Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1895 — Two Farmers and a Wildcat. [ARTICLE]

Two Farmers and a Wildcat.

"Nato” Bowen and W. O. Curtis, farmers, living just over the State line in Pennsylvania, oight miles from Deposit, N, Y., had an exciting udventure with a wildcat. Bowen Is a good shot and in the wiutor doos a good deal of hunting. Two wildcats were soon by him ono day recently, and ho succeeded in killing tho fomale, tho mulo getting away, the dogs running it into its den, a cavo in a lodge of rocks. Bowen sot a fox trap and found It smashod tho next morning with plenty of yellow hair and blood on it, showing that tho boast had had a struggle to get free. With Curtis ho next sot a hour trap, tho jaws of which wero strong onougli lo cut the cat’s legs off almost. Going to tlu% place tho next morning early they missed tho trap, and investigation showed that tho cut had dragged it far buck into tho darkest corner of its cave. "Neitherof Bowen's hounds could bo coaxed to go down into the hole. Curtis, arinod with u shotgun, said “he’d he blowed” if ho was going to give up tho fight like that, and helot himself down Into tho cavo. All ha could seo wero two big gloaming eyes in tho darkness. With as good an aim as possible ho fired at tho eyes. Ho was greeted by a savage snarl and a rattling of the trap ns the animal retreutod further hack into tiro den. Ho climbed out in a hurry. Bowen they snjd lie would “ tackle tKe varmint,” and lie wont down Into tho cavo armed with a self-acting revolver. He was creeping toward tho back part of the cave when he hourd the screech of the cat nnd the jingling of the trap as tlio wounded beast flow at him. Ho lirod.and luckily tlio shot took effect, tho cat falling dead at his feet. The animal weighed nearly fifty pounds, jind was ono o( tlio iurgost that hud beep seen in Northern Pennsylvania for years. There Is a bounty of $2 on wild cuts, and tlio skin is worth a few (lollurs. This is the season ol the year when they are most hungry and savuge, and Bowen ran a great risk in killing the cat as. lie did.