother while they were returning at
night from Lock Haven. This ami
NAL, but a few weeks before. had at
tackled and almost killed a peddler
that had passed along the road.
With his acquaintance concerning
panthers and their ways. the old
mans declaration that the panther has
again appeared In the Pennsylvania
wilds gives rise to a most interesting
question. for the state authorities
announced as much as fifteen years
ago that there were no more panthers
In Pennsylvania. Mr.. Button was in
specting his bear traps the other day.
and had gone into q deep ravine in
crossing from one ridge to another.
when his attention was attracted to
the partially devoured carcass Of a
deer. The blood and torn flesh Of the
animal showed him that the work
had been done that very day. He ex-
amined the carcass to determine the
character Of the animal that had killed
It. when he heard a peculiar. cat-like
growl that seemed to come from the
thick OF a big hemlock close by, and
looking up into the boughs of the tree
he saw the form Of a big tawny crea.
ture that lay crouched on one Of The
limbs at a point near the trunk. II
was far too big for q catamount, and
for the moment the old hunter thought
II was a mountain lynx. which animal
Is still found at rare intervals.
He had q rife with him. but before
he determined to shoot. being anxious
to learn the character Of the beast, the
thing raised quickly and Jumped to
the ground at the other side of the
tree. A shot sent in its direction
failed Of Its mark and with that the
animal had gained effective cover in
the thicket At that moment the beast
gave vent to Q cry Of anger that was
unmistakably. Mr.. Button says. the
cry Of the panther a. he heard II
hundreds of times In the early years
of his manhood az q hunter and trap
per. Button watched for the animal
to come into the open beyond the
thicket. where the ground rose; but
It was smart enough to avoid this.
"a as II doubtless was gorsed with
It's feast Of deer the animal probably
took to q convenient tree and retired
for rest. Button examined the ground
where the beast must have leaped
down. and found In the soft earth
tracks that further convinced him that
the animal was . panther.
:ns old hunter. however. h not of
shs oolnioa that The panther = sns q