The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1946-06-27
Lion Hunting Adventures Of
Bob Baker Thrilling Saga

ne QdVS Ol OdIllGl DOOnG an
Davie Crockett are in the far pas
Their mighty hunting deeds al
handed down as legends from TIL
time when the telephone, the auto
mobile, the radio and airplane wer
seldom visioned by the most astut
scientists of the day. The storie
of their bear hunting expedition
and hand to hand encounters wit
'ferocious" panthers have suffered
but little however in the passinl
of the years, and the youthful aspir
ing nimrod of a generation ag,
longed for the opportunity to know
the thrills of such exciting foray
into the untamed wilds. Few, how
ever, were fortunate enough to see
their wishes come true, and today
scarcely one American out of 100.
600 can truthfully say he has seer
live panther outside of a ZOO.
Strange as it may seem to the
average American, a man whose
panther-hunting experiences will
rival, and doubtless were the truth
known, exceed those of Boone and
Crockett, still lives today, and is
actively engaged in ranching here
IN Lincoln county, some four or
five miles above Libby on the Koo-
tenai River This man, well known,
not alone in Lincoln County and
Northwestern Montana where he has
followed his lion hunting career. is
also known throughout our entire
nation among sportsmen who thrill
to the deep bay of the lion dog
trailing its faVorite game. The name.
of MariuS Herman Bob" Baker
is known wherever lion and bear
hunters meet to discuss their favor
lite sport.
Bob Baker was born at Denlow,
Holland and came with his parents
to the United States when he was
a young lad of six years. The Bak- !
ker family came Immediately to
Helena, Montana, ten years later
moving to Missoula, where the lion /
hunter s early boyhood was spent /
The elder Baker, Jacob, was an
architect and craftsman by trade
and drew plans of the original
buildings for the University of Mon
tana.
When young Bob entered school,
he registered as Marius Herman.
In the family circle, however, he
was called "Bub!" Playmates hear
ing him addressed in this manner,
asked him what his parents called I
him. The lad replied, his name
was Bob and that was the way his :
parents pronounced the name Thus {
Marius Herman became Bob the
name by which he is known to all !
who have heard of his lion hunting =
exploits =
Young Baker arrived in Lin :
,oln County back in 1892 Like the E
noted hunters in the early days of q
he nation, he experienced many Q
'ther thrilling incidents in addition :,
0 his pursuit of the mountain lion -
IT cougar. In those early days of :,
he century Lincoln County was =,
more or less boisterous, and want ~
d" men, both from nearby Canada ~
nd this country frequently found h.
efuge here 81
Typical of the experiences of h,
equity peace officers of the day, W
yas one of the arrests made by r.
akker while serving as deputy r.
leriff in Rexford. A desperate by e.
lie name of O'Brien held up and ~
1bbed aS miner, killing his victim.
ccompanied by companion, p,
O'Brien escaped into the ~
Ills This happened while Lin "a
in County was still a portion of M
Iathead County, and most arrests co
outlying districts were made by "a,
1t was Bakers job ed
bring in the murderer and his IA,
~,
The grapevine" agency finally
ought information to the officer
at the men were hiding out near tol
construction camp in the noun the
ms. Bob was fortunate in read Cit
: getting the drop" on Dempster c.
len he approached the camp for ~
pplies. The man refused to give ma
regarding O'Brien, de- cat
ring that they were not together.
e officer insisted however and
len his prisoner persisted in re-
sing to talk, applied frontier
lird degree" methods which open
Dempster's mouth.
O'Briens hideout,
. officer was discovered and the
minal attempted to make his get
ay by climbing over a slide-rock
'ered hill. A shot placed near
fugitives head proved sufficient
suasion, and soon both of the
lted men were bound and on
If way to Kalispell and prison.
npster, it turned out was wanted
the Canadian Mounted Police for
murder in British Columbia.
lob was fond of horses and while
never rode the range as a cow
ID, he became an expert exhibit
| rider and it was while employ
by an uncle who ran a livery
lie in Spokane, that he met Miss
neia Burnell, who became much
rested in the young man she
saw riding out from his uncle's
4 on the hurricane deck" of
king bronco This interest prov
mutual and December "a, 1904
couple were married.
has always been Mr. Bak-