Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-08-27


This would make it impossible to move
the top from side to side when once ii
was down.
| didn't get bear that night, but
the next night as | passed by the pit
thought | heard a rustic as If some
animal were moving away from the
trap. / didn't go any nearer because
through the trees | could just make
out the slant of the roof. 1t hadn't
been sprung yet.
The next night looked" the trap
and found bear In it.
While had been confident all along
that | would be able to land a bear
there was more or less surprise attach
ed to the capture Of this one.
Coming up to the side of the pit.
saw through the roof cover young
bear making every effort to get out.
This is great luck" | said to my
self. Everything is coming my way.
There would be the skin and the
meat, and | began to think OF every
thing about the animal could use.
made up my mind that he must not
get away from me. can't describe
to you my feelings just then. ] i'm,
agine they were something like those
of a miser when there is possibility
Of bis losing his gold
At that time the bear was worth
more to me than all the gold in the
world.
Considering the situation carefully.
/ found that | would have to break
away some of the flashing in order to
get at the animal But ] had to be
careful not To break away too much,
so | made an aperture just big enough
Ivt um 70 SucK his head out.
Before doing this | got hornbeam
club. which | held in readiness.
Presently out came the nose of the
bear, made vicious swing and
DlaSe him My presence so enraged
the animal that he struggled around.
trying frantically to escape. Again his
head came up through the torn place
in the cover, and this time | landed
squarely on top of it.
But you can't kill a bear by hitting
him over the head. You must strike
him on the nose. knew that, and
just waited my chance.
AS looked down at him a feeling O.
pity came over me- at the method
was forced to use. But how else could
do it? Pretty soon he stuck out his
front paws. | swung and hit them
With a cry of pain be pulled them
| back.
Keeping my eyes on the bear every
minute, | backed away to tree and
| broke off a small limb covered with
| leaves. Returning to the trap, tore
| away another ashing
With my left hand | began to dan
| gle the leaves on the end Of the branch
in his face to divert his attention SO
that | could deliver blow with the
club.
In his anger a good part of his nose
came out. | swung my club, landing
on the side of the bears nose The an-
imal tOppled over in the pit and lay
perfectly still.
knowing bears of Old did not take
any chances even then. prodded him
with the stick. There was no question
about 1t. Ee was dead!
1t had been pretty strenuous work,
SO | decided to put off the task OF
skinning the creature until the next
day. | knew what that would mean
without any knife. 1t would take me
hours to complete the work.
Catching that bear was the biggest
thing had yet accomplished in the
forest.
| think every man who has accom-
plished something a bit bigger than the
ordinary things OF his daily routine
has a right to feel proud. 1t is a part
of his reward.
However. there was a great deal of
luck attached to nay catching that bear.
Anyway. | had him, and | was pleas
ed beyond measure.
The red deer and the little white
fawn came up to my spring the next
| morning
b. O'Clock | was at the trap again.