The hillsides and valleys were thickly populated with wild animals, such as wolves, wild cats, panthers, deer, and very frequently a large bear would be seen. Turkeys, geese, ducks, pheasants, squirrels, rabbits and other wild game of the smaller species were here in seemingly inexhaustible numbers. Mr. Payne DIXON , who came to Kentucky and located near Henderson in 1805, in a most interesting conversation with the writer, indirectly mentioned the fact of having seen, a short time after his arrival, a set of elk horns remarkable for their size and length. These horns, when placed with their tip ends down, would admit a man five feet in height walking between the prongs and underneath the skull, without touching it or bending his body. Among the winged birds, found at that time in great numbers, were those, which are at this time total strangers to his country. They were the paroquet, a species of parrot, but of much handsomer plumage, the raven, a bird made famous by Edgar A. POE , and many others, noted for the peculiarities of their plumage. As the county gradually developed and became populated the birds migrated to wilder lands.

In those days game was very plentiful, a large buck of fine flesh could be purchased for the small sum of fifty cents, while turkeys were given away. No apprehension was felt concerning a knawing stomach, for the abundance of wild game insured a week's supply at any time in a half hour's walk from the door of the cabin home. As long as there was powder in the house and lead in the pouch, the pioneer little worried or thought of hunger ever staring him in the face, but kept his shanty stocked with meats, which now command fabulous prices.

History of Henderson County by E. L. Starling, Page 28