Jacob Hoover
His "Bear Story"
(As printed in the West Union Gazette in 1873)
"In 1849 Mr. Jacob Hoover settled on Section 32, Township 95, Range 8, about three miles north of West Union. He brought with him a light weight weapon, as his friends East of him told him there was no game here larger than squirrels, for which he thought his rifle of ample caliber. He found, however, larger game than squirrels - deer numerous, and prairie wolves, wildcats, coons, etc. - and naturally, was often enticed to the hunt, and often brought home his game, won with his little rifle.
In February, 1850, in the morning, Mr. Hoover shot and wounded a deer, which he followed and failed to get. About 10 o'clock A.M., returning toward home in company with two of his boys and leading a horse, he saw, about a mile from the present residence of of Asher Simar, on Section 28, Township 95, Range 8, in the bushes at a distance, what he supposed was a black ox belonging to a neighbor, and spoke of it to the boys. They at once, with their sharper eyes, saw that it was not an ox but some other large black animal, such as they had never seen. A closer look by the father showed that it was a bear, which seemed to be reaching up as if eating the buds from the bushes.
Bruin, overhearing the talk or scenting danger, started off southwest, crossing the present road leading from Mr. Hoover's place to West Union, about a half mile south of his house. Mr. Hoover sent his boys home, put another bullet in his rifle, mounted his horse and kindly offered to accompany Bruin on his toilsome and lonely journey, the direction indicating fifteen miles or more to the timber on the Upper Volga, the snow being knee deep to the hunter, and the weather rather cold.
Under such circumstances, it was kind of our friend Hoover; and the sequel will show the Bruin duly appreciated the courtesy.
A small dog also volunteered, and urged Bruin to stop and be introduced to the mounted escort, and succeeded so well (making the bear turn frequently around to argue the question of etiquette), a stern shot was obtained at a fifty-yard range, with evident effect as the game stopped, spun around several times like a top, trying to reach an enemy at his rear. This was about 200 yards west of where Mr. William Kent now lives - -Section 32, township 95, Range 8. The bear soon traveled on again, our hunter loading his rifle, mounting and pursuing. In about half a mile, the bear left blood on the snow. He was overtaken on the east half of the northwest quarter of Section 5, Township 94, Range 8, on the Fuson place; and here Mr. Hoover dismounted and got a fair side shot, behind the fore legs, at ten steps, when the bear dropped, but rose at once, went 200 yards southwest, where it lay down, rolled over again, howling, evidently in great pain, for some five minutes, when he got up and traveled on a southwest course. Loading his rifle again, Mr. Hoover followed and found the bear in the ravine about half a mile southeast of the brick house built by Mr. Rosier (on the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 5, Township 94, Range 8) and about a mile and half north of West Union, laying on his belly, head toward him. Highly elated and flattered by the evident inclination of the bear to permit a more intimate acquaintance, convinced by the courteous bearing of the bear that he meant to do the fair thing, and was dying, as any bear ought to under such circumstances, he rode up beside him and began a friendly discourse in this wise: "Well, sir, you are my meat now, sure; it is about over with you, old fellow, and you are my game; a fine one you are, too; a lively chase you have led me, but you are mine now" - - and how much longer he might have complimented his game is uncertain; but the bear raising his head inch by inch, until he looked at the horseman, when in an instant, before he could divine or avoid his action, the bear was on his hind feet, his right swept around the body of our hunter, knocking the rifle out of his hand, and the eloquent speech was stopped right there. For a few moments the tableau - horse - man disarmed; a bear, rampant, beside and against the horse and facing the rider, his right arm around and tightly holding him there -- was presented, disturbed only by blows from the fists of Mr. Hoover in the face of the bear, which, in half a minute, tenderly took Mr. Hoover from the horse, laid him on the ground on his back, put his other around him and, moment by moment, squeezed him in a closer grasp; but not attempting to bite.
As the great arms tightened and tightened in that affectionate embrace, Mr. Hoover found it difficult to breathe, and he began to reason the changed aspect of affairs, thus; "Well, I guess it is doubtful now which is the other's meat; my case does not look as fair as it did; the argument and weight of evidence seems to be against me now, and in your favor, old fellow; things look rather misty;" and his sight began to grow dim and his breath came and went only in labored gasps, and he became nearly unconscious.
All this time, the dog had been attacking the bear at the side and rear, but now jumped on his head, which caused Bruin to raise his head and look toward his assailant, in doing which he rolled off of Mr. Hoover so as to free him from his right and upper paw. By exerting all his strength, our hunter succeeded in rolling off from the bear's left paw (which lay under him) to the distance of a few feet.
The bear rolled upon his belly again, and lay there with his head on his paws, or on the snow between them. After lying several minutes, to regain a little breath and strength, with his feet not two feet from the head of the bear, Mr. Hoover, by moving a little, reached his rifle, worked it around into position, across his feet, with the nozzle near Bruin's ear and fired - - a third and effectual shot - - the game over dead. Lying on the snow five or ten minutes before he could rise, still troubled to breathe, Mr. Hoover got up and, satisfying himself that the game was dead, led up his horse (which had stood by, refusing to leave), mounted from the carcass of the bear, rode home, returned with a team and sled, accompanied by his wife and boys, rolled the bear on the sled and hauled him home, arriving just before night. He being too sick to aid, Mr. Stephen Bailey and the boys skinned the bear, finding in the thigh a large slug of lead, surrounded by a lump of calloused flesh as large as his two fists, the result, apparently, of an old musket wound. The bear was very large, old and poor; his estimated weight, if fat, 1,200 pounds.
The skin was so large that two men were rolled up in it and entirely covered. The writer recollects of seeing one of the feet of this bear, which was of enormous size.
Mr. Hoover, as a result of his encounter, vomited a quart of blood that night, and for a long time felt its effects; and, having time for calm reflection, aided by his experience, he came to the firm conclusion that he should never again argue the question of meat in that way, nor get too close to his audience should he ever deliver another lecture to 1,000 pounds of live bear. But, said he, "I never told the old woman how the bear and I had it for many years after, for I was afraid she would not let me hunt any more."
