Thursday, March 1, 1951
OUR ARMY AND NAVY BOYS
Dear Mr. Price:
Today finds me Somewhere in Korea in a cold old fox hole. But I feel very warm because I have just received two copies of the Pocahontas Times.
I thought I would write and tell you how much I enjoy reading the Times. The paper is a little old by the time it gets to me, but it sure makes a fellow feel good to hear the news from back home once in a while.
I like to read about the Bear Stories. I enjoyed the one that Charlie Tacy told. I have hunted a few bear myself; but now I am hunting ––. I would much rather be back in West Virginia hunting bears.
Mr. Price, I am sending you some North Korean war bonds. I thought maybe you would be interested to see what they look like.
Sgt. Paul A. Pennington
FIELD NOTES
Fred D. Sharp, of Stony Creek, at last report had killed three gray and seven red foxes. He is ever ready to regain operations against the foxes. Early in February, there began to be too many visiting dog foxes from the Black Forest. These would take the hounds for a chase clear out of the neighborhood – twenty or more miles from home. In March, Mr. Sharp expects to work on resident foxes again.
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News comes of an otter being seen in the fields near the Beard post office. Monk Small, of the same neighborhood, has had trapped muskrats eaten up by an otter or otters. Inquiring of the trapper as to his luck in taking minks this winter, he said there were no minks on his trapping section of Greenbrier River; that he had seen otter sign and no mink will stay where otters range.
This is the first report of otter on the Greenbrier that has come in for several years. These are interesting and valuable fur bearers. However, I have been backward about suggesting to the Conservation Commission that they buy a few pairs and turn them loose on watersheds in these parts.
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We all had been out of beaver for about 40 years, until a number of pairs were turned loose nearly 20 years since. With their dams to stagnate trout streams, cutting trees, and eating green corn, the beaver is proving considerable headache.
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The panther news this week comes from Airport Flat. The prowler was heard about one home and the hunting dog turned out. After a short chase, the poor dog was back to the house all clawed up.
At the home of another neighbor, the family cow was chained in her stall. Something scared her so badly, she broke the chain and ran out of the stable. She was so terrified, the family had a busy time getting her back into the shelter.
These homes are not far from Pocahontas County Fairgrounds, where on two occasions in recent weeks a panther was seen. Also, the unmistakable tracks of panther were seen in the snow. The varmint was messing around the small herd of deer which fed of nights on the Fairgrounds. The horses, which range there, and sheep are locked in the barns each night.
George Geiger saw two panthers on nearby Indian Draft.
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One day last week, Fred Dean, of Riders Gap, was in town with a live and a dead wildcat. Up to that date he had caught 10 bobcats on the game refuge he attends to on the Monongahela National Forest. In the three years Mr. Trainer has been on this refuge, he has trapped more than 30 wildcats.
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Friend Andrew Mayes brought in a piece of the fossilized skull of an animal I am not on speaking terms with for sure. However, I put it down as that of a pit-like creature, something like the peccary of the southwest states. Such creatures were in these parts before the last ice age some 10,000 or so years since. The ice cap put them out of business. This guess is founded on the fact, the fossil resembles somewhat the skull of a pig. Also, a good many years ago such a skull was found in a limestone quarry at Renick. Scientists down at Washington pronounced it a pig like creature which had not been in these parts since the last ice age.
The books did not help out a bit. However, I called Arnout Yeager and Charles Edward McElwee, of the high school, in consultation. We all agreed it was a good guess that it was a wild pig.
The fossil has been sent up to the University to be properly identified.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Loudermilk, a son, Charles Davis.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Gibson, of Marlinton, a daughter, Karen Joyce.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Galford, of Marlinton, a daughter, Sharon Ann.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. James Turner, of Clover Lick, a son, Charles Douglas.
