OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - The Ohio Hunter [Chapter 12] ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sara Grimes McBeth saramcb@socket.net June 22, 2005 ************************************************************************** ANOTHER EXPEDITION 127 CHAPTER XII A CAMPAIGN FOR COON' AND DEER -- FORM A HUNT- ING CO-PARTNERSHIP --CATCH A BEAR -- AN AF- RICAN HUNTER--A LUCKY SHOT HABITS OF COON. AFTER the excursion mentioned in the preceding chapter I did not hunt much for a few years, but attended more carefully to the affairs of my farm. But when money began to be scarce, and hard to get I knew one commodity that never failed to bring the useful article without compromise. So in the fall I commenced my arrangements for a winter's campaign in the woods with the wild animals. I had a friend by the name of Radabaugh,with whom I entered into a co-partnership, and we spent the winter in the woods together very agreeably. We commenced hunting coon and deer, it being too early in the season for bear. One night while we were hunting foi' coon, Mr. R. and myself' sat down on a log and waited for our dogs to pursue their game alone. Soon our attention was attracted by the loud barking of our dogs, which plainly told us something more than coon were the object of the chase. There was a great deal of water in the woods at that time, and the ice 128 THE OHIO HUNTER was frozen just enough to induce both dogs and game to venture on it, only to be let down in the water. There had been a hard race during the day after a wounded deer, and Bill was lying weary and exhausted at our feet. The other dogs were making a great outcry, and my friend Radabaugh, and Bill and myself, joined in the chase. When we heard them coming, Radabaugh said to me, "It is an old buck and a smaller deer, but a little closer observation showed us! that it was a large bear. She came to where we were standing. ~ hen Bill sprung at her and she Went up a tree. The night was clear and cold, the moon was shining beautifully, and defined the position of our game ahnost as dis;inctly as day-light could have done. It was so very cold that I requested my friend to shoot, but he preferred conferring the honor upon me. After we stopped running, we very soon felt the effects of the cold weather. However this was an opportunity not to be lost, and I commenced running and jumping to regain the use of my hands and feet, and then, aiming directly at the enormous head of the bear, cut off a full quarter-inch of her right ear. I then took my friend's gun that was loaded and drew again, and a little more seriously injured her ear. She then made a rapid descent upon her enemies, and I planted myself firmly at the foot of the tree, to await her arrival. Before she reached the ground, Radabaugh shot at her HARD MARCHING 129 with a pistol, but missing his aim, the infuriated animal ascended to the top of the tree. I then told my friend that I believed I could shoot her through the heart, and accordingly drew another aim. The ball proved effectual, and brought the heroic beast from the tree lifeless. We were now about two miles from camp, and the game to be carried was rather heavy; we tied it to a pole and placed it on our shoulders; but it was like shouldering a pig in the morning, and having it grow to be a full-sized hog before night! Mr. R. not being quite so accustomed to the chase and labors attendant thereupon as myself, did not endure all this fatigue undisturbed. We had not accomplished more than half the distance, before our burden became rather grievous, and my friend was obliged to rest every twenty or thirty rods. At last he gave out entirely, and declared he would go no further with it, and laid it down and seated himself upon it to rest. He said we should leave it there until morning. I replied I should eat a piece of that bear before I slept. He said he could carry it no further. I told him then I could carry it alone. After resting awhile, I shouldered the bear and proceeded a few rods, but it was rather more of a burden than I was able to bear very far, and Mr. R. again came to my assistance. We reached the camp about midnight. 9 130 THE OHIO HUNTER My companion being utterly exhausted, stretched himself upon the ground, and was soon in the enjoyment of tired Nature's sweet restorer. I dressed the bear, and when I had some of the meat nicely roasted, awakened my companion, who, rousing himself from his slumbers, enjoyed with me a portion of the delicious game. We then both lay down and rested until morning, which was not far off. After this, we hunted a few more days for coon and having obtained as many furs as we couht carry, started for home.I found an anxious wife and seven children there to welcome me, and these reunions were often quite affecting. Before closing this chapter, I will tell my readers of the lucky capture of' an old "Residenter" bear, for which I had wearied myself in the chase more than once,--though the writer of' these sketches was not the fortunate one to be benefited by this truly valuable prize. His tragical death occurred on this wise. In the fall after.I had the chase for him, four sportsmen came into the swamp to hunt, and brought with them what they denominated "a darkey," to cook. They armed their dusky comrade with an old musket, and allowed him to improve his leisure time in such amusements as best suited his taste. They remained several days, and with their best endeavors, were unsuccessful in catching game. They had finally concluded to pull up A TERRIFIED DARKEY. 131 stakes and move; but before they started, they decided to take one more small hunt. So the darkey, after his part of the work was finished, took the aforesaid musket and went near a place where the deer were in the habit of going for water. He stationed himself at a convenient distance and awaited their approach. While watching very assiduously, he saw something quite unlike a deer approaching the spot, and then it was lost in the thicket. He was somewhat alarmed, but pacified his fears by telling himse1f that it was but a cow, or some " udder 'mestic animal;" but soon it emerged from the thicket, sat down on a log close by where the Negro was standing, and looked at him with invincible gravity. The poor Negro was now in a dilemma. He dared not shoot for fear of missing his aim, and he dare not run, lest he should be pursued by one more fleet of foot than himself. The terrified darkey debated the question with his courage and fears for some time, and at last determined to shoot, as the best alternative. The gun was fired, he did not wait to watch the result, but as soon as he heard the report, thought to set double guard over his life, a bold flight in front and a rear-guard of nimble heels. When he reached the camp he found one huntsman, and he soon roused the others up. When assembled, the darkey in breathless terror told them the 132 THE OHIO HUNTER story of his adventure ;--that he "had seen suthin drefful in de woods ;" that it was "large as a hoss, and black as a nigger," and he thought it must be "de Debil hissef!" They then asked him if he shot it. "Oh mercy, yes; I was so feered I couldn't help." "Where did you kill it ?" "Dun no; sars. I nebber looked." : " Where did you leave him ?" "Out dar, in de big woods." " Go and show us the spot where you left him." "Golly, no; if it be de Debil, he git dis nigger, sure, if he see him any more." " Go long, you fool you; the Devil wouldn't have you" "Oh, mercy, sars; he's been tryin ebery way to git me, eber since I know'd him; he want dis darkey, sure." But the hunters, more interested about gaining possession of the valuable game, than concerned about the relationship between Sambo and the aforesaid personage, had already got him several rods in the direction indicated by the narrative, and could now succeed only in making him follow, pointing out the direction, while they boldly led the way. At last they came to the designated spot, and there could easily be traced by the blood of his victim, the evil spirit Sambo so much dreaded. CAPTURE OF A MONSTER BEAR 133 After this, they no longer needed the services of their terror-stricken guide, but left him to seek protection in the hollow of a tree, while they pursued their game. They had only to follow it a short distance, before they came upon the bear, stone dead. Then they returned and drew the trembling negro from his hiding place, by telling him of the wonderful exploit he had performed, he came forth dancing and skipping and saying, '"Tought dis darkey git de start of dat old feller some day!" Upon examination, it was found to be the same old residenter that had so often been chased before, but, had evaded the most vigilent pursuit of the white man. It was so heavy, that they could not carry it into their camp until they got their horses to haul it. They offered the darkey sixty dollars for his game, but he wouldn't take it. Its weight was six hundred and forty-seven pounds, and it yielded fifteen gallons of pure oil! In the year 1847, I made another trip to the swamp, my object at this time being coons. I had now a set of dogs trained for hunting these little animals by day-light. This may appear a little odd to some of my readers, who are accustomed to hunt them only in the night; but dogs can be so trained that they will follow on their trail only in the day-time. This is done by going out in the morning before day-light, and continuing to tree them until after day-light. Con- 134 THE OHIO HUNTER rinue in this way for some time, hunting each morning a little later, and they will soon hunt them all day, by smelling along the trail where the coon have run at night. Now this is much the best way to hunt them, for then you always tree them in hollow trees, which are more easily cut, and less valuable, whereas if you tree then, in the night, they are as likely to run up a sound tree as a hollow one; and more than this, in treeing them in hollow trees, there are usually to be found more than. one in a tree, and when the tree is cut by day-light, it is easy to catch them; but in the night there is quite a probability of their escaping and running up another tree. I have sometimes had to cut six or eight trees to catch a single coon, But when you hunt in the day-time, you always find them in a hole; and they will not go out until you disturb them. Perhaps I cannot tell you anything you do not already know about the nature of the coon, for it inhabits all parts of the United States, and there is rarely a school-boy twelve years old, that has not killed many a one. But you may have never noticed that they subsist principally on snakes in the summer season. They will also eat frogs, crabs, grasshoppers, various insects, and even small fowl. In the winter they eat acorns, beechnuts, and corn. When there is much snow on the ground, they will remain in their holes for weeks, and even months, without ever tasting food. THE SEVEN SLEEPERS 135 It has been said by some naturalists that they remain in a torpid state during these months; but this is not so. I have caught them at all times of winter, and always found them awake and ready for a fight. But the woodchuck, sometimes known as the ground-hog, will lay apparently lifeless from the first of November until the first of February. At this time they always go out and hunt their mates, and then go back and stay about one month longer. One day, in the month of January, I went to where I knew there was an old ground-hog holed up. When they establist themselves in winter quarters, they always close up the entrance to , their domicil. I dug them out, and thought they were dead. I took them home to save their hides; and was going to skin them, when my mother told me they were not dead, but were what. were called "the seven sleepers." I out one's head off and saw him gasp a little. Thc blood in him was as cold as the ground from which he was taken. The other I put into a barrel and watched him carefully from day to day. I still believed him to be dead, until the second day of February, when true to the old legend, he became perfectly lifelike and commenced gnawing the barrel to get out. They are an animal that subsists entirely upon vegetable food, while tlney will not taste of flesh. I must tell you one thing more about the coon. 136 THE OHIO HUNTER. It always judges the quality of its food by the sense of feeling. It will never taste of food until it has first felt it carefully with its paw, and after that, never examines it either by smelling or vision; while most animals judge entirely by smelling. ============Image image008.jpg Goes Here============