OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - The Ohio Hunter [Chapter 19] ************************************************************************ 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 ************************************************************************** CHAPTER XIX. THE OLD RESIDENTER OF THE BLACK SWAMP -- AM- ATUER SPORTSMEN--THEIR FINE DOGS AND THEIR CONFIDENCE IN THE SAME--NEW DOGS NO MATCH FOR OLD BEAR --FAITHFUL PRINCE. I now propose to tell you of the long pursuit, and final capture of a tough old bear, that had eluded many a hunter, and roamed in security through the dense woods of Maumee Valley, and the Black Swamp. You will remember that I have often spoken of him as whipping my dogs, and frequently killing them. In the winter of 1858, an old friend came from Seneca County to hunt with me. Our efforts were attended with very good success: but, as I have already given you details of several exciting hunts. I shall here pass by all minor exploits, and come at once to the chase and capture of the old residenter. The place of my residence had become quite public for a new country, and my fame as a hunter had already extended far and wide. I also made quite an extensive acquaintance by acting as guide to people who came to look at, or purchase, land. It was in this way that I became acquainted with Mr. Holts, the man who at this 192 THE OHIO HUNTER time came from Senecca County, and proposed to become my partner in hunting. One evening, when we came in from a bear chase, we found several strangers at my house, who had come a long distance to take a bear hunt with me, They were all mounted, and had several fine-looking dogs with them. I had serious objections to taking so large a party on a hunt with me, as it would be likely to occasion too much random shooting, and endanger the lives of' the dogs, therefore,. I told the gentlemen that they had a sufficient number of dogs, and it would be better for them to board with and hunt by themselves. That arrangement did not satisfy them so I bluntly told them that I was hunting for profit and not for sport, and for that reason could not share the game with so many. They then replied that their only object was the sport, and I could no longer resist their earnest wishes to wishes to join me. The whole party, with the exception of myself, were mounted. For reasons of my own, I chose to go on foot. We started just in the gray of the morning, and had proceeded about half a mile, when we struck the trail of a bear. Barely noticing the course of the trail, I stepped over it as if it had been nothing more than the track of a horse or cow. Some of' the party behind me saw it, and called out, "Here is a bear track !" I said to them, "We want nothing to do with that PROTRACTED CHASE. 198 bear, I know the old fellow by his track, we follow him we shall pay a dear price for our sport." Upon hearing this they all insisted that we must follow the trail. The print of the foot in the snow was as large as the track of a horse. I finally concluded that here was as good an opportunity as any for giving the new hunters their first lesson, and after instructing them to remain behind with their horses until they heard my dogs, I started on the trail. My favorite dog at this time was named Prince. His sagacity in a bear fight seemed almost human and he was in all other respects, equal to any dog that I ever owned. In a few moments the well-known yell of the dogs reached my ears, and I knew that the game was close at hand. Away dashed the horsemen over fallen trees and through the thick brush, while I followed on foot at the top of my speed. As I heard the sharp yells of the dogs, I knew that they had come to close quarters with the enemy. When we reached the scene of action, there was blood upon the snow, and the dogs were whining and limping about in a very dejected manner; but the bear was gone. I told my companions the bear was tired and would soon be brought at bay again. The dogs, headed by Prince, were soon in full pursuit, and after running a mile at a moderate pace, came again in contact with the bear. This was but a repetition of the first fight; attended, however, 194 THE OHIO HUNTER with more disastrous consequences. Two of the dogs lay dead upon the field. The skull of one had been crushed in, until the eyes protruded from their sockets. I should have mentioned that I had no other arms than my hunting-knife and a large pistol. The rest of the party were armed with rifles. When we arrived at the scene of the second fight, my partner gave me his horse so that I might get a little rest. I then took the lead of the party, closely followed by a Mr. Stout, who, at the outset of the chase, concluded that his rifle would be an encumbrance, and had concealed it in the brush near the road. We soon hear Prince barking, and thought that he had treed the bear. We also supposed that the others heard the dog, and so hurried to his to his assistance without waiting for them to come up. When we came in sight of the bear, Prince was keeping up a running fight with him. When he would attempt; to cross a log, Prince would seize him by the hind leg and pull him off. The bear in turn would chase Prince, who was obliged to make some very scientific dodges to evade the ferocious beast. These masterly movements of the log so retarded the progress of the bear, that Mr. Stout and I were enabled to keep pretty close up with him. I kept looking anxiously around for the rest of the company, for they were all well armed, and I would not risk a shot with my A TERRIFIED MONSTER 195 pistol unless I could feel certain of hitting the bear in the head. Not that I apprehended any danger to myself, from a wounded bear, but I well knew that, at the crack of the pistol, Prince would close with the monster, and his life would be the forfeit of his rashness. Mr. Stout continually urged me to shoot, but I steadily refused, giving him the reasons stated above. the bear seemed very much terrified and made frantic efforts to free himself from the repeated attacks of his tormentor. At this juncture, another dog came to the assistance of Prince, but his dog-wisdom was no match for the craftiness of his cruel antagonist, who, with one blow of his paw went him whirling into the air, and added one more to our list of dead dogs. Prince paid no heed to the sudden death of his friend, but continued his admirable tactics by .seizing the bear whenever an opportunity was afforded. Finding that there was no prospect of our friends' coming to our assistance with their rifles, I told Stout that we would turn the bear, and start him in the other direction. I was soon in front of him. He turned him expected, and started in the opposite direction. Suddenly he came upon two large logs which lay directly in his path; and just as he reached the last and highest log, Prince, who was watching his chance, made a spring to catch him by the leg. But the bear had made his arrangements to 196 THE OHIO HUNTER give his opponent a different reception, and, instead of jumping from the log, suddenly wheeled, and caught poor Prince in his strong arms. Then commenced a terrible tussle, with the advantage all on one side. I could not for a moment resist the piteous moans for help which the poor dog made while writhing in the embrace of his deadly foe. I knew that Prince would risk his life to save me from , like peril, and I determined that he should not die without an effort being made to save him. Accordingly I rode up until I could almost touch the bear with my pistol, raised myself in the stirrups, took deliberate aim at his hear and pulled the trigger. the pistol missed fire! Five times I snapped that pistol, and always with the same miserable result. Stout could do nothing but encourage me, and watch the wild spectacle, with the most intense interest. Suddenly Prince seized the bear by the nose, and with all his remaining strength succeeded in fastening his teeth firmly in that sensitive organ. The bear roared with rage, and, rearing on his hind legs to shake himself free from that deadly grip, he beheld me confronting him face to face. Bears at all times, unless while defending their young, quail before the eyes of man. It, was so with the old residenter. Upon seeing me, he made a sudden wheel, and with a desperate effort, shook himself loose from Prince and started off on a rapid, run. The poor dog was game to the last. NEW PACK OF DOGS. 197 Torn and mangled as he was, he again started in pursuit of his enemy, ran a few rods, and dropped powerless. We thought it useless to pursue the animal any further that night, and after our companions joined us, started for my house. As we turned to go, I told my friends that I would never give over the pursuit of that bear as long as there was the least possibility of killing him. We had to travel a distance of five miles to reach home. The next morning, after making some addition to our pack of dogs, we again started on the trail of the bear. Two of the dogs belonging to the strangers, had so far escaped without any injuries, and their owners had no hesitation in pronouncing them cowards. My brother-in-law, who joined us that day, had a large dog that had often accompanied, me in the chase, and was a famous bear hunter. I was fearful that he too would fall a victim to the old residenter. We were not long in reaching the place where the bear had stayed for the night, and the fierce yells of the dogs soon gave tokens that the fight had commenced. We reached the spot only to find the dogs all whipped, my brother-in-law's dog with his thigh crushed and broken, and the bear gone. The two dogs that had been branded by their masters as cowards, were both stretched upon the ground, one in the last agonies of death, and the other so bad- 198 THE OHIO HUNTER ly disabled as to be of no further service in the chase. We continued to follow the bear all day. The dogs would occasionally bring him to bay, but we did not succeed in getting a shot; and when night came on, found ourselves only three miles from home. The sportsmen who had joined in the hunt for the Inn of the thing, had promised to stay by until the bear was killed, but, at the close of the second day grew weary of the sport, and started for their homes. Mr. Stout, however, with the true pluck of a hunter, determined to remain with us to the end. Our the third day, we chased ,the bear into Wood County, and spent the night with an old friend who was also a bear hunter.. He told us that he had two fine dogs, and that one of them, a large hound, was too active and knowing to be killed by a bear. The next morning the fresh dogs led in the pursuit. The large hound was the first to come up with the bear; but in his first attempt to seize him by the leg, he received a blow that left him helpless and bleeding upon the ground. When night came on, we were again in Henry County, and only four miles from home. On the fifth day, one of our party got a shot at the bear, but without effect. On the sixth day, we were joined by more men with fresh dogs. 199 A CRITICAL MOMENT. We had no trouble in starting the bear. At the very first yell of the dogs, Mr. Stouts put spurs to his horse, and in company with a doctor who had joined us that day, dashed forward to take a part in the desperate encounter. Before this, I had given Mr. Holts some lessons in bear hunting, and he followed my instructions to the letter. As they came close to the bear, the excited doctor urged Mr. H. to shoot, but my partner steadily held his fire, and turned the bear in the direction of the hunters that, were on foot. The dogs fought very cautiously, and the bear used every stratagem to entice them within reach of his dreadful paws. Sometimes he would crouch like a cat watching for mice, and then suddenly pounce upon some luckless dog, that had ventured too near. I saw him leap fifteen feet at. one hound. Mr. Holts was still watching for an opportunity, to shoot. At last the critical moment arrived. As the bear crouched to await the approach of a dog, Mr. H. hastily dismounted, raised his rifle, and fired. The ball entered the eye of the bear, and he became furious with pain. All the dogs were upon him in an instant. Now commenced a terrific struggle, and the dogs bled as freely as the bear. While he still held one of' the best dogs in his mouth, a lucky shot from the doctor's pistol broke his jaw. Five or six more balls planted in his body finished his career. You can judge something of the size of' this bear, when I 200 THE OHIO HUNTER tell you that the space between his ears measured twelve inches. The spot where he was killed after a chase of six days, was only two miles from my home.