diff options
Diffstat (limited to '42277-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 42277-0.txt | 5435 |
1 files changed, 5435 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/42277-0.txt b/42277-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0ed50ec --- /dev/null +++ b/42277-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5435 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42277 *** + + By Enos A. Mills + + THE GRIZZLY, OUR GREATEST WILD ANIMAL. Illustrated. + YOUR NATIONAL PARKS. Illustrated. + THE STORY OF SCOTCH. Illustrated. + THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN WONDERLAND. Illustrated. + THE STORY OF A THOUSAND-YEAR PINE. Illustrated. + IN BEAVER WORLD. Illustrated. + THE SPELL OF THE ROCKIES. Illustrated. + WILD LIFE ON THE ROCKIES. Illustrated. + + + HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY Boston and New York + + + + + The Grizzly + + OUR GREATEST WILD ANIMAL + + + [Illustration: A WILD GRIZZLY + _Taken by Flashlight_ + _Copyright, 1902, by F. C. Wolcott_] + + + + + The Grizzly + + OUR GREATEST WILD ANIMAL + + By + Enos A. Mills + + With Illustrations + + [Illustration] + + Boston and New York + Houghton Mifflin Company + The Riverside Press Cambridge + 1919 + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY ENOS A. MILLS + + ALL RIGHTS RESERVED + + + + + To + Emerson McMillin + + + + +Preface + + +It would make exciting reading if a forty-year-old grizzly bear were to +write his autobiography. Beginning with the stories from his mother of +the long and exciting journey of his ancestors from far-off Asia and of +her own struggle in bringing up her family, and then telling of his own +adventurous life and his meetings with men and with other animals, he +could give us a book of highly dramatic quality. Just what a wise old +grizzly would say while philosophizing concerning the white race would +certainly be of human interest and rich in material for literature. + +A vigorous, courageous adventurer himself, and a keen and constant +observer, the grizzly would have clear-cut views concerning the +explorers, early settlers, and hunters. The arrival of the early white +people aroused his extraordinary inherent curiosity. He watched them +with wondering eyes. He was even inclined to walk right into camp to +make their acquaintance. He had no evil intentions, but he was greeted +with yells and bullets. Relentlessly down through the years he was +pursued. Dogs, guns, poison, and traps have swept a majority of the +grizzlies away. Their retreat was masterly and heroic, but the odds were +overwhelming. + +In the midst of this terrible hunt the Yellowstone wild-life reservation +was established. Instantly the grizzly understood, years before other +big animals did, and in its protection at once came forth from hiding, +eager to be friendly with man. I should like to know his wonderings +concerning this place of refuge--why its creation, why its mysterious, +invisible boundary-lines, and why, outside of it, the fierce, +never-ending pursuit for him has still gone on, until his noble species +is verging on extinction. + +What, too, are his feelings over the increased friendly interest in his +species all over the nation? How excitedly must he catch the echoes of +discussions which are telling that he has been misunderstood, that he is +not a bad fellow! And surely, if writing, he will pause abruptly when he +hears that the public, and even the hunter, is making efforts to have +the hunt for him checked--learns that there may early be a close season +on the grizzly bear. + + * * * * * + +During the past thirty years I have had numerous experiences with the +grizzly bear in various sections of his territory. In it I have camped +alone and unarmed. I have trailed the grizzly without a gun. I have +repeatedly been outwitted by him, but never has he attacked me. I have +not found him ferocious, and I consider him in most respects the +greatest animal on the North American continent, if not in the world. He +excels in mental development and physical prowess, and he possesses the +rare quality of loyalty. He is full of curiosity and is a born +adventurer. The species impresses one with its superiority, and the +individuality of each grizzly ever stands out. + +The material in this book is drawn chiefly from my own experiences with +grizzly bears in the wilderness. Ten of the chapters have not before +appeared in print. The author acknowledges with thanks the courtesy of +the editors of the _Saturday Evening Post_ in granting permission to +reprint from that magazine parts of three chapters contained in this +book; and to the editors of _The American Boy_ for two chapters +reprinted herein. Dr. C. Hart Merriam has kindly consented to the +reproduction of a part of his comment on the grizzly and big brown +bears, together with his up-to-date classification of them. This +valuable material represents the work of years. + +E. A. M. + + + + +Contents + + + Grizzly Sagacity 1 + Cubs and Mother 21 + His Exclusive Territory 41 + Making a Bear Living 61 + The Long Winter Sleep 79 + Being Good to Bears 99 + Trailing without a Gun 117 + When the Grizzly Plays 137 + Matching Wits with the Grizzly 153 + Where Curiosity Wins 173 + On the Defensive 189 + Man's Loyal Companion 209 + New Environments 227 + Description, History, and Classification 245 + Will the Grizzly be Exterminated? 271 + Index 285 + + + + +Illustrations + + + A Wild Grizzly _Frontispiece_ + _From a Flashlight Photograph by F. C. Wolcott_ + + The Challenge (showing a young Alaskan Grizzly + of the Big Brown Bear Type) 24 + _Photograph by Pedersen, Seward, Alaska_ + + Mexican Grizzlies: Group in the Field Columbian + Museum, Chicago 64 + _Reproduced by courtesy of the Museum_ + + Jenny and Johnny, in the First Year of their Lives 102 + _Photograph by the Author_ + + Jenny and Johnny, at the Age of Fourteen 114 + _Photograph taken in the Denver Zoo_ + + Catching Black Bear Cubs 140 + + Johnny 176 + _Photograph by J. D. Figgins_ + + A Black Bear in the Sequoia National Park 212 + _Photograph by Lindley Eddy, Giant Forest, Cal._ + + A Black Bear and Cubs 232 + _Photograph by C. E. Huish, Eureka, Utah_ + + Grizzly Bear Group in Colorado Museum of Natural + History, Denver 250 + _Reproduced by courtesy of the Museum_ + + + + +Grizzly Sagacity + + +One autumn day, while I was watching a little cony stacking hay for the +winter, a clinking and rattling of slide rock caught my attention. On +the mountain-side opposite me, perhaps a hundred yards away, a grizzly +bear was digging in an enormous rock-slide. He worked energetically. +Several slabs of rock were hurled out of the hole and tossed down the +mountain-side. Stones were thrown right and left. I could not make out +what he was after, but it is likely that he was digging for a woodchuck. + +After a short time only his shoulders showed above the scattered slide +rock as he stood erect. Then he began piling the stones upon the edge of +his deepening hole. The slope was steep and the stones had to be placed +with care to prevent their tumbling back. After lifting into place one +huge slab, he stood and looked at it for an instant and then slightly +changed its position. On top of this stone he piled another large one, +eyed it closely, shook it to see if it was solid, and finally shifted +it a trifle. Had he not been wearing a grizzly-bear coat, it would have +been easy to believe that a powerful, careful, thoughtful man was +eagerly digging that hole. + +The keenness of the grizzly's sagacity and the workings of his rare wit +were impressed upon me in a photographing experience that I had. Two +other young fellows and I thought we could get a near-by photograph of +an old grizzly that ranged near us. We entered his territory at three +widely separated places and moved in concert toward the centre. We hoped +that either one of us would be able to slip up close to the grizzly or +else he, in running away, would come close to one of us. + +Very soon one of the boys aroused the bear and started him running. The +grizzly had evidently scented him half a mile away. Running in my +direction, when within about a mile he discovered my presence, turned, +and retreated six or seven miles into a remote corner of his territory. +In this retreat he did not go within two miles of either of the other +fellows. + +Realizing that the bear had eluded us, we slightly separated and moved +toward him. He did not wait to be cornered in a cañon. Late that day we +followed his devious tracks and discovered his movements. We learned to +our chagrin that he had doubled back in the cañon and come part way +toward us. Then, climbing an out-thrusting ridge where he could see in +all directions, he evidently had watched us when we passed up a grassy +valley beneath him. After we were in the timber beyond he had descended +to the valley. Then the most amazing turn came. Instead of running away +in the opposite direction he had followed along close behind us! By the +time we discovered all this the day was gone, and so was the bear. He +had had an adventure. + +Did the grizzly know we were unarmed? He might have used the same +tactics in any case. Anyway, he easily kept out of our way, followed our +moves, and had, perhaps, enjoyed our unsuccessful efforts. + +I would give the grizzly first place in the animal world for +brain-power. He is superior in mentality to the horse, the dog, and even +the gray wolf. Instinct the grizzly has, but he also has the ability to +reason. His ever-alert, amazingly developed senses are constantly +supplying his brain with information--information which he uses, and +uses intelligently. His powers of scent are exquisite. His ears hear +faint sounds; they are continually on scout and sentinel duty. Wireless +messages from long distances which his senses pick up are accurately +received and their place of origin correctly determined. + +The grizzly appears to guide his daily life with plan and forethought. +He has the genius for taking pains. He is constantly alert and meets +emergencies with brains. The following actions have impressed me with +his keen mental processes. + +A grizzly cub in Yellowstone Park found a big ham skin--a prized +delicacy. Just as the little fellow was lifting it to his mouth a big +bear appeared. He instantly dropped the ham skin, sat down on it, and +pretended to be greatly interested in watching something in the edge of +the woods. + +Another young grizzly in the Yellowstone one day found a tin can that +was open at one end and partly filled with fish. He raised it in his +fore paws and peeped in, then deliberately turned the can upside down +and shook it. Nothing came out. He shook again; no result. Then he +proceeded just about as you or I might have done. He placed the can on +the ground, open end down, and hammered the bottom of the can with a +stone until the fish dropped out. + +In a zoo one day, a piece of hard-tack that a grizzly bear wanted fell +into the hands of a black bear. The black bear dipped the hard-tack in +the water and then started to take a bite. Evidently it was too hard. He +put it in the water again, and while it soaked gave his attention to +something else. While the black bear was not looking, the grizzly, +standing on the farther edge of the pool, stirred the water with a fore +paw and started the hard-tack toward him on the waves. The instant the +first wave touched the black bear he looked around, grabbed the precious +hard-tack, which was rapidly floating away, and, pushing it to the +bottom of the pool, put one hind foot upon it. How very like the mental +processes of human beings! + +One day in North Park, Colorado, I came upon the carcass of a cow that +wolves had recently killed. It lay in a grassy opening surrounded by +willow clumps. Knowing that bears were about, I climbed into the +substantial top of a stocky pine near by, hoping that one would come to +feast. A grizzly came at sundown. + +When about one hundred feet from the carcass the bear stopped. Standing +erect, with fore paws hanging loosely, he looked, listened, and +carefully examined the air with his nose. The grizzly is eternally +vigilant; he appears to feel that he is ever pursued. As the air was not +stirring, I felt that he could not scent me in my tree-top perch. It may +be, however, that he faintly caught my lingering scent where I had +walked round the opening. After scouting for a minute or two with all +his keen senses, he dropped on all fours and slowly, without a sound, +advanced toward the willow clumps. + +In places of possible ambush the grizzly is extremely cautious. He is +not a coward, but he does not propose to blunder into trouble. When +within thirty feet of the waiting feast this bear redoubled his +precautions against surprise and ambush by walking round the carcass. +Then, slipping stealthily to the edge of a thick willow clump, he flung +himself into it with a fearful roar, instantly leaping out on the other +side ready to charge anything that might start from the willows; but +nothing started. Standing erect, tense in every muscle, he waited a +moment in expectant attitude. Then he charged, roaring, through another +willow clump, and another, until he had investigated every possible +place of concealment near the carcass. Not finding an enemy, he at last +went to the carcass. + +When he had feasted for a few minutes he suddenly rose, snarled, and +sniffed along my trail for a few yards. He uttered a few growling +threats. That a grizzly cannot climb a tree is a fact in natural history +which gave me immense satisfaction. But the bear returned to the carcass +and finished his feast. Finally, having raked grass and trash over the +remains, he doubled back on his trail and faded into the twilight. + +Grizzlies often show courage and strategy by hiding and lying in ambush +for a pursuing hunter. On one occasion I had been following a grizzly +for a number of days, trying to get his photograph at short range. He +knew I was in pursuit. Finally, he doubled back on his trail a short +distance and crouched behind a log. His tracks as I followed them passed +along the other side of this log, and continued plainly ahead of me +across the top of a snow-covered moraine. But as I approached the log, +the wind stirred the bear's fur and gave me warning. + +A grizzly appears to understand that his tracks reveal his movements. I +was once following one that had been wounded by a hunter to see where +he went and what he did. He circled from his trail and came back to it +over logs and rocks, which left no markings, and hid in a clump of fir +trees. On seeing this possible place of ambush by the trail, I turned +aside and climbed a pine to reconnoitre. When the bear realized that I +had discovered him, he made off in anger. + +Round the foot of Long's Peak I followed a bear through a shallow snow, +hoping to overtake and photograph him. Most of the snow had melted off +the logs and bowlders. After trailing him four or five miles I came to a +bowlder where he had climbed up and looked around. Possibly he wished to +see how close I was to him; possibly he was deciding just where he would +carry out a plan for outwitting me. At any rate, he jumped from the +bowlder, walked round it, traveled a short distance slowly, then set off +on a run, going east. After I had followed his trail for more than a +mile, his tracks ceased in a rocky, snowless area where his footprints +did not show. + +I thought I should find his tracks in the snow on the farther edge of +the rocky space; but they were not there. Then, in the snow, I went +entirely round the edge of the rocky space without seeing a track. +Thinking that possibly the grizzly was hiding in this small rocky area, +I at once cautiously circled every place behind which he might be +concealed, but without finding him. + +Out in the snow I made a larger circle and at last discovered his +tracks. Entering the rocky space, he had turned abruptly to the left and +traveled about one hundred feet. Then, from the rocks, he had made a +long leap into a clump of bushes, from this leaped into another clump of +bushes, and finally into the snow. He thus left the rocky place without +leaving any telltale tracks within thirty feet of it. + +He started westward--back toward the bowlder--alongside his first trail, +and traveled for about a mile parallel to it and less than one hundred +feet from it. Near the bowlder he waited in concealment at a point where +he could watch his former trail, and evidently stayed there until I +passed. + +Then he traveled on a short distance to another small rocky area. +Doubling in his tracks, he came back for one hundred feet or so in the +trail he had thus made. Working toward his first trail, he hid his +tracks by leaping among fallen timbers and bushes, and at last made a +leap into his first trail by the bowlder, where he made many tracks in +the snow. Along this old trail he traveled east again a short distance, +stepping precisely in his former footprints. + +Out of this trail he leaped upon the top of a low, snowless bowlder on +the right, and from this upon another bowlder. He walked along a bare +fallen log. Here I must have searched more than two hours before +detecting two or three broken sticks, which gave me a clew to the +direction he had taken. From the log he walked upon a cross log and then +plunged through fifty or sixty feet of thicket which showed no trail. +From where he had emerged on the farther side of the thicket there was +little by which to trace him for the next quarter of a mile. He +zigzagged over fallen logs and leaped upon snowless bowlders until he +came to a tree leaning against a cliff. Up this tree he walked to a +ledge, where, fortunately, there was a little snow which recorded his +track. He followed the ledge to the top of the cliff and, leaving this, +ran for four or five miles. It took me twenty-four hours to unravel the +various tangles, and I finally gave up the idea of photographing him. +Long before I arrived at the top of the cliff I had concluded that I was +following a reasoning animal, one who might be more alert than I myself. + +Though a grizzly has both speed and strength, he generally uses his wits +and thus obtains the desired end in the easiest way. Three or four +persons have told me that they have seen instances of a grizzly bear's +taking the part of an acrobat. The bear, by this means, endeavored to +attract the attention of cattle, with the idea of drawing them close and +seizing one of them. Among his pranks he turned an occasional +somersault, rolled over and over, and chased his tail. + +A Utah grizzly killed about one thousand head of cattle in fifteen +years. During this time there was a large reward offered for his death. +Numerous attempts were made to capture him. Old hunters and trappers +tried with rifles and traps; expeditions of men, horses, and dogs +pursued him. All these years he lived on as usual in his home territory, +made a kill every few days, and was seen only two or three times. + +Another grizzly, eluding pursuers, slaughtered live stock freely, and +managed to survive thirty-five years of concerted efforts to kill or +capture him. There was a rich reward on his head. + +There are similar accounts of Clubfoot, Three-Toes, and other outlaw +grizzlies. All of these bears slaughtered cattle by the hundreds in +their home territory, lived with heavy prices on their heads, and for +years outwitted skillful hunters and trappers, escaping the +well-organized posse again and again. Knowing many of the hunters and +their skillful methods, and the repeated triumphs of other grizzlies +over combinations and new contrivances, I am convinced that the grizzly +bear is an animal who reasons. + +When in a trap or cornered, a wounded grizzly sometimes feigns death. +Apparently he considers his situation desperate and sees in this method +the possibility of throwing his assailant off guard. Considering that +need of feigning death is recent,--since the arrival of the white man +with high-power rifle and insidious steel trap,--this strategy appears +like a clear case of reasoning. + +The grizzly is difficult to anticipate. His strategy usually defeats the +hunter. One wounded bear may at once charge the hunter; the next may run +from him; and the third may hold the ground defiantly. The grizzly +meets what to us seem identical situations in unlike manner, and makes +sudden changes in his habits without our seeing the cause for such +changes. Quickly he makes the acquaintance of the new and promptly +adjusts himself to it. If it is dangerous he avoids it, if advantageous +he uses it. + +Often in traveling to a distant place the grizzly goes on the run, but +just as often he goes at slower speed. If plodding slowly, he conveys +the impression of deliberating. He often appears to be thinking, and +probably is. Though shuffling along, he is bound for a definite place +with the intention of doing a definite thing. Suddenly he changes his +mind and goes off in the opposite direction. + +I have seen a bear hustling along, with his mind apparently made up; he +is in a hurry to carry out some plan, to reach a given place, or see +some particular thing. All at once he notices where he is and stops. He +remembers that he intended to look at such and such a thing on the way +but has neglected to do so. He hesitates a few moments, then goes back. + +On rare occasions the grizzly walks along, perhaps in bountiful summer, +thinking of nothing in particular, with head swinging slowly from side +to side. Something arouses him; he may promptly retreat or he may +investigate. You never know what a grizzly will do next or how he will +do it, but everything he does is with fresh interest and delightful +individuality. + +An old grizzly pursued by wolves once gave me a fearful exhibition of +nature. He came running across an opening in the southern end of North +Park with several wolves close in pursuit. He acted as though away from +home--hard pressed, bewildered, and in a strange territory. The wolves +were crowding him closely as he reached the edge of the woods. With a +sudden move he wheeled and struck at the one in the lead. Instantly the +others were around him, snarling and snapping. The grizzly wheeled and +struck quickly to right and left, striking outward and downward somewhat +after the fashion of a cat striking at a near-by object. Then he turned +and ran on. + +A few miles farther on he again crossed an opening. Fresh wolves were +now in pursuit. I saw several of the pack lying down, panting and +resting. The grizzly had no rest, he was hard pressed. At one place, +closely crowded, he backed up in the corner of a cliff and here put up +such a fight that he drove the wolves off for the time being. He killed +one and badly injured two of them. Towards evening he took refuge in a +denlike place for which he evidently had been heading. The following +morning a number of the wolves were gone, but the others were waiting +for the grizzly in front of the den. + +A grizzly with three feet managed to maintain himself in a territory +near my home, and I twice heard of his outwitting hunters and their +hounds. The territory was occasionally invaded by trappers but he +avoided their snares. Hunters with dogs finally drove him off his +domain. Where he went, what struggles he had, what masterly retreats he +made, what troubles he had in making a living, and what his final tragic +end, I do not know. That he survived so long with one foot gone +indicates that he was a bear of powers, a bear with a career, whose +biography or autobiography would be full of action and adventure. + +It cannot be stated too strongly that the grizzly is not a coward. Every +drop of blood in his body is courageous. He has no fear. He is +intelligent enough to know that man is a dangerous enemy--that it is +almost suicidal for a bear to expose himself to man. There is no animal +of the wilds whom he avoids. Man, with field-glasses, dogs, and a rifle +that will kill at the distance of a mile, are odds too great for him. He +wisely endeavors to avoid man, but if he cannot do so, when the fight +comes he exhibits one hundred per cent of courage and efficiency. + +Only a few generations ago the grizzly was instinctively courageous, +never avoiding a foe; with courage he met every issue, almost invariably +coming out triumphant. But when man is the issue, the grizzly, seeing +more than one move ahead, has the wisdom and the greater courage to +suppress the old instinctive trait, for its use would be ineffective. + +For years I have watched, studied, and enjoyed the grizzly, have seen +his actions under a variety of influences--fighting and playing, +sleeping and food-getting. I have watched him when he was under normal +influences and abnormal ones; when pursuer and when pursued; have kept +him within the focus of my field-glasses for hours at a time, and have +trailed for days with a camera this master animal. + +The grizzly is so dignified and so strangely human-like that I have felt +degraded every time I have seen him pursued with dogs. A few times I +have outwitted him; more often he has outwitted me. We have occasionally +met unexpectedly; sometimes each stared without alarm, and at other +times each fled in an opposite direction. Sometimes the grizzly is +guided by instinct, but more often his actions are triumphantly directed +by reason. + + + + +Cubs and Mother + + +The life-story of every bear is a story of adventure. A hunter with whom +I was camping in the No-Summer Mountains of Colorado came in one June +evening with the report that he had killed a mother grizzly. He had +searched for her cubs, which he thought must be near by, but had failed +to discover them. The hunter said he had come upon her unexpectedly in a +thicket and she had at once charged, probably thinking herself cornered. +One well-aimed shot in the head had dropped her. + +The following morning I went with the hunter to bring in the grizzly. +She was a beautiful silver-tip of about four hundred pounds. We made +another thorough search for the cubs without finding them. Just as the +hunter was about to start skinning the bear I caught sight of a cub +peeping from beneath large slide rocks not thirty feet away. Then +another frightened cub face appeared. + +After hesitating for a moment both cubs came out and stood looking +intently toward us and their dead mother. After a stare, as we did not +move, they took a few steps toward us. Hesitating again, they stopped, +rose up and looked around, and then hastily retreated to the rocks. +Evidently their mother had trained them to stay wherever she left them +until she returned. + +But they had waited long. For a while they stood and whimpered very much +like hungry, forsaken children. They could scent their mother, and see +her, too, and were too hungry and lonesome to endure without her longer. +Again they started slowly toward us, walking closely side by side. When +very near they paused, rose on hind legs, and looked intently at us and +in wonder and longing at their lifeless mother. Then they went to her. +One little cub sniffed in a bewildered, puzzled way over her cold, still +body. He gently stroked her fur with his paw and then sat down and began +to whimper and cry. + + [Illustration: THE CHALLENGE + _The Cub on the Right is an Alaskan Grizzly of the Big Brown + Bear Type_] + +The other little cub stood looking with awe into his mother's moveless +face, but at last shook off his fright and smelled her bloody head. +Then, all forlorn, he turned to look eagerly into the face of the +hunter, who had been watching the little cub all this while with big +tears upon his cheeks. After a moment he took a step toward him, rose +up, and trustingly put fore paws upon his knee, looking seriously, +confidingly into his face. We carried these little orphans to camp, and +the hunter raised them. Their mother was the last animal that he ever +shot. + +The cubs are born in the hibernating cave in January, February, or +March, probably the majority in February. The number at birth commonly +is two, but sometimes there are three and occasionally even four. Each +is about the size of a chipmunk, weighing from ten to twenty ounces. + +Generally the mother does not come forth for either food or drink for +some weeks after the cubs are born. She stays in the den a month longer +than bears without cubs. Curled around the little bears in the den, she +nourishes them from her store of fat. The cubs grow slowly, and on +leaving the den are often only a trifle larger than a cotton-tail +rabbit, weighing from ten to fifteen pounds. The grizzly appears to give +birth to cubs only every second year. Though yearlings have been seen +with a mother and cubs, it is likely that they did not belong to her. + +In proportion to the size of the mother, the grizzly is one of the +smallest of animals at birth, weighing about one fifth of one per cent +of her weight. A baby kangaroo at birth is even smaller proportionally, +however, and is said to weigh less than one tenth of one per cent of the +mother's weight. A baby blue whale is about four per cent of the weight +of the mother and sometimes weighs three tons and has a length of +twenty-five feet. + +Why is the young grizzly so small? It will readily be seen that while +hibernating, neither eating nor drinking for a few months, the mother +grizzly would not be able to nourish two or more very lusty youngsters. +It is probable that in the process of evolution Nature selected the +small grizzly cubs to perpetuate the species. + +While visiting the Blackfeet Indians in western Montana one February, I +saw a young Indian woman nursing two baby grizzly bears. The mother +grizzly had been killed a day or two before and the cubs taken from the +den. They were little bits of warm, pink life, scantily covered with +hair. Each weighed not more than one pound. They were blind and +toothless, but had sharp tiny claws. They had their eyes open in about +fourteen days, and early began to cut their teeth. For several days the +Indian woman suckled the cubs, then she fed them on cow's milk and +succeeded in raising them. + +Many are the colors of grizzlies. I once saw a mother with four cubs, +each of a different color. She herself was cream-colored, but one of the +cubs was nearly black, another gray, the third brown, and the fourth +black and white. A grizzly may be a blond, or a brunette, or one of half +a dozen in-between shades. Often, as he ages, he becomes a "silver-tip." +Probably dark gray is the prevailing color. + +From the time the mother and cubs emerge from the winter den in the +spring until they enter a den to hibernate the next winter, they are on +the move much of the time. Only occasionally does the old bear leave the +cubs behind, and this as a rule is not for long. She is constantly +watchful for their safety and makes haste to place herself between the +cubs and any possible danger. In retreating she usually leads the way, +the cubs following closely, but if nearly cornered she is likely to act +as rear guard. + +Crossing the mountains one stormy spring day, I paused in a whirl of +mist and wet snow to look for the trail. Peering ahead, I beheld a +grizzly bear emerging from the gloom only a few yards away. Close +behind her were two small cubs. Mother Grizzly, as much surprised as I, +instantly retreated. With an impatient expression and a growl of anger +she wheeled quickly about and boxed the cubs right and left like a +nervous mother. Urged on with spanks from behind, the youngsters turned +back in the direction they had come from, and all vanished in the +falling snow. + +Though gentle and patient, the grizzly mother uses a limited amount of +cuffing and spanking with the cubs, especially if they are in danger. +One day from far across a cañon I was watching two cubs walking along a +wild-life trail in front of their mother, when a pack outfit appeared on +my side of the cañon. The mother and the cubs saw it, and she at once +turned up a gulch, pushing the cubs before her. But the youngsters were +interested in the pack-animals and, standing still, forgot everything in +their eager watching. The mother went from one to the other, pushing +them forward. The instant she left one, the cub stopped and turned to +look back in eager curiosity at the strange sight across the cañon. +Without any show of temper the mother pushed one ahead a few yards and +then returned to the other and urged it forward. + +The mother protects her cubs at any cost. Many a grizzly mother has died +in defense of her offspring, and I do not know of an instance of a +mother's running away when her cubs were exposed to danger. + +At Grand Lake, Colorado, one June day, I went with a trapper on his +rounds, thinking that he might have trapped a grizzly. He had a cub +trapped by a fore paw. As we approached the spot, I chanced to climb +over a pile of fallen timber and from the top of this I saw Mother +Grizzly lying in wait a short distance in front of the cub. She had dug +out a place behind a log and was lying there concealed, unmistakably +waiting for the trapper. + +One morning late in May, while I stood behind a tree watching two young +beaver at play in the pond, a small grizzly cub, of the same brown color +as the beaver, walked out to the end of a log that lay partly in the +water. He was interested in the beaver. Reaching down, he touched the +water with right fore paw, whimpered, but hesitated about going in. +While he stood looking trustingly at them, the beaver, who had been +watching him, dived into the pond. + +Cubs as well as human children sometimes become separated and lost from +even the most watchful of mothers. This little cub was so thin and weak +that he must have been lost for some days. In the woods a trace of snow +that had fallen a day or two before still lingered. This enabled me to +back-track the cub to where he had probably spent a part of the night, +about a quarter of a mile up stream from the pond. His tracks showed +that he had wandered much. + +If I left the cub in the woods it appeared improbable that his mother +would find him before he starved, and it was unlikely that I should find +her, even though I continued the dangerous business of searching for +her. I caught the cub without effort, and, after a few feeble attempts +to scratch and bite me, he calmed down, licked my hand, and then began +to suck a raisin which I handed him from my pocket. He was a tiny little +fellow and could not have weighed more than nine or ten pounds. I +carried him to the nearest ranch. The children were glad to have him, +and a letter from them some months afterwards told me that "Maverick" +was happy in his new home. + +From a tree-top perch I once had a good glimpse of bear life, as a +mother grizzly with two young cubs stopped by a tree to dig out mice. +In the midst of her digging mother grizzly caught a faint scent of me +and instantly was all concentration. On tiptoe, motionless as a statue, +she stood looking, listening, and gathering information with her +nostrils. Then she relaxed, dropped on all fours, and for a moment +seemed uncertain as to her next move. One of the cubs concluded to +suckle. Instantly the mother knocked him headlong with a side swing of +her left fore paw. Such thoughtlessness in the face of possible danger +was evidently too much to be excused. + +The little cub landed some yards away, tumbling heels over head. He +showed no surprise, in fact pretended that this was a part of his plan. +The instant he rolled on his feet he sniffed the earth eagerly as though +he had made a remarkable discovery and started to dig. Without +uncovering a thing he presently raced away to overtake mother and the +other cub. + +Cubs appear to depend upon mother's milk until they are about six months +of age. Before this time they may eat a little solid food now and then, +but this is done more out of curiosity and in imitation of mother than +from desire. It is likely to be July before they do even this and late +August before they eat solid things with any regularity. They are not +likely to be weaned until just before denning-up time. The Indians in +Alaska told me that sometimes the cubs are not weaned until the second +autumn of their lives. This certainly is sometimes true, but I think it +peculiar to Alaska. + +Comical and cunning the cubs appear as they mimic the mother. When she +stands up with fore paws against her breast, looking intently into the +distance, the cubs stand up with their paws upon their breasts and look +in the same direction. When mother turns or sniffs, these cunning little +imitators also turn and sniff. The cubs walk up to a spot where the +mother has been sniffing and digging and there sniff and dig. If mother +continues digging rather long, they find a place of their own and dig. +If mother reaches up and pulls down a fruit-laden limb and takes a bite, +they too must pull down a twig of some kind and at least look at it. + +Around the shores of Chickadee Pond a mother grizzly and her two cubs +spent a July day digging out grass roots, willow roots, and probably +also grubs. I watched them for hours. Occasionally one took a mouthful +of grass or a bite of blue mertensia. After a while mother waded into +the pond; cubs of course followed. + +The large yellow pond-lilies were in bloom, and mother went about biting +off stalk after stalk, apparently forgetting the cubs. One of them +grabbed a lily stem and bit two or three times without cutting it. +Finally, leaning back, he pulled it apart. He chewed it a little but +didn't seem to enjoy it. Then, holding the lily in one paw, he thrust +the great golden bulb into his mouth and ate it with apparent +satisfaction. The other little cub after much tugging finally uprooted a +lily. He chewed at the four-foot stalk in three or four places. Then, +taking the bulb in both fore paws, he ate it as though it were an apple. + +It is ever a joy to watch a grizzly and her children. A mother grizzly +crossing a lake just south of Long's Peak swam low in the water with a +cub sitting contentedly on her back. She came directly towards the shore +where I was standing concealed behind trees. As she approached I threw a +stone into the water close to her. Wheeling about like lightning, Mother +Grizzly started at full speed for the farther shore. The cub tipped over +in the water, but hastily took a tail-hold and was towed rapidly away. + +I once saw a grizzly and cub walking leisurely along the top of a ridge +above timber-line, the cub with long strides following in mother's +footprints. There were perhaps six or more inches of snow. I sat still. +They were coming almost towards me. Watching carefully with my glass, I +noticed that the cub was limping. He suddenly sat down and bawled. The +mother, after walking on several steps, turned to look at the cub, who +was holding his hind foot between his fore paws and examining his hurt. +I heard him whimper two or three times, and finally mother went back. +She looked down at the bottom of the foot rather indifferently, then +turned and walked on. The cub followed after. + +When they passed near me the mother rose suddenly on hind legs, stood +with fore paws held against her chest, and looked and looked, and +sniffed and sniffed. Little cub, forgetting his sore hind foot, stood up +with little paws against his breast, stretched his neck, looked, and +sniffed--a perfect little imitation of the mother. She moved off several +steps and stopped on the very edge of a precipitous ridge to scout. The +cub placed his fore paws against mother's side and from this secure +position peeped over and beyond her. But they did not detect me and soon +went leisurely on. + +Two miles farther I crept as close as I could and paused to watch. The +mother was digging, the cub watching eagerly. As her digging continued +for some time, he moved away, sniffed two or three times, and then began +digging rapidly on his own account. While both were digging, there was a +whir of wings and a sweep of shadows, and a flock of white ptarmigan +alighted among broken ledges near by. While I was watching them, a flock +of mountain sheep came along the out-thrusting ridge and paused to play +for a few moments on the sky-line. In pairs they faced, then reared up +and sparred with their horns; they cut lively circles around one +another. A rugged, snowy peak loomed grim behind the scene, and the +dense forest spread away for miles below. The bears, the ptarmigan, and +the sheep, the white peak, the purple forest, and the blue sky gave me a +striking experience and left a splendid picture. As I turned to go, the +cub was giving all his attention to the play of the sheep. + +The almost continual play of the cubs is a never-ending source of +interest. They race, they wrestle, they box, and they play hide and +seek with utmost enthusiasm. They climb upon mother's back, they swat +and pummel her and maul her. She will endure this by the hour with +absolute indifference. Mother sometimes plays with the cubs but more +often lets them play with her, or, unconcerned, simply watches them in +their scrambles. + +Playing cubs are strikingly boylike in their ways. They tumble and roll +about with lively energy. Their boxing is a ludicrously earnest show. +Standing up they clinch, struggle, break away and watch for a new +advantage. They strike first with one paw, then with the other, then +with both at once. They come close, dodge, and jump back; they hold one +paw high and the other low; sometimes they guard the face with one arm +while striking with the other. Often they strike wildly, evidently +intending to miss; they bristle up, growl, and have great fun, +pretending to be more in earnest and terrible than they really are. + +No two boys ever had more excitement and fun swimming in a river than +did two cub bears whom I once watched. These cubs raced, splashed, and +pushed one another under the water. They dived and swam beneath the +surface and from a bowlder plunged into it with terrific splashes, +sometimes forward, sometimes backward. + +One of the happiest incidents which I have seen in the grizzly bear +world was a mother grizzly who had discovered some honey in a standing +dead tree, perhaps five or six feet above the ground. Tearing open the +edges of the hole, she helped herself to a quantity of the honey, then +called her two cubs, who were playing a short distance away. They needed +no second invitation when they saw mother standing on hind legs and +leaning forward with fore paws against the trunk of the tree. Up the +incline of her back they raced merrily, and, standing upon mother's +head, they ate with eagerness this wonderful feast of honey. + +The cubs den up with their mother the winter following their birth. The +mother is their companion until they are a year and a half old, +sometimes longer. During their second summer she commonly leaves the +cub--or cubs, as the case may be--to make their way in the world alone. +Once the family ties are broken, the grizzly is seldom seen with other +bears. + +If two, three, or four in number, the yearlings run together another +year, and are chummy and inseparable. One becomes the leader and is +followed faithfully. If trouble arises, they are united and devoted +little people. To kill or injure one of the youngsters means that a +hunter is promptly charged by the others, and often killed or injured. + +The cubs are great ramblers. They may wander through unoccupied regions +and over the territory of other bears. They are not considered intruders +by other bears. There are numerous interesting incidents in the +companionship of these year-olds, and sometimes of two-year-olds, who +have explored miles of territory, chased animals, played, and enjoyed +themselves together, and in moments of danger united and fought the +enemy. Yearling bears den up together the second winter and occasionally +also the third winter. Generally, however, after the second winter, that +is to say, when two and a half years old, they separate. From this time +on the grizzly lives alone. + +Where does he make his first home? Sometimes the young grizzly crowds +into the territory adjoining his birthplace, but at other times he must +wander far away to find territory not already occupied. In the past, +when grizzlies were numerous, the increased population each year must +have compelled readjustments and forced a reduction of the area claimed +by each individual. But in these times, except perhaps in two or three +National Parks, there are thousands of square miles here and there over +the West without a grizzly on them. But the grizzly is fond of his home +territory, and in it, except for occasional visits into the outside +world, he spends his life. + + + + +His Exclusive Territory + + +A mother grizzly and her year-and-a-half-old cub came shuffling along +the shore of a little lake in the No-Summer Mountains. Where a brook +flowed into the lake she stopped, looked at the cub, and possibly +grunted something to him. She may have said, "Here, Johnny, is a +territory not claimed by other bears; this is to be your domain." I +watched him as she went ambling away alone. He stood looking at the +ground for several seconds, then turned to see his mother in the +distance, and finally surveyed his surroundings. Pushed off into the +world to shift for himself, the cub walked up the mountain-side and +disappeared in the woods. + +I had seen this cub and his mother on the other side of the Medicine Bow +Mountains, at least fifty miles away. When I saw her leaving the cub to +make his way alone, I wanted to ask, "Is it common for a mother grizzly +to take her children to the territory that is to be their home?" The +selection of this domain may sometimes be made by the mother but most +often, probably, it is made by the cubs. + +But, selection of the home territory aside, the grizzly leads a solitary +life; he lives apart from other bears, has his thought, his work, his +recreation, and his play by himself. Alone he hunts for food, alone he +wanders for adventure. Singly he fights his foes, and in solitude he +dens up in winter. A possible explanation of this may lie in the fact +that being alone is an advantage to an animal of his size and enormous +food-requirements. Then, too, since the advent of the white man with the +long-range rifle, it is an advantage to act singly. The grizzly's +solitary habit may be one which is an advantage in the perpetuation of +the species. Only twice have I known of father, mother, and cubs being +seen together, and I have never heard of their denning together. + +A grizzly has his own home territory. He claims the exclusive use of +certain lands. In only one instance have I known two companion grizzlies +to occupy the same region permanently. These two were often seen eating, +traveling, and resting near each other. Though the grizzly wanders off +the home territory for an occasional visit, in it through the seasons +and through the years he makes his living; he defends it against +invaders, and in it he commonly dies. + +Most wild creatures have their home territories, areas which they claim +the right to use to the exclusion of others of the same species. The +bear is likely to hold more territory than any other kind of life; and +he will dominate in the territory all kinds of life that may temporarily +conflict with his use of it. Most birds and beasts use their large or +tiny bit of earth in pairs, flocks, herds, or colonies. The grizzly uses +his alone. His domain may be in part the claimed territory of other +species; lions, beavers, wolves, eagles, and other life may use it. + +The grizzly bear is the aristocrat of the wilds. He is lordly and +reserved. He will meet a bighorn sheep or other wild animal, and, though +aware of its presence, pay no apparent attention to it. If near another +bear, either a black or a grizzly, while appearing to be disinterested, +or pretending not to have seen him, he is in fact watching the other's +movements. A black bear avoids him. Sometimes two grizzlies who have +been feeding near each other deliberately meet, or come face to face. +Each, with admirable acting, feigns intense surprise that the other is +there. They bristle up, exchange a few unfriendly roars and growls, make +a threatening move or two, and then go on. Sometimes they pass as though +unconscious of each other's presence. + +A network of trails extends over the grizzly's mountain home. These +reach food-supply centres, lookout and resting stations, swimming-holes, +and other places often visited. Generally when going anywhere the +grizzly follows a trail; if pursued, he is most certain to do so. Many +of these trails are dim, but others are deeply worn. He may sometimes +make a new trail, but in general he follows the old ones which have been +used by generations of bears. His domain may be crossed by other +wild-life trails, which he may or may not use. + +Topography, mountain barriers, streams, or other natural boundary-lines +in part determine the form of the grizzly's home territory. The size is +determined by the food-supply, by the bear population of the region, and +by individual prowess. A bear of exceptional prowess may hold an empire. + +The territory dominated by old "Timberline" had an area of about eighty +square miles. The western boundary-line followed the rim of the +Continental Divide for nearly fifteen miles. Meeker Ridge and Cony +Creek were other boundary-lines, while at the north stood Chief's Head +Mountain and Long's Peak. Toward the south the territory narrowed and +was not more than two miles across; in the centre it must have been +nearly ten miles wide. An extensive area lay above the timber-line. +There were forests primeval, a number of cañons and streams, numerous +small lakes and beaver ponds. In this varied and extensive region old +"Timberline" had all the necessities of life and many of the luxuries of +beardom. + +The claw-marks and the tooth-marks which grizzlies and some other +animals place on trees are often interpreted as being "No Trespass" +signs, indications of boundary-lines, survey marks, or the seal of +ownership of the landlord. If these marks are extremely high, they are +supposed to inspire respect for the one occupying the region, or to +cause terror to the invader, unless he be large enough to reach higher. +But I question any such significance attached to these marks. Ofttimes +the bear leaves these marks in the centre of his home range, sometimes +within the home territory of a lion or a big-horn. While the idea of its +being a mark of ownership is a most artistic and entertaining one, it +does not appear to have any natural-history value. + +I have seen bears, reaching high, tear out pieces of bark, and have also +seen both bears and lions put claw-marks upon trees. Generally this +clawing and biting was done during languid and leisurely moments when +there was nothing definite to do. One day I watched a grizzly stand on +hind feet upon a five-foot snowdrift where he had been lying. Placing +his front paws against a spruce as high as he could reach, he clawed the +bark indifferently. It was more of a muscle-stretching performance than +anything else. He took a tiny bite out of the tree and walked off with +the strip of bark in his mouth. Then he gave it a playful shake and +dropped it. + +It is well known that wolves, beavers, and some other animals have +information places. These may or may not be intentionally established. +Some of these places are where wild-life trails cross, or are near +water-holes, salt-licks, play places, or some neutral feeding-ground. +They may be frequented exclusively by one species or by several. Even +the casual visits and bark-biting of bears incidentally contribute +something of interest to the next visitors. In these places an animal +may learn of the recent visit of one of his species or of a dreaded +enemy, or may even find information as to the sex of the visitors. They +are thus akin to country cross-roads where gossip is exchanged +concerning human affairs. + +A grizzly that I was trailing turned abruptly aside to visit a news +station of this kind. Plainly it was a loafing or frequented spot for +wild life; from the nature of the topography and from numerous tracks +seen during later visits I learned that it was a stamping-ground and a +trail-crossing. Foxes, coyotes, skunks, rats, deer, and mountain sheep +had been visitors. The manner in which the bear turned aside to visit +the place suggested that he had been there before; but he may just have +caught interesting, newsy scent which attracted him there for the first +time. His actions were those of one who is hunting for news. + +At night the bear may lie down in almost any place, but during the +daytime he selects one of the safest places in his realm. If in the high +mountains this may be on a ridge above the timber-line, or on a treeless +hilltop from which he commands a wide outlook, or in the end of a cañon, +or in a thicket. Wherever the place, it is one where the bear cannot be +easily surprised, and where his scouts--his scent, his sight, and his +ears--would easily warn him of the approach of any possible danger. + +When pursued, the grizzly tries to keep within his domain. Usually he +travels only seven or eight miles in one direction, then doubles back, +circles, and zigzags. Only two or three times when trailing the bear +have I known him to travel more than fourteen or fifteen miles in one +direction. In one long trailing experience I observed that the bear, +with many twists and zigzags, covered his domain practically twice over. +I trailed the same grizzly two Septembers, three years apart. I started +him the second time near the place where I had started him before, and +he followed for three days over almost exactly the same route taken the +first time. + +Three prospectors and I were rowing across a lake in the Sawtooth +Mountains of Idaho. When about half a mile from the farther shore, we +spied a grizzly swimming across. We pursued, and when we got near, one +of the men proposed to rope him, saying that the bear could now tow us +ashore. The other two protested so vigorously that the rope was not +thrown. Fortunate for us that it was not, for had it fallen over the +neck of Mr. Grizzly, the chances are that he might have climbed into the +boat. In Alaska I saw a grizzly out at sea, swimming vigorously along +between two islands that were seven miles apart. The grizzly is fond of +water, is an excellent and enduring swimmer, and in the water fights +effectively. + +While I was on a winter trip into the San Juan Mountains a prospector +told me of an occurrence which he had just witnessed. A snow-slide +crashing down into a gulch close to a grizzly den aroused the bear, who +came out with a rush to see what was going on. He did not lose his head, +but looked about until the air cleared of the swirling snow-dust. Then +he walked round the wreckage brought down by the slide and finally +climbed it and explored the opening it had smashed through the woods. +After being out more than an hour he re-entered the den. + +Though living a solitary life in the seclusion of the wilderness, this +bear was again routed out before spring. His den was only a few feet +above the stream, on the mountain-side. The débris brought down by the +snow-slide forty or fifty feet up the gulch dammed the stream and raised +the water so that it leaked through the earth into the den. Again +driven forth from his den, the bear--so his tracks in the snow +showed--after one pause climbed to another den on the mountain-side +about two miles distant. + +The grizzly spends about one third of each year in hibernation. He may +use the same den year after year, repairing and reshaping it; or perhaps +he will dig a new one. Sometimes he goes outside his own territory for a +den to his liking. He is sometimes driven forth during hibernation by +landslides as well as by snow-slides and floods. + +A grizzly is strongly attached to his home territory and spends most of +his time in it. Occasionally, and in exceptional cases regularly, he +wanders far away. A scarcity of food may cause him to leave home +temporarily; or excessive food elsewhere may attract him. + +Bears and lions are not neighborly, and at best each ignores the other; +but one bear I knew followed a lion for weeks, and others have +occasionally done likewise, profiting by the food-supply--the excessive +killing of the lion. Here was unusual tolerance, almost friendly +association, between antagonistic wild folk. + +The abundance of food at any place in a bear's territory gives other +grizzlies public rights. A berry-patch or a stream which has a supply +equal to the needs of many bears, a beaver pond, or a lake, may become a +public feeding-place. A flood, a storm, a snow-slide, or other agency +may take the lives of a number of animals--cause a congestion of food in +any territory. + +That there sometimes is fighting in these public places, and that one +bear sometimes tries to hog a larger food-supply than he can use does +not change the custom of the species. Incidentally, this violation of +general or public rights but reminds us how human-like are bears in +their habits, good and bad. + +Lewis and Clark found a number of grizzlies congregated at places along +the Missouri River. Apparently these had got together like those in +Yellowstone Park, because of congested food-supply. It appears that at +regular crossings along the river numbers of buffalo were annually +drowned, and carcasses regularly strewn at about the same places. + +There are a number of regions in Alaska where a bear lives in his own +chosen locality but regularly goes to a public feeding-ground. Much of +the food is along the seashore and on the lower courses of streams. +There is also a food-belt above the timber-line, where mice abound and +where there is grass upon which bears feed. The seasonal nature of part +of the food may thus encourage or compel bears of one locality to travel +a long distance to secure the only food obtainable. + +If there be straggling grizzlies who wander about like gypsies, they are +the rare exception: the nearest to them were the few "buffalo +grizzlies," those that in old days followed the migrating buffalo herds. + +Though the problem of getting a living makes up most of the grizzly's +daily programme, he knows the wisdom of taking time off and having a +change from the routine of life. The ability to concentrate in eager +play is probably one of the best evidences of the grizzly's unusual +brain-power. It is good to know that, although most of the time he lives +alone and takes things seriously, he also has the power to relax and to +build and restore himself in play. This may help to give contentment to +solitary life in home territory. + +When well fed, the grizzly sometimes strolls over his estate and pauses +to watch the antics of other wild life. He will stand in a stream to +see the ways of water-ouzels. The sliding of otter at play appears to +interest him, and I have discovered otter-slides by following his tracks +to them. Once, when I was enjoying the play of a number of beaver racing +and splashing in a pond, a grizzly watched them for a time from the edge +of the woods, then came out on the dam and sat down where he could +better see them. Though a solitary and self-contained baron, he has many +entertaining interests. + +There are times at home, or abroad, when the grizzly is not deeply +interested in anything, when time hangs a little heavy on his hands, or +on his mind. Sometimes at home he doesn't quite know what to do with +himself. He isn't hungry, he can't think of any place where he cares to +go, he isn't interested in swimming, he doesn't even want to play. He +doesn't care to lie down and sleep. He starts off languidly, stops, +moves on, rears up, takes a bite out of the bark of a tree; but he +doesn't care for the bark to eat and doesn't even look up to see how +high he has bitten. + +The grizzly is a descendant of a long line of wanderers and may +occasionally explore surrounding territory for sheer adventure. If much +harassed by settlers, he will move to a permanent home in lands far +distant. It would be comparatively easy for a grizzly to become +acquainted with four or five thousand miles of territory. He travels +rapidly, has endurance, and in a single night could cover a hundred +miles or more. + +Some bears get the idea of territorial expansion and go forth to seize a +part of a neighbor's hunting-ground. Thus one bear may be annoyed by +another who makes too frequent raids into his domain, and feel called +upon to defend his territory against the invader. When past prime a bear +is sometimes driven forth into an unfriendly world by a young, vigorous +conqueror. + +On one occasion I tracked a grizzly for sixty miles from the margin of +its home range. It traveled along a line that indicated it had a +definite place in mind to which it was going. It explored a cañon +region, and, a day or two later, as tracks in the snow showed, went back +to its old range along the trail it had followed in leaving it. + +Going one autumn from Estes Park to North Park, Colorado, I came upon a +grizzly's track in the upper end of Forest Cañon. For several miles it +had followed an old wild-life trail. It crossed the Continental Divide, +then the No-Summer Mountains. From its trail I judged that it, too, knew +where it was going. + +Had these bears gone to explore, to see the opportunities of a new +region? Or had they returned to old territory which they knew, perhaps +to obtain some particular kind of food, or just to have an outing? If +seeking new domains, it is possible that they would explore a number of +localities before selecting one. + +In a few localities bears migrate in the spring and return home in the +fall. In these migrations the grizzly breaks his solitary custom and +travels in company. Most likely the bears happen to be on the same route +at the same time, and, like Pullman passengers, travel together without +speaking. + +I saw eight grizzly bears one November traveling single file northward +from Middle Park. Back-tracking, I found that they had come from the +mountainous empire around the southern end of this park. They crossed +over into North Park in almost a straight line. Were they, I wondered, +heading for a new home, or was this an annual foraging affair? The +topography of the country traveled had some bearing on the common route +taken, but why were they traveling together? I heard of a number of +bears traveling together in northern New Mexico. + +On one occasion a hunter on No-Wood Creek in the Big Horns saw seven old +grizzlies and two cubs together in the autumn. They were back-tracked to +the Yellowstone Park. The garbage-dumps in the Park are frequented by +neighboring bears and by numbers from outside the bounds of the Park. + +As bears age, their teeth become broken and badly worn away. With +difficulty they manage to live. They are often handicapped through loss +of toes and by other injuries received in accidents and fights, and +through a weakening of faculties due to age. Their normal life appears +to be from thirty-five to fifty years. + +In the mountains of the north of Yellowstone Park I came upon an +extremely old, hard-looking bear. I sat for some time within forty feet +of him, watching him rip an old log to pieces to get the ants and white +grubs. I was so close that I could see his tongue as it busily licked to +right and left. His red-looking eyes stared strangely. I think that he +must have been nearly blind, and also that he had nearly lost his +ability to scent. When I moved a little closer, he stopped eating, rose +up, sniffed the air queerly as though endeavoring to catch scent of me, +then listened and looked. He was not at all sure of my presence, though +looking in my direction. Two or three days later this old bear was +killed. Many of his teeth were gone, and others were badly worn away. +His claws were extremely blunt. His head and hide showed many +scars--marks of fights and marks from numerous bullets. + +One February, when I was spending a few days with a prospector, he +brought home the interesting news that he had found a dead grizzly bear. +The bear evidently had died while hibernating. He was found curled up in +his den and frozen solid. He was old, in poor condition, and his insides +were swarming with vermin. I once found a fat young grizzly, apparently +healthy, who had the appearance of having frozen to death while +hibernating. The time was about the middle of January. The winter to +date had been extremely cold, and but little snow had fallen. + +I have known of other grizzlies who met strange deaths, but, considering +the fairly numerous grizzly population at the time when I was wandering +the wilds, the number of bodies found is surprisingly small. One of +these grizzlies had perished in a forest fire, another in a desert +flood, one was killed at the foot of a cliff by a falling stone, and +another was crushed in a snow-slide. Just how or where most old +grizzlies come to an end, or what becomes of their bones, I have never +been able to learn. It may be that many of them die in the winter dens, +which cave in and bury the remains. In closing his adventurous career +the grizzly appears to conceal the trail to his last resting-place. + + + + +Making a Bear Living + + +Glancing across a beaver pond one day, I saw a big, grayish grizzly bear +walk out into the grassy opening. My presence was not suspected, and I +at once focused my field-glasses upon him. Here and there he went. As a +grasshopper leaped into the air, the bear--big, fat, awkward, lumbering +fellow that he was--leaped into the air after it. Striking the +grasshopper with a fore paw, he would knock it to the ground and then +pick it up with his teeth. Occasionally he advanced on all fours and +slapped his paw upon the grasshopper before it leaped into the air. Once +two grasshoppers flew up at the same instant. The bear stood still, +located the spot where each had alighted, and then paid his respects to +them in turn. + +About this time another bear came into the opening within a hundred feet +of the scene of activity. He was dark-gray, almost black, in color, but +he too was a grizzly. After smelling here and there, the second bear dug +out something; I think it must have been a nestful of mice. A minute +later in the edge of the tall grass he found a bumblebee's nest. This +he ate in its entirety. Apparently two or three of the bees escaped, to +judge from the bear's rapid defense of his nose. Occasionally, as he +walked about, he ate a huge mouthful of grass, taking three or four +bites at a time. + +Neither of these bears paid the slightest attention to the other. Though +each must have known, from both scent and sight, that the other was +near, they very successfully appeared to be oblivious of the fact. A +beaver pond is often a neutral feeding and swimming place. + +"As hungry as a bear" is an expression of variable meaning. About one +third of the year a bear has an omnivorous appetite; for another four +months he lives on short rations; and during the remainder of the year +he goes on a food strike and hibernates. + +A bear spends most of his waking hours making a living. He has simply a +devastating appetite, and as his taste runs to small stuff and dainties, +he is kept on the move. + + [Illustration: MEXICAN GRIZZLIES + _Group in the Field Columbian Museum_] + +If he denned high up the mountain-side his surroundings are likely to be +mostly snow-covered when he comes forth in the spring. Under such +conditions he travels miles down the mountains to feed on the early +plants already started on the low-lands. He may then slowly follow +spring and summer in their steady advance up the far-reaching slopes. To +a certain extent his movements are determined by the calendar. He feeds +upon the best the season affords. He knows when each article of diet is +in season and where in his home territory, or out of it, this abounds. +In berry time look for a bear in a berry-patch. Like an enthusiastic +fisherman he impatiently waits for the open season--spawning-time--and +is on hand early to start fishing. + +Perhaps it would be well if we could think of the grizzly as being +largely vegetarian. He digs up roots; feeds on weeds, tender shoots of +shrubbery, fungi, mushrooms, berries, seeds, rose-hips, pine-nuts, and +acorns; and also eats bark like a rabbit and grass like a grass-eater. + +The aspens were in bloom, laden with swollen buds and juicy catkins. +Many birds were feasting on the catkins; and, looking over into a +near-by aspen thicket, I saw a grizzly on a ledge also feeding eagerly. +Reaching for a limb, first with one fore paw and then the other, he bit +off a few inches and ate twigs, bark, and bloom. Occasionally he seized +the top of an aspen with both paws, bent it down, and bit it off. It was +similar to the fashion followed in eating wild plums and choke-cherries. +A bear will reach up and pull down the top of a plum tree, and, biting +it off, eat the small limbs, the bark, the leaves, and the fruit. A +grizzly browsing in a wild raspberry-patch will bite off the tops of the +vines together with the berries, the leaves, and the thorns. Sometimes +the twigs and terminal buds of the pine, the fir, and the spruce are +eaten. + +One day I saw a grizzly approaching in a manner which indicated that he +knew exactly where he was going. On arriving at an alder clump by the +brook he at once began tearing off the bark and eating it. On another +occasion I watched a bear strip nearly all the bark within reach from a +young balsam fir. I have often seen places where bears had bitten and +torn chunks of bark from aspens and cottonwoods. Though they also tear +the bark from pine and spruce trees, I do not believe that this is eaten +as frequently as the bark of the broad-leaved trees. + +During the first few weeks after coming out of the winter den much of +the grizzly's food is likely to be of the salad order--juicy young plant +stalks, watery shoots, tender bark, young grasses, buds, and leaves. In +late autumn, just before hibernating, his last courses are mostly roots +and nuts. + +However, the normal grizzly is an omnivorous feeder, refusing only human +flesh. He will eat anything that is edible--meat (fresh, stale, or +carrion), wasps, yellow-jackets, grasshoppers, ants and their eggs, +bugs, and grubs. Of course he eats honey and the bees. He also captures +snakes, and many a rat and rabbit. He is a destroyer of many pests that +afflict man, and in the realm of economic biology he should be rated +high. I doubt if a dozen cats, hawks, or owls annually catch as many +mice as the average grizzly. + +The food of a grizzly is largely determined by locality. Along the +streams of the northern Pacific Coast he lives chiefly upon fish, while +the grizzlies in the Bitter Root Mountains and British Columbia +generally feed upon roots and plants. Those in the Rocky Mountains of +Colorado and the Southwest have a mixed diet. + +The spring-beauty, the dog-tooth violet, and the shooting-star, both +tops and roots, supply the grizzlies of some localities with much of +their food, while in other regions they rarely, and possibly never, +touch them, though they grow abundantly. The bears in the Bitter Root +Mountains eat the shooting-star freely, while the violet and the +spring-beauty are favored by the bears of the Selkirks. Yet, strange +though it is, the bears of both localities pay but little attention to +carcasses which they find. One of the plant roots which the bears of +British Columbia dig out in autumn until the ground is frozen, is a wild +pea, the hedysarum. + +I frequently followed a grizzly whose home territory was close to my +cabin in the Rocky Mountains. Apparently he liked everything. One day he +spent hours digging out mice. On another he caught a rabbit. He ate a +bumblebee's nest, and, with the nest, the grass, the bees, their young, +their honey, and their stings. In a homesteader's garden he dug out and +ate nearly one hundred pounds of potatoes and turnips. The homesteader +thought that a hog had been in his garden. In places I too have thought +that hogs had been rooting where bears had simply been digging for +roots--places with dug and upturned earth often many square yards in +extent. They dig out the roots of the wild parsnip, the shooting-star, +and grass, the bulbs of lilies, and sometimes the roots of willow and +alder. + +I endeavored to find out the kind of food preferred by two young bears +that I raised. A number of times I approached them with a plate upon +which were cake, meat, and honey. In my pockets I generally had also +either turnips or apples. When I appeared the bears usually stood on +hind legs to see what I had. If they caught the scent of apples or +turnips, they thrust paws or noses into my pockets, ignoring the +dainties on the plate. Otherwise they grabbed whatever happened to be +nearest them on the plate. + +All grizzlies appear to be fond of fish. In many places they are most +successful fishermen. I watched a grizzly standing in the riffles of an +Idaho stream, partly concealed by a willow clump. In half an hour he +knocked five large salmon ashore. With a single lightning-like stroke of +a fore paw, the fish was flung out of the water and sent flying fifteen +or twenty feet. Rarely did he miss. Each of the salmon weighed several +pounds. + +A grizzly in the Sawtooth region, trying to catch some fish, sprawled +out on a low bank by the edge of a stream. Holding himself with one fore +paw, he reached over with the other and felt along the bank beneath the +water. He did this very much as a fat man might. More frequently the +bear makes a stand in driftwood on the bank, or on a log that has fallen +into the stream, or behind a willow clump. Sometimes he captures fish by +wading up a brook and seizing with claws or teeth those that conceal +themselves beneath banks and projecting roots. + +A huge brown grizzly mother catching trout for her two fat cubs held my +attention one day. The cubs waited on the grassy bank of a brook while +the mother brought them trout after trout. She sometimes caught the fish +by thrusting her nose into the water beneath the bank or by reaching in +with her paws. Occasionally she knocked them out of the water as they +endeavored to dash past her in the riffles. The cubs watched her every +move; but they were not allowed to enter the water. + +Sometimes the grizzly will collect and cover over an excess of carcasses +or fish. By a little mountain lake at the headwaters of the Columbia I +found a pile of stale salmon beneath a number of large logs and stones. +The fish had been caught during spawning-time and stored for future +consumption. A day or two later I returned, and tracks showed that the +bear had come back and consumed the salmon. + +The grizzly eagerly earns his own living; he is not a loafer. Much work +is done in digging out a cony, a woodchuck, or some other small animal +from a rock-slide. In two hours' time I have known him to move a mass of +earth that must have weighed tons, leaving an excavation large enough +for a private cellar. I have come upon numbers of holes from which a +grizzly had removed literally tons of stone. In places these holes were +five or six feet deep. Around the edges the stones were piled as though +for a barricade. In some of them several soldiers could have found room +and excellent shelter for ordinary defense. + +When a large stone is encountered in his digging the grizzly grabs it +with both fore paws, shakes and tears it loose from the earth, and hurls +it aside. I have seen him toss huge stones over his shoulder and throw +larger ones forward with one paw. Grizzlies show both skill and thought +in nearly everything they do. They have strength, alert wits, and clever +paws, and commonly work at high speed. Yet they appear deliberate in +their actions and work in a painstaking, careful manner. + +A grizzly I followed one day paused in a grassy space to dig out mice. +In reaching them he discovered a chipmunk's burrow. By the time he had +secured all the mice and chipmunks he had torn up several square yards +of sod. The place had the appearance of having been rooted up by hogs. +In this fresh earth the surrounding trees sowed triumphant seeds, and +here a cluster of spruces grew where grass had long held sway. + +A grizzly seems never too busy or too hungry to stop and look around. +"Safety First" appears to be more on his mind than eating. I have seen a +grizzly pause from his earth-digging after roots to stop, look, and +listen, and I have watched one stop his more than eager digging after +marmots to scent the air in his scout for an enemy. And then again I +have repeatedly seen him look up from his feast of smelly sirloin to +make certain that he was not surprised by man. + +While I was watching a flock of mountain sheep feeding down a slope just +above the timber-line, a grizzly appeared on the scene. He came slowly +upward from the woods. Unless the sheep or the bear changed course there +must be a meeting. But the sheep continued to feed downward and the +grizzly to walk up. Suddenly the bear stopped and began digging--digging +evidently for a chipmunk. A stream of earth was sent flying behind him. +Occasionally, too, a huge stone was sent hurtling back. This activity +roused the curiosity of the sheep, and they approached within perhaps +ten or twelve feet. They were lined up and eagerly watching the grizzly +when he became aware of their presence. Disliking their close approach, +he leaped at them with a terrific "Woof!" The sheep scattered wildly but +ran only a few yards. Again uniting, they fed quietly away, and the +grizzly returned to his digging. + +In only exceptional cases has the grizzly been a killer of big game. In +his search for food he digs out small mammals and kills rabbits and +beaver. He is not likely to attempt anything as large as wild sheep, but +when a grizzly forms the habit of killing big animals he is likely to +make this serve as his entire food-supply. Thus a cattle-killing grizzly +is likely to give his chief attention to the killing of cattle, or +incidentally to that of sheep, deer, or elk. In the days of the buffalo +the great herds frequently were trailed by one or more grizzlies. These, +however, probably obtained most of their meat from carcasses left behind +by storms, drowning, or other means of death. + +The misfortunes of other animals often provide a feast for the grizzly. +In going over an area just swept by a forest fire I saw two grizzlies +feasting, and there were feasts for numerous others. One was wading in +an abandoned beaver pond and feasting on the dead trout that floated on +the surface. Two black bears, despite terrible threats from the grizzly, +claimed all the fish that came within reach of the shore, but discreetly +kept out of the pond. During the second day's exploration of the burn a +bear came upon me while I was eating from a fire-killed, roasted deer. +When I moved on, the waiting grizzly walked up to dine. + +A grizzly knows the location of every beaver pond in his territory. It +is one of his favorite loafing and feeding places. Often he rolls and +swims about in the water, enjoying himself immensely. Here he sometimes +finds a stale fish or a dead bird brought down by the stream. Sometimes +he eats a huge salad of pond-lilies. + +But when beaver are gathering the harvest, especially if it is gathered +at some distance from the water, he lies in wait and overhauls them. He +is ready, too, to seize upon any of these unfortunate fellows who is +accidentally killed or injured in gnawing down a tree. Many a time I +have seen the fresh tracks of a mother and her cubs on the muddy shore +of a beaver pond, and sometimes the tracks of both black bears and +grizzlies. + +In the course of miles of daily wandering the grizzly may occasionally +come upon a wounded animal or a carcass. If his find be large, he may +lie close until it is consumed; or he may make a cache of it, returning +again and again until it is eaten. Grizzlies will bury an elk in the +earth or cover the carcass of a cow with numbers of logs. Nothing is +more common than for them to cover a carcass with refuse consisting of +twigs, fallen leaves, grass, and trash. They will cover a quantity of +fish with stones and logs. + +A few grizzlies become cattle-killers; many grizzlies eat cattle they +did not kill. On the live-stock ranges in the mountains of the West +cattle die from many causes. They succumb to disease and to accidents. +Winds proclaim carcass news and a feast to flesh-eaters near and far. +Bears have amazingly keen noses and often are the first to enjoy the +feast. + +A grizzly I was following caught the scent of a carcass that was more +than a mile away. He stopped and sniffed, then changed his course and +set off for the carcass. The carcass was being watched. As the grizzly +was the first animal to arrive after the kill, the owner of the cow +concluded that he was guilty of the killing, and accordingly proceeded +to kill him and to condemn all bears as cattle-killers. Yet this cow had +died from feeding too freely upon poisonous larkspur. + +I was once trailing a grizzly through the snow, when he came upon the +trail of a mountain lion, which he followed. Farther along the lion +killed a horse. When the grizzly came upon the scene, he drove the lion +off. The following day, while having a second feast off the horse, he +was discovered by a rancher, who at once procured dogs and pursued and +killed the "famous horse-killing grizzly." + +I have not heard of an authentic instance of a grizzly's eating human +flesh. Numbers of hunters have been killed by grizzlies, but their +bodies were not eaten; they were not killed for food. Many persons have +lost their lives from storms, accidents, and starvation; yet their +bodies have lain for days and weeks in territory frequented by grizzlies +without being eaten by them. A prospector, his horse, and his burro were +killed by a falling tree. Grizzlies devoured the bodies of the animals, +but that of the prospector was not disturbed. Human flesh appears to be +the only thing a grizzly does not eat. + + + + +The Long Winter Sleep + + +When the food of the grizzly bear becomes scarce, he goes to bed and +sleeps until a reasonable supply is available, even though he waits five +months for it. He feasts on the fullness of the land during the summer +and wraps himself in a thick blanket of fat. When winter comes on, he +digs a hole and crawls in. This layer of fat is a non-conductor of cold +and in due time is drawn on for food. + +One autumn day I visited the Hallett Glacier with a professor from the +University of Chicago. After exploring one of the upper crevasses, we +stood looking down the steep slope of the glacier. New snow had fallen a +few days before, and a soft, slushy coating still overlaid the ice. The +professor challenged me to coast down the steep, snow-lubricated +ice-slope. We seated ourselves on this soft, slippery snow, and he gave +the word "Go." Just as we slid away, we saw at the bottom of the slope, +where we were soon to be, a huge grizzly bear. I wish you might have +seen our efforts as we tried to change our minds on that steep slope! +The grizzly was busily eating grasshoppers, but he heard us coming and +fled at a racing gallop, giving an excellent exhibition of his clumsy +hind legs reaching out flat-footed. + +Each autumn numbers of insects and sometimes bushels of grasshoppers +either are blown upon the ice and snow or else approach it too closely +and fall from having their wings chilled. Evidently the grizzlies long +ago learned of this food-supply, for the ice-fields are regularly +visited by them during the autumn. Along the timber-line the grizzly +feeds freely upon the last of autumn's berries and the last green +plants. Many a grizzly goes to the heights to put on fat for his long +winter's sleep. + +Bear food becomes scarce as winter approaches. Fruit, berries, grass, +and weeds are out of season; most birds and insects are gone. The bear +feeds on what remains--small animals which he digs out, a stray stranded +fish, now and then a dead bird or animal carcass, the red fruit of the +rose, and the nuts, bark, and roots of trees and plants. I do not +believe the grizzly eats a special or a purgative food during the few +days preceding his denning up, although he may do so. + +On the few occasions when I have been able to keep track of a bear +during the four or five days immediately preceding his retirement, he +did not eat a single thing. I have examined a number of grizzlies that +were killed while hibernating, and in every instance the stomach and +intestines were empty. These facts lead me to conclude that bears rest +and fast for a few days before going permanently to the winter den. + +The bear generally prepares his winter quarters in advance of the time +needed. He may occasionally sleep in his den before taking possession of +it for the winter. But this is exceptional. In two cases that I know of +he lay outside the den, though near it; and a number of other times he +kept away from the den until he entered it for the long sleep. After the +den is completely ready, the grizzly continues his usual search for +food. Generally this requires long excursions and he may wander miles +from the den. + +In climbing along the bottom of a deep, narrow ravine one November day, +I saw on the slope above me what appeared to be a carload or more of +freshly dumped earth. My first thought was that a prospector was at work +driving a tunnel; but upon examination it proved to be a recently +finished but not yet occupied hibernating-den. The entrance was about +three feet in diameter. Just inside the den was a trifle larger. It +extended, nearly level, about twelve feet into the mountain-side. At the +back it was six feet across and four feet high. + +The size of the den varies and is apparently determined by the character +of the soil in which it is made and also by the inclination of the bear +making it. Most other dens measured were smaller than this one. + +The grizzly may use the same den for several winters or have a new one +each year. He may dig the den himself or take an old one that some other +bear has used, or he may make use of one shaped by Nature--a cave or a +rock-slide. I knew of one grizzly hibernating in a prospector's +abandoned tunnel. Sometimes, like the black bear, he will dig a den on a +steep mountain-side beneath the widely spreading roots of trees; +sometimes beneath a large fallen log, close to the upturned roots which +support it. In crossing the mountains one February I noticed a steamy +vapor rising from a hole in the snow by the protruding roots of an +overturned tree. I walked to the hole to investigate. The vapor was rank +with the odor of a bear. Near my home on the slope of Long's Peak I +have known grizzlies to den up beneath the snow-crushed, matted +tree-growths at the timber-line, at an altitude of about eleven thousand +feet. + +Twice I have known bears to hibernate in enormous nests that were made +of the long fibres of cedar bark. It must have taken days to construct +one of these nests, as more than forty cedar trees had been more or less +disrobed to supply material for it. It resembled the nests of trash that +razor-back hogs in the South construct, though much larger. The bear, +after piling it up, worked his way in near the bottom, somewhat after +the fashion of a boy crawling into a haycock. Over this hibernating-nest +the snow spread its blanket and probably afforded all the protection +needed. + +Sometimes the entrance to a den is partly closed by the occupant. Once +in, he reaches out and claws the lower part full of earth, or rakes in +trash and leaves. In most instances nothing is done to close the +entrance. The snows drift back into the den, pile upward, and at last +close the entrance most effectually. + +All the dens that I recall were upon northerly or easterly--the +cooler--slopes. The snow as it fell would be likely to remain and close +or blanket the entrance all winter long. Snow evidently enters into the +grizzly's winter plans. + +Late one cold, snowless December I came upon a grizzly carrying spruce +boughs into his den. Evidently he had used the den and found it cold. +The den had a large opening; this he may have been intending to close. +The rocky floor was already piled a foot deep with boughs. I have seen +two other dens with floor-coverings; one of these was of pine twigs, and +the other of coarse grass and kinnikinnick. But in most cases the bear +sleeps upon the uncovered rocks or the naked earth. + +Snow is a factor in determining when a bear begins his winter sleep. If +he is fat and food is scarce, an early, heavy snow is pretty certain to +cause him to turn in early. If no snow comes and food is still to be +had, the bear is likely to delay his hibernation. + +The individual inclination of the bear and his condition--whether fat or +thin--are also factors which influence his time of retiring. I knew of +two bears, apparently of similar condition, one of whom turned in three +weeks earlier than the other. Two bears whom I noticed one winter ran +about more than a month after all the other bears had disappeared. Both +were thin--just why I should like to know. They also turned in shortly +after they became rounded out. Generally bears of a locality turn in for +winter at about the same time. Hibernating may begin early in November, +but in most localities, and in most years, the time is likely to be a +month later. + +In Alaska and the Northwest many bears hibernate in the heights above +the timber-line. I have found a number in the mountains of Colorado with +winter quarters at an altitude of twelve thousand feet. In southern +Colorado and in the Yellowstone Park region many have denned up at about +the altitude of six thousand feet. But a grizzly may hibernate anywhere +in his territory where he can find or make a den to his liking. + +Except when there are cubs, a grizzly dens alone. Accounts which tell of +a number of full-grown grizzlies spending the winter in one den lack +verification. The cubs are born in the hibernating-den, and they den up +with the mother the first, and sometimes the second, winter after their +birth. The cubs generally den up together the first winter after they +are weaned. + +Once in for the winter, the bear is likely to stay in the den for weeks. +Most of the time probably is spent sleeping, and, so far as known, +without either food or water. A bear may be routed out of his winter +quarters without difficulty. Generally his sleep is not heavy enough +greatly to deaden his senses. Hunters, trappers, floods, and snow-slides +have driven grizzlies from their dens during every stage of hibernation, +and in each case a moment after the bear came forth his senses were as +alert as ever; he was able either to run away or to fight in his normal +manner. + +Prospectors in Jefferson Valley, Montana, told me of staking claims and +starting to drive a tunnel early one December. A day or two after they +began blasting they saw a bear break out of a snowy den and scamper away +on the mountain-side. They tracked him to the place where he had holed +up again. It was their belief that the noise or the jar of their shots +had awakened and re-awakened the bear, until, disgusted, he left the +region for a quieter sleeping-place. + +A sniffling and grunting attracted my attention one midwinter day as I +was snowshoeing along the side of a ravine. Presently, a short distance +ahead of me, I saw a grizzly's nose thrust out of a hole in the snowy +slope. Then his head followed. Sleepily the grizzly half-opened his +eyes, then closed them again. His shaking and drooping head fell lower +and lower, until with a jerk he raised it only to let it droop again. He +repeated this performance a number of times. Evidently it was the head +of a very sleepy grizzly. Occasionally he opened his eyes for a moment, +but he did not seem interested in the outside world and he finally +withdrew his head and disappeared in the den. + +After midwinter, and especially towards spring, a bear sometimes comes +out for fresh air and exercise, or to sun himself. One gray February +day, snowshoeing along the Big South Poudre, I chanced to look across an +opening from the edge of the woods and saw a grizzly walking round and +round in a well-beaten pathway in the snow. Occasionally he reared up, +faced about, and walked round in the opposite direction. His den was +near by. Half a mile farther on I came upon a bear trail near the +entrance to another den. Here the bear had walked back and forth in a +pathway that was about sixty feet long. It was beaten down in the snow +to a depth of fifteen inches. Two places showed that the bear had +rolled and wallowed about in the snow. + +Elsewhere, another year, about the middle of March, I examined much-worn +pathways near a grizzly's den. These had been made at least three weeks +before and had been used a number of times. One pathway led to the base +of a cliff that faced the east, where the bear had probably lain in the +morning sun. Another led to a much-used spot that caught the afternoon +sun. + +Perhaps a bear sometimes becomes tired or restless during his long +winter sleep. Now and then he comes forth in spring with the fur worn +off his hips, back, or shoulders. He may kill time, when through +sleeping, with a short excursion outside the den. If the den is large, +he sometimes tramples about like a caged animal. + +Climatic conditions, the altitude at which the bear hibernated, and +other factors determine the time when grizzlies leave their dens. Most +of them come forth during March, but stragglers may not appear until +late in April. Mothers with cubs remain in the den a few weeks longer +than bears without cubs. + +At the limits of tree growth, one cold March day, I came upon the tracks +of a grizzly bear descending the mountain. I back-tracked them and +found the den in which the grizzly had spent the winter. The inside of +the den was gravelly and comparatively clean. Only this single line of +tracks led from the den, though the weather had been clear for a week; +so I judged this was the first time the grizzly had sauntered forth. It +was just sundown when I reached the den. The heights were icy, and I +hesitated about continuing across the Divide that night, so concluded to +occupy the den. I knew that bears often take a short ramble in the +spring and then return to the den, but I took the chances of sharing it +with him. I do not know what the grizzly did that night--whether or not +he came back. But my fire in the mouth of the den may have kept him at +bay. + +The hard, cracked skin on the soles of the grizzly's feet is shed during +hibernation, and the feet in spring are soft and tender. For several +days he avoids traveling over rough places. His claws grow out during +the winter rest, also. When he goes to sleep they are worn, broken, and +blunt; but he comes out of winter quarters with claws long and +moderately pointed. + +What is the grizzly's condition in the spring after months of fasting? +He has hibernated from three to five months, and in this time probably +has taken neither water nor food. First of all he comes forth fat and +not in the least hungry. The walls of his stomach have greatly +contracted, almost completely closing the interior. Two stomachs which I +saw taken from grizzlies killed early in the spring were as hard as +chunks of rubber, and had capacity for not more than two or three +spoonfuls. But when the grizzly reappears after his long winter sleep he +is as strong as ever and can run for hours or fight with normal +effectiveness. + +He may not eat anything for a few days after leaving the den. For many +days he eats lightly, and it may be two weeks before he has a normal +appetite. His first food is likely to be the early, tender shoots of +plants or trees, tuberous roots, swelling buds, and green grass. + +I once watched a grizzly for seven days after he emerged from his +hibernating-cave. His winter quarters were near timber-line on Battle +Mountain, at an altitude of nearly twelve thousand feet. The winter had +been of average temperature, but with scanty snow-fall. I saw him, by +chance, just as he left the den, on the first day of March. He walked +about aimlessly for an hour or more, then returned to his sleeping-place +without eating or drinking anything. + +The following day he wandered about until afternoon before he broke his +fast. He ate a mouthful of willow twigs and took a taste of water. He +walked leisurely down the mountain and towards sundown made himself a +nest at the foot of a cliff in the woods. Here he remained, apparently +sleeping, until late the next afternoon. Then, just before sundown, he +walked out a short distance, smelled of a number of things, licked the +snow a few times, and returned to his nest. + +The fourth day he went early for water and ate more willow twigs. In the +afternoon he came upon a dead bird,--apparently a junco,--which he ate. +After another drink he lay down at the foot of a tree for the night. The +following morning he drank freely of water, surprised and devoured a +rabbit, and then lay down. He slept until noon the next day, then set +out foraging; he found a dead mouse and toward evening caught another +rabbit. The seventh day was much like the preceding one. During the +first week out the grizzly did not eat food enough to make him one +ordinary meal. + +Hibernation is not well understood. The habit probably originated from +the scarcity of food. However, in Mexico grizzlies sometimes hibernate +even though the climate be mild and food plentiful. As these grizzlies +probably came from the cold north, the habit may have been fixed in the +species when it arrived. Hibernation appears to be helpful and not +harmful, and it may therefore continue for ages even though not +required. The rest which hibernation gives to mind and stomach, with the +entire organism relaxed, may both increase efficiency and lengthen life. + +The polar bear has its own peculiar hibernating-habits. The food of this +bear is sea food. This is available even in the winter-time, on or +beneath the ice. The male polar bears do not hibernate; the females do +not except when about to give birth to young. The cubs at birth are +small and helpless, and require the mother's constant care and the +shelter of the den for some weeks after birth. + +Mr. J. D. Figgins has written one of the best comments on hibernation +that I have read. I quote as follows:-- + + "The period of hibernation in any mammal not only varies in a given + species, but is largely influenced by the available supply of food + to which it is accustomed or that is necessary for its requirements. + + "Examples of this character may be cited among several species of + mammals. It is the custom of the chipmunks, or 'ground squirrels,' + to hoard up at least a partial supply of food in the autumn for + consumption during the winter months; but this is rarely, if ever, + sufficient to keep these interesting little animals active for the + entire period. In most localities, there is no available food with + which to augment their scant store and they are never in evidence + from late October to April. In other locations where the fruit of + the Cratægus, or 'thorn apple,' is to be had, they may be seen + almost daily, although the ground may be covered with several feet + of snow and low temperatures prevail. + + "Another example is the opossum. Ordinarily these animals are active + throughout the entire year, but towards the northern edge of their + range they frequently hibernate for considerable periods (thirty-one + days from personal observations). + + "Certain of the small rodents can, and probably do, hoard sufficient + food for actual need during the winter months; but the problem is + in direct ratio to the size of the animal. Hence we find the marmot, + a much larger animal, making no provision, although his habitat is + confined to the higher altitudes and his period of hibernation is + extended over a greater length of time than many other species. His + food consists wholly of grass and other green plants, and it is + doubtful if he could subsist on dry food. Granting that he could, + the amount required would be prohibitive, otherwise he would make + some effort in that direction, as do the conies, a much smaller + animal. + + "Being omnivorous and of great size, a bear could not secure or + preserve the necessary amount of food to carry him through five + months. Such food could not consist of any variety other than + vegetation, and he is not a 'hay' eater, and so, nature has provided + him a means of surviving the long period of fasting and probably, + without discomfort. + + "It is well known that bears show a distinct preference for fruit + during the late summer and autumn months. Not because that is the + season for the various fruits, but through a need of their sugar + content and its fattening qualities. Composed largely of juices + which are quickly absorbed, the digestive process is very brief and + the discarded residue is discharged at once. This may give rise to + the belief that a purgative has been employed as a means of + cleansing the bowels and explains the presence of unbroken berries + in the excrement and the absence of offensive odors. As a means of + exploding the purgative theory we need only refer to bears in + captivity. Although the latter may be confined to cement floors and + have no access to any matter whatever, other than the food regularly + supplied, they frequently hibernate in a quite orderly manner. + + "It must be conceded that bears are irregular in the period of + 'holing up' and that they do so only when food has become too scarce + to sustain activities without a drain upon the store of fat they + have acquired; or during very severe weather. In the mean time there + has been a gradual reduction in food as the period of hibernation + approaches and a consequent lessened activity of the bowels. Nor is + there reason for surprise because of the absence of excrement in the + burrow and the presence of matter in the rectum when the bear + emerges in the spring. + + "In captivity bears may, or may not, hibernate. As a rule they + 'sleep' for more or less varying periods during severe weather. One + authority states the grizzly has been known to sleep from sixty to + seventy-five days and during that time it was not difficult to + awaken him. Black bears frequently pass the winter without evidence + of even drowsiness. Others awake at irregular intervals, and after + feeding lightly, return to their slumber." + +The winter life of many animals is stern and strange. During the autumn +the beaver stores up a food-supply for use when the pond is closed over +with ice. The cony harvests hay for his winter food. Numbers of animals +hunt food each day in the snow. But the woodchuck and the bear +hibernate, that is, they fast and sleep in a den during the winter. + + + + +Being Good to Bears + + +On the slope of Long's Peak one June morning I came upon two tiny +grizzly bear cubs. Each was about the size of a cottontail rabbit--a +lively little ball of fur, dark gray, almost black, in color. + +Knowing that their mother had recently been killed, I thought I would +capture them and bring them up properly. But they did not want to be +brought up properly! We had a lively chase, dodging among the bowlders +and trees. Cornering them at last among the fallen logs, I grabbed one. +He did the same to me. His teeth were as sharp as needles and almost as +sharp were his lively claws. It was some time before I could tear myself +loose. He kept a mouthful of my trousers. At last I deposited the +fighting little fellow in the bottom of a sack. The other cub scratched +and chewed me up and tore my clothes; but I forced it also into the +sack. Two grizzly bears in the same sack! any one should have known +better! + +I started to conduct them personally to my cabin, two miles away. In +descending a steep moraine with the sack over my shoulder I slipped and +shook the sack more than any sack should have been shaken that contained +two bears. Of course, they started to fight. One bit through the sack +and bit the wrong bear. I finally reached my cabin with a long pole over +my shoulder. Tied to the south end of the pole was a sack full of +grizzly bears. + +I shook the cubs out of the sack in front of a basin of milk and thrust +their faces deeply into it. Not having eaten for three days, they were +"as hungry as bears" and needed no explanation concerning the milk. They +had eager, cunning little faces, and were pets before sundown. In +twenty-four hours Jenny knew that her name was Jenny, and Johnny that +his was Johnny. After a few days they followed me about with fondness +and loyalty. + + [Illustration: JENNY (STANDING UP) AND JOHNNY + _In the First Year of their Lives_] + +These bears responded to kind treatment and were of cheerful +disposition. I made it a point never to annoy or tease them. The grizzly +bear is an exceedingly sensitive animal, and annoyances or cruelty make +him cross. Once in addressing an audience concerning wild life I made +the statement that bears would be good to us if we were good to them. +A small boy instantly asked, "What do you do to be good to bears?" The +health and the temper of bears, as well as of people, are easily ruined +by improper food. + +Young bear cubs are the most wide-awake and observing little people that +I know of. Never have I seen a horse or dog who understood as readily or +learned as rapidly as these two bears. One day I offered Johnny a saucer +of milk. He was impatient to get it. Reaching up, he succeeded in +spilling it, but he licked the saucer with satisfaction. On the second +try he spilled only a part of the milk. On the third trial he clasped +the saucer deftly in his two fore paws, lifted it upwards, turned his +head back and poured the milk into his mouth. + +When Johnny and Jenny were growing up, it seemed as if nothing unusual +escaped them. A bright button, a flash of a ring, a white handkerchief, +or an unusual movement or sound instantly caught their attention. They +concentrated on each new object and endeavored to find out what it was. +Having satisfied their curiosity or obtained full information about it, +the next instant they were ready to concentrate on something else. But +they remembered on second appearance anything which had especially +interested them at any time. They learned through careful observation. + +For a time they were not chained and had the freedom of the yard. Never +have I seen two young animals more intense, more playful, or more +energetic. They played alone, they mauled each other by the hour, and +occasionally they scrapped. Sometimes we ran foot-races. From a scratch +upon the ground, at the word "go," we would race down hill about one +hundred and fifty yards. They were eager for these races and always +ready to line up with me. They were so speedy that in every race they +merrily turned around at least twice to see if I was coming, and in +those days I was not slow. + +Johnny and Jenny enjoyed playing with people, with any one who did not +annoy them. Among the strangers who came was a man who made friends at +once and had a good romp. When he left them and went to lunch, Johnny +and Jenny followed and lay down near the door where he had disappeared. +As he came out, they rose up and started another romp. + +To attract my attention or to ask for something to eat, Johnny or Jenny +would stand on hind legs and hold out fore paws like an orator. If I +came around the corner of the house a quarter of a mile away, they +instantly stood on tiptoe and gesticulated with enthusiasm. They were +the life of my home, and occasionally almost the death of it. + +It was almost impossible to get these cubs filled up. They ate +everything,--scraps from the table, rhubarb, dandelions, bitter sage, +and bark,--but they were especially fond of apples. If I approached with +meat and honey upon a plate but with apples or turnips in my pockets, +they would ignore the plate and, clinching me, thrust their noses into +my pockets to find the promised treat. + +One August evening I brought in a cluster of wild raspberries for Johnny +and Jenny. While still more than a hundred feet from the cabin, both +bears leaped to their feet, scented the air, and came racing to meet me +with more than their ordinary enthusiasm. No child of frontier parents +could have shown more interest in a candy package on the father's return +from the city than did Johnny and Jenny in those berries. + +A number of people were waiting in my cabin to see me. The little bears +and I crowded in. I handed Jenny a berry-laden spray, and then one to +Johnny, alternating until they were equally divided. Standing erect, +each held the cluster under the left forearm by pressing it against the +chest. When browsing in a raspberry-patch bears commonly bite off the +tops of the canes together with the leaves and the berries. Johnny and +Jenny ate more daintily. One berry was plucked off at a time with two +front claws and dropped into the mouth. As one berry followed another, +the lips were smacked, and the face and every movement made expressed +immense satisfaction at the taste. + +Every one crowded close to watch the performance. In the jostling one of +the berry-laden canes fell to the floor. Both little bears grabbed for +it at the same instant. They butted heads, lost their temper, and began +to fight over it. I grabbed them by the collars and shook them. + +"Why, Johnny and Jenny," I said, "why do you do this? And such awful +manners when we have company! What shall I do with you?" + +They instantly stopped quarreling and even forgot the berries. For +several seconds the little bears were embarrassed beyond all measure. +They simply stared at the floor. Then suddenly each appeared to have the +same idea. Standing erect, facing each other, they put fore paws on each +other's shoulders, and went "Ungh, ah, oooo." Plainly they were very +sorry that they had misbehaved. + +The manner in which these cubs received the berries, the fact that the +first time they saw mushrooms they scented them at some distance and +raced for them, also that on other occasions they went out of their way +to get a plant ordinarily liked by the grizzly, led me to think that +they inherited a taste for a number of things that grizzlies commonly +eat. + +One day we were out walking, when we came upon an army of ants. Without +the least hesitation Johnny and Jenny followed along the line, licking +them up. Upon reaching the stone behind which the ants were +disappearing, Johnny thrust one fore claw under it and flung it aside. I +was astonished at his strength. + +I tried not to teach Johnny or Jenny any trick, but encouraged them to +develop any original stunt or individuality of their own. One day Jenny +was attracted by a big green fly that alighted on Johnny. She struck at +it; the fly relighted and she struck again. With a little effort I +succeeded in getting the bears to shoo flies off each other, and +sometimes they were both busy at the same time. It made a comical show, +especially when one was lazily lying down and the other was shooing with +eagerness and solemnity. + +Another activity I encouraged was the bear's habit of holding the other +around the neck with one fore paw and rubbing or scratching the back of +the bear's head with his other paw. In a short time both bears, while +facing each other, would go through the performance at the same time. + +Like other children Johnny and Jenny were fond of water and spent much +time rolling and wading in the brook by their shed. This was a play they +enjoyed. I showed interest in having them roll and splash in the +liveliest manner possible. + +Johnny seemed unusually interested in what I was doing one day and +imitated in succession a number of my performances. I had dropped a +penny on the floor, and then, stooping over, touched it with the end of +one finger and moved it rapidly about. He rose on his hind feet, held up +one claw, then, stooping, put this upon the penny and moved it rapidly +about. Blowing the yolk out of an egg, I held up the empty shell before +him, and then proceeded to move it rapidly about on the floor with the +point of one finger. After licking the shell Johnny imitated my every +act without crushing the shell. + +While Jenny was asleep on the grass, I placed a large umbrella over her. +When she opened her eyes, she at once commenced a quiet though +frightened study of the strange thing. She closed one eye, turned her +head to one side, and looked up into it; then, turning her head, closed +the other eye for a look. A sudden puff of wind gave life to the +umbrella and this in turn to Jenny. She made a desperate dash to escape +the mysterious monster. The wind whirled the umbrella before her and she +landed in it. Wrecking the umbrella, she fled in terror, bellowing with +every jump. It took more than an hour to explain matters and assure +Jenny that I had not been playing any tricks. + +Scotch, my short-nosed collie, was with me when Johnny and Jenny were +growing up. Johnny and Scotch were fond of each other, and though each +was a little jealous of the master's attention to the other, they got +along admirably. Ofttimes they wrestled, and sometimes in their rough +and tumble they played pretty roughly. As a climax often Scotch would +aim for a neck-hold on Johnny and hammer him on the tip of his sensitive +nose with one fore paw, while Johnny if possible would seize Scotch's +tail in his mouth and shut down on it with his needle-like teeth. + +One of the most interesting pranks which they played on each other was +over a bone. Scotch was enjoying this, when he discovered Johnny +watching him eagerly. Plainly Johnny wanted that bone. After a little +while Scotch leaped to his feet, looked off in the direction beyond +Johnny and barked, as though some object of interest was coming from +that direction. Then, picking up the bone, he walked away. As he passed +in front of Johnny he dropped the bone and gave a bark. Going on a short +distance, he barked once or twice more and lay down watching this +pretended object in the distance. Johnny was more interested in the +bone, but Scotch had dropped this a foot or two beyond his reach, +chained as he was. For some time Johnny stood with his nose pointing at +the bone, apparently thinking deeply as to how he might reach it. At +last, stretching his chain to the utmost he reached out with his right +arm. But he could not touch it. Although realizing that he probably +could not reach it with the left arm, nevertheless he tried. + +All this time Scotch was watching Johnny out of the corner of his eye +and plainly enjoyed his failures. Johnny stood looking at the bone; +Scotch continued looking at Johnny. Suddenly Johnny had an idea. He +wheeled about, reached back with his hind foot and knocked the bone +forward where he could pick it up with fore paws. Scotch, astonished, +leaped to his feet and walked off without a bark or once looking back. + +When Johnny and Jenny were small they often reminded me of a little boy +and a little girl. Ofttimes they would follow me into my cabin. If I sat +down they would come close, stand on hind legs, put fore paws on my +knees, and look up at me. They would play with my watch-string, peep +into my pockets, notice my pencil, or look at the buttons on my coat. +Sometimes they would make a round of the room, scrutinize an unusual +knot in a log, or stop to look for several seconds at the books in the +shelves or the last magazine-cover. Then again, like children, they +would walk round the room, tap with their fore paws here and there, and +hurry on as children do. More than once they climbed up into my lap, +twitched my ears, touched my nose, played with my hair, and finally fell +off to sleep, one on each arm. + +One day, while I was carrying Johnny in my arms, it occurred to me that +he would enjoy a big rocking-chair. I placed him in a chair with one +fore paw on each arm. He sat up like a little old man. As I started the +chair rocking, he showed his suspicion and alarm by excitedly peering +over, first at one rocker and then the other. Presently he calmed down +and seemed to enjoy the movement. By and by he caught the swing and +rocked himself. Suddenly the little old man and the rocker went over +backward. Seeing his angry look as he struck the floor, I leaped upon +the centre table. Getting on his feet, he struck a blow that barely +missed me and then made lively bites at my ankles. He blamed me for the +law of falling bodies. After a few seconds he was as playful as ever, +remembering that I had never played any tricks on him, and realizing +that I was not to blame for what had happened. + +These little bears grew rapidly. At the age of seven months Johnny +weighed approximately sixty pounds, and Jenny forty-six. + +Numerous visitors and the increasing size of the cubs at last compelled +me to chain them. The little bears were almost always on the move, +either pacing back and forth or circling. Their long chains often got +tangled with sticks, grass, or bushes. Sometimes the cubs showed +impatience, but usually they carefully examined the chain, then, taking +it in their fore paws, stepped this way and that and generally made the +very move needed to extricate or unwind it. While doing this they +appeared almost comical because of their serious and concentrated +attention. + +One morning Johnny climbed to the top of the pole fence to which he was +chained. With happy, playful activity he galloped atop the pole to the +end of the chain; then, like an engine, he reversed his direction +without turning and went hippety-hop back again. This was a favorite +exercise of Johnny's, a game which I had encouraged; but this morning +while having a beautiful time he tumbled off backward. The chain caught +in a knot and Johnny found himself hung. Grizzly bears resent being hung +by the neck. Johnny quickly kicked himself out of his collar. Finding +himself free, and thinking himself abused, I suppose, he ran away. After +three days this runaway boy concluded to come home. I saw him come out +of the woods into an opening on the mountain-side. Even at a distance I +could see that he no longer possessed the big round stomach that he +took away. I went to meet him. He was interested in the food question, +and long before he reached me he was dancing about with outstretched +arms. + +In the midst of this performance it occurred to him that if he wanted +anything to eat he must hurry to me. So he checked his first impulse and +started to carry his second into instant effect. These incomplete +proceedings interrupted and tripped each other three or four times and +mixed themselves together. Apparently an entangled mental process +followed my appearance. Though he tumbled about in comic confusion while +trying to do two things at once, it was evident through it all that his +central idea was to get something to eat. + +One September we went camping out in Wild Basin, Johnny and Jenny racing +along as happy as two boys. Sometimes they were ahead of me, sometimes +behind; occasionally they stopped to wrestle and box. At night they lay +close to me beside the camp-fire. Often I used one of them for a pillow, +and more than once I awoke to find that they were using me for one. + + [Illustration: JENNY (ON THE LEFT) AND JOHNNY + _At the Age of Fourteen_] + +As we were climbing along the top of a moraine, a black bear and her two +cubs came within perhaps thirty feet of us. They saw or scented us. +The cubs and their mother bristled up and ran off terribly frightened, +while Johnny and Jenny only a short distance in front of me, walked on, +both ludicrously pretending that they had not seen the black bears. +Surely they were touched with aristocracy! + +The man in charge of my place neither understood nor sympathized with +wide-awake and aggressive young grizzlies, and once, when I was away, he +teased Johnny. The inevitable crash came and the man went to the +hospital. On another occasion he set a pan of sour milk on the ground +before Jenny. Bears learn to like sour milk, but Jenny had not learned +and she sourly sniffed at it. The man roared, "Drink it," and kicked her +in the ribs. Again we had to send for the ambulance. + +At last it appeared best to send Johnny and Jenny to the Denver Zoo. Two +years went by before I allowed myself the pleasure of visiting them. A +number of other bears were with them in a large pen when I leaped in, +calling "Hello, Johnny!" as I did so. Johnny jumped up fully awake, +stood erect, extended both arms, and gave a few joyful grunts in the way +of greeting. Back among the other bears stood Jenny on tiptoe, eagerly +looking on. + + + + +Trailing without a Gun + + +I had gone into Wild Basin, hoping to see and to trail a grizzly. It was +early November and the sun shone brightly on four inches of newly fallen +snow; trailing conditions were excellent. If possible I wanted to get +close to a bear and watch his ways for a day or two. + +Just as I climbed above the last trees on the eastern slope of the +Continental Divide, I saw a grizzly ambling along the other side of a +narrow cañon, boldly outlined against the sky-line. I was so near that +with my field-glasses I recognized him as "Old Timberline," a bear with +two right front toes missing. He was a silver-tip,--a nearly white old +bear. For three days I followed Old Timberline through his home +territory and camped on his trail at night. I had with me hatchet, +kodak, field-glasses, and a package of food, but no gun. + +The grizzly had disappeared by the time I crossed the cañon, but a clear +line of tracks led westward. I followed them over the Divide and down +into the woods on the other side. In a scattered tree-growth the tracks +turned abruptly to the right, then led back eastward, close to the first +line of tracks, as though Old Timberline had turned to meet any one who +might be following him. + +The most impressive thing I had early learned in trailing and studying +the grizzly was that a wounded bear if trailed and harassed will +sometimes conceal himself and lie in an ambush in wait for his pursuer. +I never took a chance of walking into such danger. Whenever the trail +passed a log, bowlder, or bushes that might conceal a bear, I turned +aside and scouted the ambush for a side view before advancing further. + +Old Timberline's tracks showed that he had now and then risen on hind +feet, listened, and turned to look back. He acted as though he knew I +was following him, but this he had not yet discovered. All grizzlies are +scouts of the first order; they are ever on guard. When at rest their +senses do continuous sentinel duty, and when traveling they act exactly +as though they believed some man was in pursuit. + +Following along the trail and wondering what turn the grizzly would make +next, I found where he had climbed upon a ledge in the edge of an +opening, and had evidently stood for some seconds, looking and +listening. From the ledge he had faced about and continued his course +westward, heading for a spur on the summit of the Divide. + +We were in what is now the southern end of the Rocky Mountain National +Park. The big bear and myself were on one of the high sky-lines of the +earth. We traversed a territory ten thousand to twelve thousand feet +above sea-level, much of it above the limits of tree growth. There were +long stretches of moorland, an occasional peak towering above us, and +ridges long and short thrusting east and west, and cañons of varying +width and depth were to be seen below us from the summit heights. + +Crossing this spur of the Divide, the grizzly entered the woods. Here he +spent so much time rolling logs about and tearing them open for grubs +and ants that I nearly caught up with him. I watched him through the +scattered trees from a rocky ledge until he moved on. This after a few +minutes he did. As he came to an opening in the woods, I wondered +whether he would go round it to the right or to the left. To my +astonishment, without the least hesitation he sauntered across the +opening, his head held low and swinging easily from side to side. But +the instant he was screened by trees beyond, rising up, with fore paws +resting against a tree, he peered cautiously out to see if he was being +followed. When the next opening in the woods was reached, he went +discreetly round it. You never know what a grizzly's next move will be +nor how to anticipate his actions. + +Old Timberline started down into a cañon as though to descend a gully +diagonally to the bottom. I hastily made a short cut and was ready to +take his picture when he should come out at the lower end. But he never +came. After waiting some time, I back-tracked and found he had gone only +a few hundred feet down the gully, then returned to the top of the cañon +and followed along the rim for a mile. He had then descended directly to +the bottom of the cañon and gone straight up to the top on the other +side. + +Autumn is the time when bears most search the heights for food. Old +Timberline's trail headed again for the heights. When I next caught +sight of him, he was digging above the tree-line, but as it was now +nearly night, I went back a short distance into the woods and built a +fire by the base of a cliff. Here all through the clear night I had a +glorious view of the high peaks up among the cold stars. + +Before daylight I left camp and climbed to the top of a treeless ridge, +thinking that the bear might come along that way. In the course of time +he appeared, about a quarter of a mile east of me. After standing and +looking about for a few minutes, he started along the ridge, evidently +planning to recross the Continental Divide near where he had crossed the +day before. As I could not get close to him from this point, I concluded +to follow his trail of the preceding night and if possible find out what +he had been doing. + +A short distance below him I found his trail and back-tracked to a place +which showed that he had spent the night near the entrance of a recently +dug den. I learned some weeks later that this den was where he +hibernated that winter. A short distance farther on I came to where he +had been digging when I saw him the evening before. Evidently he had +been successful. A few drops of blood on the snow showed that he had +captured some small animal, probably a cony. From this point I trailed +Old Timberline forward and eastward, and near noon I caught a glimpse of +him on the summit of the Divide. + +While roaming above timber-line he did not take the precaution to +travel with his face in the wind. He could see toward every point of the +compass. He was ambling easily along, but I knew that his senses were +wide awake--that his sentinel nose never slept and that his ears never +ceased to hear. Climbing to the very summit of a snow-covered ridge, he +lay down with his back to the wind. Evidently he depended upon the wind +to carry the warning scent of any danger behind him, while he was on the +lookout for anything in front of him. Nothing could approach nearer than +half a mile without his knowing it. He looked this way and that. After +only a short rest he arose and started on again. + +I hoped that some time I should be able to photograph Old Timberline at +twenty-five or thirty feet. But at all times, too, I was more eager to +watch him, to see what he was eating, where he went, and what he did. I +was constantly trying to get as close as possible. Of course I had ever +to keep in mind that he must not see, hear, nor scent me. I had to be +particularly careful to prevent his scenting me. Often in hastening to +reach a point of vantage I had to stop, note the topography, and change +my direction, because a wind-current up an unsuspected cañon before me +might carry news of my presence to the bear. + +Near mountain-tops the wind is deflected this way and that by ridges and +cañons. In a small area the prevailing west wind may be a north wind, +and a short distance farther on it may blow from the southwest. Often, +when the bear was somewhere in a cañon, I climbed entirely out of it, to +avoid the likelihood of being scented, and scurried ahead on a plateau. + +Usually I followed in the bear's trail, but sometimes I made short cuts. +So long as Old Timberline remained on the moorland summit of this +treeless ridge, I could not get close to him. But when he arose and +started down the ridge, I hurried down the slope, hoping to get ahead +and hide in a place of concealment near which he might pass. I kept out +of sight in the woods and hastened forward for two miles, then climbed +up and hid in a rock-slide on the rim of the ridge. + +By and by I saw Old Timberline coming. When within five hundred feet of +me he stopped and dug energetically. Buckets of earth flew behind, and +occasionally a huge stone was torn out and hurled with one paw to the +right or left. Once he stopped digging, rose on hind feet, and looked +all around as though he felt that some one was slipping up on him. He +dug for a few minutes longer and then again stood up and sniffed the +air. Not satisfied, he walked quickly to a ledge from which he could see +down the slope to the woods. Discovering nothing suspicious, he returned +to his digging, stepping in his former footprints. He uncovered +something in its nest, and through my glasses I saw him strike right and +left and then rush out in pursuit of it. After nosing about in the hole +where he had been digging, he started off again. He went directly to the +ledge, walking in his former well-tracked trail, then descended the +steep eastern slope of the Divide toward the woods. I hurried to the +ledge from which he had surveyed the surroundings and watched him. + +Arriving at a steep incline on the snowy slope, Old Timberline sat down +on his haunches and coasted. A grizzly bear coasting on the Continental +Divide! How merrily he went, leaning forward with his paws on his knees! +At one place he plunged over a snowy ledge and dropped four or five +feet. He threw up both fore paws with sheer joy. Soon he found himself +exceeding the speed-limit. Looking back over one shoulder, and reaching +out his paw behind him, he put on brakes; but as this did not check him +sufficiently, he whirled about and slid flat on his stomach, digging in +with both fingers and toes until he slowed down. + +Then, sitting up on his haunches again, he set himself in motion by +pushing along with rapid backward strokes of both fore paws. He coasted +on toward the bottom. In going down a steep pitch of one hundred feet or +more he either quite lost control of himself or let go from sheer +enthusiasm. He rolled, tumbled, and slid recklessly along. Reaching the +bottom, he rose on hind feet, looked about him for a few seconds, and +then climbed halfway up the course for another coast. At the end of this +merry sliding he landed on an open flat in the edge of the woods. + +As it was nearly dark and I should not be able to see or follow the bear +much longer, I concluded to roll a rock from the ledge down near him. +Twice I had noticed that he had paid no attention to rocks that broke +loose above and rolled near him. But he heard this rock start and rose +up to look at it. It stopped a few yards from him. He sniffed the air +with nose pointing toward it and then went up and smelled it. Rearing +up instantly, he looked intently toward the mountain-top where I was +hidden. After two or three seconds of thought he turned and ran. +Evidently the stone had carried my scent to him. It was useless to +follow him in the night. + +The next morning I left camp and followed Old Timberline's trail through +the woods. He had run for nearly ten miles almost straight south until +coming to a small stream. Then for some distance he concealed, involved, +and confused his trail with a cleverness that I have never seen equaled. +Most animals realize that they leave a scent which enables other animals +to follow them, but the grizzly is the only animal that I know who +appears to be fully aware that he is leaving telltale tracks. He will +make unthought-of turns and doublings to walk where his tracks will not +show, and also tramples about to leave a confusion of tracks where they +do show. + +Arriving at the stream, the bear crossed on a fallen log and from the +end of this leaped into a bushy growth beyond. I made a détour, thinking +to find his tracks on the other side of the bushes, and I threw stones +into the bushes, not caring to go into them. Both tracks and grizzly +seemed to have vanished. I went down stream just outside the bushes +bordering it, expecting every instant to find the grizzly's tracks, but +not finding them. Then I returned to the log on which he had crossed the +stream, and from which he had leaped into the bushes. + +Examining the tracks carefully, I now discovered what I had before +overlooked. After leaping into the bushes the bear had faced about and +leaped back to the log, stepping carefully into his former tracks. From +the log he had entered the water and waded up stream for a quarter of a +mile. Of course not a track showed. At a good place for concealing his +trail he had leaped out of the water into a clump of willows on the +north bank. From the willows he made another long leap into the snow and +then started back northward, alongside his ten-mile trail and one +hundred feet from it, as though intending to return to the place where I +had rolled the stone down the slope near him. + +I did not discover all this at once, however. In my search for his trail +I went up stream on the north side and passed, without noticing, the +crushed willows into which he had leaped. Crossing to where the bank was +higher, I started back down stream on the other side, and in doing so +chanced to look across and see the crushed clump of willows. But it took +me hours to untangle this involved trail. + +When I had followed the tracks northward for more than a mile, the trail +vanished in a snowless place. Apparently the grizzly had planned in +advance to use this bare place, because the moves he made in it were +those most likely to bewilder the pursuer. He did three things which are +always more or less confusing and even bewildering to the pursuer, be he +man or dog. He changed his direction, he left no tracks, and he crossed +his former trail, thereby mixing the scents of the two. He confused the +nose, left no record for the eye, and broke the general direction. + +Unable to determine the course the bear had taken across this trackless +place, I walked round it, keeping all the time in the snow. When more +than halfway round I came upon his tracks leaving the bare place. Here +he had changed his direction of travel abruptly from north to east, +crossed his former trail, gone on a few yards farther, and then abruptly +changed from east to north. + +I hurried along his tracks. After a few miles I saw where perhaps the +night before he had eaten part of the carcass of a bighorn. To judge +from tooth marks, the sheep had been killed by wolves. The trail +continued in general northward, parallel to the summit and a little +below it. As I followed, the tracks approached timber-line, the trees +being scattered and the country quite open. + +Suddenly the trail broke off to the right for five or six hundred feet +into the woods, as though Old Timberline had remembered an acquaintance +whom he must see again. He had hustled along straight for a much-clawed +Engelmann spruce, a tree with bear-claw and tooth marks of many dates, +though none were recent. Old Timberline, apparently, had smelled the +base of the tree and then risen up and sniffed the bark as high as his +nose could reach. He had neither bitten nor clawed. Then he had gone to +two near-by trees, each of which had had chunks bitten or torn out, and +here smelled about. + +Retracing his tracks to where the trail had turned off abruptly, the +bear resumed his general direction northward. When he stopped on a ridge +and began digging, I hurried across a narrow neck of woods and crept up +as close as I dared. A wagon-load of dirt and stones had been piled +up. While I watched the digging, a woodchuck rushed out, only to be +overtaken and seized by the bear, who, having finished his meal, +shuffled on out of sight. + +I followed the trail through woods, groves, and openings. After an hour +or more without seeing the grizzly, I climbed a cliff, hoping to get a +glimpse of him on some ridge ahead. I could see his line of tracks +crossing a low ridge beyond and felt that he might still be an hour or +so in the lead. But, in descending from the cliff, I chanced to look +back along my trail. Just at that moment the bear came out of the woods +behind me. He was trailing me! + +I do not know how he discovered that I was following him. He may have +seen or scented me. Anyway, instead of coming directly back and thus +exposing himself, he had very nearly carried out his well-planned +surprise when I discovered him. I found out afterwards that he had left +his trail far ahead, turning and walking back in his own footprints for +a distance, and trampling this stretch a number of times, and that he +had then leaped into scrubby timber and made off on the side where his +tracks did not show in passing along the trampled trail. He had +confused his trail where he started to circle back, so as not to be +noticed, and slipped in around behind me. + +But after discovering the grizzly on my trail I went slowly along as +though I was unaware of his near presence, turning in screened places to +look back. He followed within three hundred feet of me. When I stopped +he stopped. He occasionally watched me from behind bushes, a tree, or a +bowlder. It gave me a strange feeling to have this big beast following +and watching me so closely and cautiously. But I was not alarmed. + +I concluded to turn tables on him. On crossing a ridge where I was out +of sight, I turned to the right and ran for nearly a mile. Then, +circling back into our old trail behind the bear, I traveled serenely +along, imagining that he was far ahead. I was suddenly startled to see a +movement of the grizzly's shadow from behind a bowlder near the trail, +only three hundred feet ahead. He was in ambush, waiting for me! At the +place where I left the trail to circle behind him, he had stopped and +evidently surmised my movements. Turning in his tracks, he had come a +short distance back on the trail and lain down behind the bowlder to +wait for me. + +I went on a few steps after discovering the grizzly, and he moved to +keep out of sight. I edged toward a tall spruce, which I planned to +climb if he charged, feeling safe in the knowledge that grizzlies cannot +climb trees. Pausing by the spruce, I could see his silver-gray fur as +he peered at me from behind the bowlder, and as I moved farther away I +heard him snapping his jaws and snarling as though in anger at being +outwitted. + +Just what he would have done had I walked into his ambush can only be +guessed. Hunters trailing a wounded grizzly have been ambushed and +killed. But this grizzly had not even been shot at nor harassed. + +Generally, when a grizzly discovers that he is followed, or even if he +only thinks himself followed, he at once hurries off to some other part +of his territory, as this one did after I rolled the stone. But Old +Timberline on finding himself followed slipped round to follow me. Often +a grizzly, if he feels he is not yet seen,--that his move is +unsuspected,--will slip round to follow those who are trailing him. But +in no other case that I know of has a bear lingered after he realized +that he was seen. After Old Timberline discovered that I had circled +behind him, he knew that I knew where he was and what he was doing. + +But instead of running away he came back along the trail to await my +coming. What were his intentions? Did he intend to assault me, or was he +overcome with curiosity because of my unusual actions and trying to +discover what they were all about? I do not know. I concluded it best +not to follow him farther, nor did I wish to travel that night with this +crafty, soft-footed fellow in the woods. Going a short distance down +among the trees, I built a rousing fire. Between it and a cliff I spent +the night, satisfied that I had had adventure enough for one outing. + +Trailing is adventurous. Many of the best lessons of woodcraft that I +have learned, several of the greatest and most beneficial outings that I +have had, were those during which I followed, sometimes day and night, +that master of strategy, the grizzly bear. A few times in trailing the +grizzly I have outwitted him, but more frequently he has outwitted me. +Every grizzly has speed, skill, and endurance. He has mental capacity +and often shows astounding plan, caution, courage, and audacity. + +Trailing without a gun is red-blooded life, scouting of the most +exacting and manly order. The trailer loses himself in his part in the +primeval play of the wilderness. It is doubtful if any other experience +is as educational as the trailing of the grizzly bear. + + + + +When the Grizzly Plays + + +One of the best play-exhibitions that I have ever enjoyed was that of a +grizzly juggling with an eight-foot log in a mountain stream. In +examining the glaciation of the Continental Divide, five or six miles +west of Long's Peak, I came out of the woods into a little meadow by the +East Inlet of Grand Lake, where I saw the grizzly and the log, rolling +and tumbling in the water. The log bobbed and plunged about as the bear +struggled with it in the swift current. + +The big, shaggy grizzly, wild and gray, fitted into the wild mountain +scene. A peak bristling with ledges and dotted with snow towered in the +blue sky behind. Down the steep incline of the peak the clear, cold +stream came with subdued roar, as it rushed the inclines and the rapids +of its solid rock-cut channel. The opposite wall of the cañon was of +glacier-polished granite, while behind me the wall rose steeply, covered +with a crowded growth of towering spruce. It was a grand wilderness +playground. + +As I watched from the edge of the woods, the grizzly once hugged the log +between fore paws, stood it on end in the water, and then tried to climb +it. His weight caused it to tip him over. The log escaped from the bear +and started to float away, but he was after it with a rush. + +Another time he lay across it and splashed about like a boy on a pole +trying to learn to swim. Getting too far forward, he rolled under the +log. Struggling on his back, he grasped it between all four feet. Then +he took it beneath one forearm and suddenly ducked it into deep water. +It shot out into the middle of the stream with the bear splashing wildly +in pursuit. At last he succeeded in securing a good hold with his teeth +and was tugging the log toward the bank when he saw a stick floating +down stream. As he turned to seize it, his wave pushed the stick farther +away and at the same time gave the log a start down stream. Turning from +the stick, he hurried to seize the log. Pushing it end on against the +rocky bank, and pressing against it with one fore paw, he looked over +his shoulder as though intending to seize the stick. But this was out of +reach, hurrying down stream. + + [Illustration: CATCHING BLACK BEAR CUBS] + +Next he appeared to be trying to walk the log. When he was almost on it, +the log rolled and with a splash the grizzly fell into the water on his +side. For a second he lost sight of the log, or pretended that he had, +and took swift glances this way and that. As it bumped into his +up-stream side, he seized it with feigned surprise. Then he took it to +the bank in shallow water, mauling it about, biting and gnawing at it. +As the log rolled from side to side, he swam around it, batting it and +pushing it under. + +A number of Clarke nutcrackers and magpies had collected and in +astonishment watched the exhibition. Ordinarily a nutcracker is noisy in +autumn, screaming and chuckling loudly and harshly. But these were +motionless and silent as they watched. A passing magpie whirled aside to +see the show, and was just alighting on the bank when the bear splashed +water wildly with a sweeping stroke at the log. With confused haste the +magpie retreated. Taking a stand on a solitary spruce which leaned over +the bank, he watched the scene without a move. The other birds, equally +intent, watched from a high-water log-jam among large near-by bowlders. + +At last the grizzly secured the log just under water. Standing upon it +with hind feet, he reached down with both fore paws and went through an +up-and-down motion like a washerwoman. Then he left the log and walked +along the bank, keeping watch of it as it floated slowly down stream. It +gradually pulled off from the bank. When it was about ten feet away he +leaped playfully after it with feet outspread like those of a flying +squirrel. Letting it drift again, he watched it intently as it was swept +into the current and floated away in midstream. By swimming and wading +he kept alongside for some distance, then put one fore paw upon it. +Perhaps he was about to start something new, but just then he scented +something over his right shoulder. + +Releasing the log, he climbed upon a bowlder that projected above the +water. On hind feet, interested and curious, he stood gazing for some +seconds. Evidently desiring more information, he started ashore and +never looked back at the log hurrying away down the rapids. + +I found afterwards that the grizzly had rolled the log into the water a +short distance up stream from where I came upon him. The log was a +sound section of a spruce that had broken off when the tree fell among +bowlders and lay on the bank a few feet from the water. The bear had +come down stream, and in passing ten or twelve feet from the log had +turned aside to it. He may have rolled it over to see if there were +insects beneath, but, accidentally or intentionally, he had rolled it +into the water. + +This play of a grizzly with an object is much less common than their +other play, such as coasting. Several times I have seen grizzlies lying +on their stomachs sliding down a steep, smooth, grassy slope, or trying +to start themselves on a slope that was not steep enough for coasting. A +grizzly pauses to play frequently. A mother and cubs often play together +in the water, with apparent enjoyment for all. Many a beaver pond is a +favorite swimming-hole for the cubs and a wading-place for the older +bears. + +I watched an old grizzly romping in the mud of a shallow pond. After +rolling and wallowing about, until his fur coat was covered with mud +thick enough to form a plaster cast, he grew energetic. He ran for the +shore with all speed, as though hunters and dogs were upon him. Once out +of the mud, he turned and raced back through the pond, galloping all +the way across and sending the mud and water flying in exciting fashion. +After a momentary pause he again galloped through the mud and water to +the other side. The pond was half filled with sediment, and evidently +the mud was more than a foot deep. + +One autumn while camping on the Continental Divide near the head of +Forest Cañon, I discovered that a grizzly will sometimes climb a slope +for the purpose of coasting. While I was watching a flock of bighorn +sheep, a grizzly came to the summit of a near-by mountain. I saw him as +he reached the top and supposed he was crossing to the other side. He +shuffled along apparently with definite plans in mind. But he was not +going over the top. He headed straight for an out-jutting ridge where +the wind-blown snow from the summit had formed a cornice at the top of +its steep snowy slope. + +The grizzly hurled himself headlong upon the snow cornice with fore paws +outstretched. The cornice gave way beneath him. The snow slid and +snow-dust whirled about him. I had glimpses of him looking like a +fur-robed Eskimo falling down a snowy precipice in a blizzard. As the +snow-dust cleared, it revealed the grizzly seated in a moving mass of +snow, coasting swiftly down. + +The snow went to pieces on a nearly hidden rock-point and spilled the +coaster. He rolled, then slid, first on his stomach head first, then on +his back feet first, but collected himself at the bottom. Rising and +bearing away from the deep snow, he climbed up again and appeared to +look with interest at the gully he had made in the slope as he coasted +and also at the scattered marks where he was spilled. + +Just beneath the cornice he waded into the snow. He shook himself, +kicked the snow, went through swimming motions but still did not start +to slide. The slope was not steep enough. Wallowing down a short +distance, he rose, then rolled forward over and over--cartwheeled. After +three or four turns he began to slide. This stirred up so much snow-dust +that I could get only dim glimpses of him and could not tell whether he +was sliding head first or tail first. On the thin snow at the bottom the +dust-fog cleared, and the grizzly rolled over and over down the slope +like a log. Getting on his feet, he walked away and disappeared behind +the storm-battered trees at timber-line. + +I took pains to track the bear. Down in the woods, more than three miles +from his coasting-place, he had made a meal the evening before off the +smelly old carcass of a deer. He spent the night by the bones. In the +morning he climbed to the top of a ridge that rose above the tree-tops. +His tracks showed that he had walked about here and stopped at three or +four places to look down on scenes below. + +Then he had followed his tracks back close to where he had spent the +night. Here he had tramped about in the snow as though having nothing in +particular to do. But a coyote was trying to find something on the bones +and the bear may have been threatening him. He finally started off, +plainly with coasting in his mind, for without stopping he went directly +to the snow cornice. From tracks which I saw in this and other cañons I +realized that a grizzly sometimes goes out of his way in order to coast +down steep snowy places. + +A grizzly that I was following one November morning was evidently well +fed, for he traveled slowly along with apparently nothing to do. +Descending the ridge on which he had been walking, he came upon the side +of a steep southern slope, across the ravine from where I had paused to +watch him. Occasionally a bush or weed sprang up as the warm sun +released it from its little burden of snow. If it was close to him, he +reached out one paw and stroked or boxed it daintily and playfully as a +kitten; or, if a few feet away, he stopped, turned his head to one side, +and looked at it with lazy, curious interest. He turned for a better +glimpse of a tall willow springing up as if inviting him to play and +appeared just ready to respond when he caught sight of his moving +dark-blue shadow against the white slope. Instantly, reaching out +lightly with one fore paw, he commenced to play with the shadow. As it +dodged, he tried to reach it with the other paw, then stopped to look at +it. He sat down and watched it intently, ready to strike it if it moved; +he pushed his nose closer to it. Keeping his eyes on the shadow, with a +sudden leap he threw both fore paws forward and brought them down where +the shadow had been before his move. For several seconds he leaped and +struck right and left in his vain efforts to catch it. Then, seated on +his haunches, he watched the shadow out of one eye. He turned his head, +possibly wondering what the shadow would do. He seemed surprised to +find that it was not behind him, and turned back quickly to see where it +was. Did the grizzly know what this shadow-thing was, and was all this +just jolly make-believe? In any case, he was playing and playing +merrily. When I first watched him he reminded me of a kitten, but the +longer he played the more his actions resembled those of a puppy and +finally those of dog. + +As the grizzly backed slowly down the slope, he watched the shadow +following him, and made a feint as though about to grab it, but stopped. +Slowly he started after the shadow up the slope, then pursued it with a +rush. Then, backing away along the side of the slope, he watched the +shadow out of the corner of his eye. He suddenly stopped and stood as +though thinking; then wheeled, faced down the slope, and looked off into +the distance. After a second he slowly turned his head and looked over +first one shoulder, then the other, for the shadow. Finally, rising, he +looked between his legs. + +Leisurely he lay down with head toward the sun and put fore paws over +his eyes as though starting a game of hide-and-seek and expected the +shadow to hide. But this may have been to shut the dazzling sun-glare +from his eyes, for presently he moved his head to one side to watch the +shadow. + +Abruptly he ended, rose to his feet, and started off briskly in the +direction he was traveling in when the blue shadow upon the snow coaxed +him to stop and play. + +Generally the grizzly plays alone. Most animals play with one or many +others of their species. Three or four times I have seen a lone grizzly +playing much after the manner of a dog--playing with himself as it were. +He ran round and round in a small circle, alternating this with leaping +into the air and dodging about, and rolling on his back with feet waving +in the air. He ended the play with a lively and enthusiastic chase of +his tail. + +The two cubs that I raised were always eager for play. They played with +each other, they were ready at all times to play with me, and +occasionally one of them played with my dog Scotch. Grizzlies in +captivity will sometimes play with their keeper. Perhaps they would do +so more frequently if they liked the keeper. Sometimes pet bears will +play with strangers. They are ready to seize an opportunity for brief +play and in this, as with the man who was impersonating bears, they +often show a sense of humor; and they sometimes imitate or mock the +actions of some other animal. + +An outing in northwestern Arizona gave me fresh glimpses into grizzly +life, although I had not expected to see grizzlies. I found them +apparently at home with heat and sand in the edge of a desert. Perhaps +these bears were only visitors. They were not dwarfed by the harsh +conditions but appeared similar to grizzlies of other localities. + +I was sheltered to the leeward of a rock-outcrop waiting for a roaring +desert windstorm to subside. As I looked off into the dusty distance, a +brown, dust-covered grizzly came into view. He climbed up and sat down +upon a large sand-dune and looked around evidently glad that things were +clearing. He watched closely a dust spiral which came spinning across +the clear sky. As it passed close to him, a withered cactus-lobe dropped +from it upon the dune, turned over once or twice, and then rolled down +the slope. The grizzly took after it, striking out with right fore paw; +but, missing, was upon it with a plunge. Picking the cactus up +cautiously in his teeth, he held it for a second, then with a jerk of +his head tossed it into the air and pursued it. The sloping sand-dune +caved and slid beneath him. Forgetting the cactus, he leaped along the +crumbling sand and made a number of lunges, each followed by a dive and +an abrupt stop on the sand. He ran in a circle round the crest of the +dune several times, occasionally coming to a sudden stop. Then, sliding +down the dune, suddenly stopped his play. + +He stood still at the foot of the dune for several seconds and looked +off into the distance. He was debating what he should do next. Off he +started slowly toward the horizon. Into the edge of the mysterious +landscape of a mirage he walked and vanished. I thought him lost and +rose to move on, when a purple shadowy landscape pushed up into the sky +and in this strange, dim scene a giant shadowy grizzly raced and played. + +Play is a common habit of animals. Darwin, Wallace, and others have +emphasized its importance as a progressive evolutionary factor in the +survival of the fittest. Play is rest and relaxation; it gives power and +proficiency; it stimulates the brain to the highest pitch of keenness +and arouses all the faculties to be eager and at their best; it develops +the individual. Play not only is a profound advantage to the player, +but is necessary to the requirements of an efficient life. + +All alert animals freshen themselves with play. The human race is +beginning to do intelligently what it once did instinctively; it is +relearning the lost art, the triumphant habit, of play. + + + + +Matching Wits with the Grizzly + + +In April, 1904, "Old Mose," an outlaw grizzly, was killed on Black +Mountain, Colorado. For thirty-five years he had kept up his +cattle-killing depredations. During this time he was often seen and +constantly hunted, and numerous attempts were made to trap him. His home +territory was about seventy-five miles in diameter and lay across the +Continental Divide. He regularly killed cattle, horses, sheep, and hogs +in this territory, and, so far as known, did not leave this region even +briefly. Two missing toes on his left hind foot were the means of +identifying his track. + +Old Mose killed at least five men and eight hundred cattle, together +with dozens of colts and other live stock. His damage must have exceeded +thirty thousand dollars. Often he smashed the fences that were in his +way. He had a fiendish habit of slipping up on campers or prospectors, +then rushing into their camp with a roar, and he evidently enjoyed the +stampedes thus caused. On these occasions he made no attempt to attack. +Although he slaughtered stock to excess, he never went out and attacked +people. The five men whom he killed were men who had cornered him and +were attempting to kill him. + +Rarely do grizzlies kill cattle or big game. Old Mose was an exception. +None of the other grizzlies in the surrounding mountains killed live +stock. During his last years Old Mose was followed at a distance by a +"cinnamon" bear of large size. This grizzly had nothing to do with the +killing, never associated with Old Mose, but simply fed on the abundance +which he left behind. + +A heavy price on his head led the most skillful hunters and trappers to +try for Old Mose. Three of the best hunters were killed by him. All +trapping schemes failed; so, too, did attempts to poison. Finally he was +cornered by a pack of dogs, and the hunter ended his career with the +eighth shot. + +Though Old Mose was forty or more years of age when killed, his teeth +were sound, his fur was in good condition, and he had every appearance +of being in excellent health. He was apparently good for several years +more of vigorous life. + +Trapping the grizzly has become a non-essential occupation. It is a +waste of energy, because rarely successful. Now and then a bear is +trapped, but it is usually a young bear of but little experience, a +mother who is trying to protect her cubs, or a bear whose momentary +curiosity caused him to forget his customary caution. + +Formerly it was not difficult to trap a grizzly. But he quickly learned +to avoid the menace of traps. The bear sees through all the camouflage +of the trapper. Deodorized and concealed traps, traps near the bait and +far from it, traps placed singly and in clusters--these, and even the +slender concealed string of a spring gun, he usually detects and avoids. + +I spent a number of days with a trapper who felt certain that he would +secure the thousand-dollar reward for the capture of an outlaw +cattle-killing grizzly. Earlier than usual the cattlemen drove the +cattle from the summer range. The trapper took an old cow to a selected +spot near the end of a gulch, picketed her, and surrounded her with +spring guns and traps. The outer line of defense consisted of three +spring guns which guarded three avenues of approach to the cow. The +strings to these guns were of silk line stretched over bushes and tall +grass so as to be inconspicuous. As the bear would be likely to seize +the cow's head or neck, a trap was set between her head and a large +bowlder near by. There was a trap on each side of the cow and one behind +her. + +The first night there was a light fall of snow, but no bear. But the +second night he came. Tracks showed that he scented or heard the cow +from afar--more than a mile away--and came straight for her. He stopped +within two feet of the silk line and walked cautiously round it until he +completed the circuit. But there was no opening. He then leaped the +line--something I had never before heard of a bear doing. He approached +the cow, then walked round her; he went close to the traps and detected +just where each one was concealed. Then, between the trap in front and +the one on the left, he seized and killed the cow. After feeding on her +he dragged the carcass across two traps and left it. Leaping the line +again, he went off down stream in the gulch. + +The trapper reset the traps the following day and placed an additional +one just inside the line, at the point where the grizzly had leaped over +it. Then, some distance down stream, he strung a line across the gulch +and attached a spring gun to one end of the line. + +The grizzly returned that night, coming down the gulch. After walking +the lines around the carcass, and apparently having detected the new +trap inside, he leaped the line at another point. He avoided the traps +and ate about half the remainder of the carcass. Then he piled a few +dead logs on what was left, leaped the line again, and went down the +gulch. He stopped within ten or twelve feet of the line here and +followed it along to where it connected with the rifle on the side of +the gulch. Walking round the rifle, he went back into the gulch and +followed his trail of the preceding night. + +The trapper, amazed, vowed vengeance. He made haste and built a log pen +around the remains of the carcass. He then set two traps in the entrance +of the pen, one in front of the entrance and one inside the pen. + +The second night following, the bear returned, leaped over the line, and +cautiously approached the pen. The bowlder formed part of the rear end +of this. Climbing on top of the bowlder, the bear tore off the upper +part of the pen, which rested on the bowlder, and then, from the +bowlder, without getting into the pen, reached down and dragged up the +carcass. In doing this one of the poles which had been torn out of place +and thrown to one side struck the top of a stump, turned over, and fell +across the line attached to a spring gun. This fired its waiting shot. +Then the grizzly did this astounding thing. He appears to have been on +top of the bowlder when the shot was fired, but he descended, made his +way to the smelly gun, and then examined it, the snow being tracked up +in front of it. Returning to the carcass, he dragged it off the bowlder +and ate the last mouthful. Leaving the bones where they lay, he walked +across the line where the pole rested on it and went off up the gulch. + +A grizzly is wary for the preservation of his life. It is generally a +triumph of stalking to get within short range of him. His senses detect +danger afar. He will sometimes hear the stealthy approach of a hunter at +the distance of a quarter of a mile, and under favorable conditions he +will scent a man at a distance of a mile or more. Being ever on guard, +and generally in a place where he can scout with scent, sight, or +hearing, he usually manages to keep out of range or under cover. It is +not uncommon for two or three hunters in different parts of bear +territory, searching with field-glasses, watching from high places, +taking advantage of the wind, and moving silently, to spend a week +without even seeing a bear, although bears were about. Many times, even +when trailed with dogs, through his brains, his endurance, and his +ability to move rapidly over rough territory, the grizzly escapes being +cornered. + +I have often been in bear territory for days without seeing one. Then +again I have seen two or more in a few hours. Frequently I have been +able to watch a grizzly at moderately short range for an hour or longer. +I was chiefly concerned to get near enough to study his actions, and not +to take a shot, as I trailed without a gun. But many a day I have failed +to see a grizzly, though I searched carefully in a territory which I +knew and where the habits of the individual bears were somewhat known to +me. + +A grizzly territory is covered with a web of dim trails over which he +usually travels. If surprised, the grizzly turns and retreats over the +trail on which he was advancing. A bear's trail, close behind him, is a +dangerous place to be in if he does retreat. Many a hunter, a few feet +off the trail, has had the alarmed bear rush by without noticing him, +while others, who were directly on the trail, have been run over or +assailed by the bear. + +When in a trap or cornered, a wounded grizzly sometimes feigns death. +Apparently, when he considers his situation desperate, he sees in this +method the possibility of throwing his assailant off his guard. A +trapper once invited me to go the rounds with him along his string of +traps. In one of these was a young grizzly. At short range the hunter +fired two shots and the bear fell in a heap. + +We advanced within a few feet and saw that the bear was bleeding freely, +but halted "to be sure he was dead." "I make it a point," said the +hunter, "to wait until a bear dies before I start skinning him. Once I +made the mistake of putting down my rifle and starting to skin the bear +before he was dead." + +We stepped forward, and the hunter prodded the bear with the end of the +rifle-barrel. Like a jumping-jack the bear sprang at the hunter, knocked +him over backwards, tore a hole through his clothing, and ripped a bad +wound in his skin on the thigh. Fortunately the chain and clog on the +trap held the bear from following up his assault. + +On another occasion I was with a party of mounted hunters with dogs who +chased a grizzly out of his territory and cornered him in a deep box +cañon. He was at bay and the excited dogs were harrying him as we came +up. He stood in the end of the cañon, facing out, evidently watching for +an opportunity to escape. He discouraged all attacks by his swift and +cool-headed defense. If a bush stirred behind he made a feint to strike. +If a dog came close to his side he appeared to strike without looking. +He did not allow any rear movements or attacks to divert his attention +from the front, where the hunters stood at short range with rifles +ready. They waited for a chance to shoot without hitting a dog. Suddenly +the grizzly charged and all was confusion. With a stroke of fore paw he +broke the jaw of one horse, with another stroke he caved in three ribs +of another horse, he bit and broke a man's arm, disemboweled one dog and +wrecked another, and made his safe get-away. Not a shot had been fired. +There was no pursuit. + +While with three hunters, I once came close upon a grizzly who was +digging for mice. The hunters opened fire. For seconds the cañon walls +crashed and echoed from the resounding rattling gunnery. Thirty or +forty shots were fired. The bear escaped. A hunter took up the trail and +the following day ran down the bear and killed him. He carried no wounds +except the one from the shot fired by this hunter. He weighed perhaps +five hundred pounds. + +But the story of the shooting as told by one of the first three hunters +was something like this: "We came upon the largest grizzly that I had +ever seen. He must have weighed fifteen hundred pounds or more. He was +busy digging in an opening and didn't see us until we opened on him at +short range. As we had time, we aimed carefully, and each of us got in +several shots before he reached the woods. He ran with as much strength +as if nothing had happened; yet we simply filled him full of lead--made +a regular lead mine of him." + +The grizzly is not an exceedingly difficult animal to kill if shot in a +vital spot--in the upper part of the heart, in the brain, or through the +centre of the shoulder into the spine. Hunters too often fire aimlessly, +or become so frightened that they do not even succeed in hitting the +bear, though firing shot after shot in his general direction. + +William H. Wright once killed five bears with five shots in rapid +succession. I was with a hunter in a berry-patch when four grizzlies +fell with four lightning-like shots. George McClelland in Wyoming killed +nine bears inside of a minute. He probably fired sixteen shots. These +were grizzlies, two of which were cubs. + +During the last few seconds of his life, after the grizzly receives a +fatal wound, he sometimes fights in an amazingly effective and deadly +manner. As an old bear-hunter once said, "the grizzly is likely to do a +lot of execution after he is nominally dead." Hundreds of hunters have +been wounded and scores of others killed by grizzlies which they were +trying to kill or capture. Hundreds of others have escaped death or +serious injury by extremely narrow margins. + +A grizzly appears to have caused the death of the first white man to die +within the bounds of Colorado. This happened on the plains in the +eastern part of the State. Seeing the grizzly in the willows near camp, +the man went out to kill him. The wounded grizzly knocked him down and +mauled him so severely that he died. + +In southern Colorado I saw a frightened hunter on horseback pursued by a +mother grizzly. He was chasing her cubs, when she suddenly charged him. +The horse wheeled and ran. Although the hunter urged the horse to its +utmost, the bear was almost upon them when his dogs rushed in and +distracted her. + +Hunters claim that if a man feign death when knocked down by a grizzly +he is not likely to be injured. James Capen Adams appears to have saved +himself a number of times by this method. I have not had occasion to try +the experiment. + +An old bear-hunter told me that he once saved himself from what seemed +to be certain death, in a most unusual manner. A grizzly knocked him +sprawling, then leaped upon him to chew him up. In falling, however, the +hunter had grabbed up a stone. With this he struck the bear a smashing +blow on the tip of his nose as the bear landed upon him. The bear backed +off with a roar of pain. This gave the hunter opportunity to seize his +rifle and fire a fatal shot. + +Three or four men who have been severely bitten and shaken by grizzlies +have testified that they felt no pain at the time from these injuries. I +cannot account for this. Livingstone, the African explorer, also states +that he felt no pain when a lion was chewing him. + +I once witnessed a grizzly-roping in Montana that had rare fighting and +adventure in it. Two cowboys pursued a grizzly nearly to camp, when +several others came riding out with whirling ropes seeking fun. They +roped the bear; but a horse was pulled off his feet and dragged, a +cowboy was ditched into a bunch of cactus, another cowboy lost his +saddle, the cinches giving way under the strain, and a horse struck in +the flank had to be shot. Meantime the bear got away and stampeded the +entire herd of cattle. + +Bear stories have a fascination all their own. Here is one of five men +who were hunting in northwestern Montana, a section of high and rugged +mountain-peaks, snow-fields, and glaciers, well-nigh inaccessible, and +wholly uninhabited save by wild animals. Two of the men went off to a +distant glacier-basin for big game, separating and going on opposite +sides of a ridge. One of them after a steep climb came upon a grizzly +cub, so large as to appear full-grown except to the most careful +observer. He killed the bear with three cartridges from his Mauser +rifle, and then, leaning the rifle against a rock, stooped over to +examine his prize. Suddenly he heard a fearsome cry and a swift rush. +Turning, he saw the mother bear coming for him and not more than sixty +feet away. + +Springing to his rifle, he put two steel-clad bullets into the grizzly, +emptying his gun. With remarkable coolness he slipped in another +cartridge and sent a third bullet into her. But Mauser bullets are small +and an enraged grizzly is a hard thing to stop. The three bullets did +not stop this mother bear, frantic at the sight of her dead cub. With +one stroke of her paw she knocked the hunter into a gulch, eight feet +below. Then she sprang down after him, caught him in her mouth, shook +him as a dog might shake a doll, and dropped him. She caught him up +again, his face between her tusks, shook him, and again dropped him. A +third time she snatched him up. But now the little Mauser bullets had +done their work, and she fell dead across the hunter's feet. + +It was high time, for the man was in little better condition than the +bear. His scalp and cheek and throat were torn open, there were five +gaping wounds in his chest, his thigh bore an irregular tear two or +three inches wide from which the flesh hung in ragged strips, and his +left wrist was broken and the bones protruding through the twisted +flesh. His companion, alarmed by the six shots, hurried to the hunter. +He bound up his wounds, set him on a horse, guided him for two hours +across country without a trail, and got him to camp at nightfall. But to +save the man's life it was necessary to get him to the railroad in short +order. He was put on a horse with a man on each side to support him, and +for eleven hours the party climbed down the five miles through forest +and jungle, cutting their way as they went. At dark, completely +exhausted, they flagged a limited train. The hunter was hurried to a +hospital and operated upon and his life saved. + +The man with a gun is a specialist. He is looking for a particular thing +in order to kill it. Generally the gun hampers full enjoyment of the +wilderness. The hunter misses most of the beauty and the glory of the +trail. If he stops to enjoy the pranks of other animals, or to notice +the color of cloud or flower, he will miss his opportunity to secure his +game. When at last he is within range of a bear, it may scent him and be +off at any minute, so he must shoot at once. He learns but little of the +character of the animal. + +Trailing the grizzly without a gun is the very acme of hunting. The +gunless hunter comes up close, but he lingers to watch the bear and +perhaps her cubs. He sees them play. Often, too, he has the experience +of seeing wilderness etiquette when other bears or animals come into the +scene. The information that he gathers and his enjoyment excel those +obtained by the man with a gun. + +Roosevelt has said and shown that the hunter whose chief interest is in +shooting has but little out of the hunt. Audubon did a little shooting +for specimens. Wright had as many thrills with the camera as with the +rifle. Adams was far happier and more useful with his live grizzlies +than he was killing other grizzlies. Emerson McMillin was satisfied to +hunt without either gun or camera. The words and sketches of Ernest +Thompson Seton have given us much of the artistic side of the +wilderness. Dr. Frank M. Chapman explored two continents for the facts +of bird-lore and in addition to his books prepared the magnificent +bird-groups in the American Museum of Natural History. Thoreau enjoyed +life in the wilderness without a gun. But John Muir was the supreme +wilderness hunter and wanderer. He never carried a gun. Usually he was +in the wilds alone. He spent years in a grizzly bear country. But the +wealth of nature-lore with which he enriched his books make him the +Shakespeare of nature. + +The man without a gun can enjoy every scene of nature along his way. He +has time to turn aside for other animals, or to stop and watch any one +of the countless unexpected wild-life exhibitions that are ever +appearing. Then, too, he hears the many calls and sounds, the music of +the wilds. The wild places, especially in grizzly bear land, are crowded +with plants and with exhibitions of the manners and the customs of +animals, and are rich in real nature stories being lived with all their +charm and their dramatic changes. + + + + +Where Curiosity Wins + + +The grizzly bear has the most curiosity of any animal that I have +watched. As curiosity arises from the desire to know, it appears that +the superior mentality of the grizzly may be largely due to the +alertness which curiosity sustains. + +Although the grizzly has learned the extreme danger of exposing himself +near man, yet, at times, all his vigilant senses are temporarily +hypnotized by curiosity. On rare occasions it betrays him into trouble, +or lands a cub in a trap. In old bears curiosity is accompanied with a +keenness of observation and a caution that enable him to satisfy his +desire for information without exposure to danger. Often it enables him +to anticipate a concealed danger--to penetrate the camouflage of +something dangerous. Curiosity prevents oncoming events from being +thrust on the curious. It is an effort to obtain advance information +instead of taking things as they come. + +In 1826 Drummond, the botanist, collected plants in the Rocky Mountains. +In stopping to examine, to gather, and to press them he was doing the +unusual. He thus attracted the attention of numerous grizzlies, who even +came close to watch him. They showed no inclination to attack. Bears are +"chock-full of curiosity" and will sometimes forget to eat in trying to +understand at once the new or the unusual. + +Lewis and Clark tell of a bear on a sand-bar who showed interest in +their boat as it passed. He raised himself on hind feet and looked after +them, and then plunged into the river and swam toward the boat. This +novel outfit should have attracted the attention of any living thing, +and a curious grizzly must have been almost overcome with wonder. Yet +the explorers erroneously assumed that this intense curiosity and +consequent attempt for closer inspection was evidence of ferocity. +During the first fifty years of the white man's contact with the +grizzly, the bear frequently came close to a man or a camp for a better +look; most frontiersmen thought this near approach was ferocity in the +bear. Often the bear was greeted with bullets, and in due time he +learned to satisfy his curiosity by stealth instead of by direct +approach. But inquisitive he still is. + + [Illustration: JOHNNY] + +In crossing the mountains in northern New Mexico I was overtaken by a +Swede on his way to a lumber-camp. He carried a pack, and a part of it +was an accordion. We made camp that night near the head of a gulch. +Across from us a treeless mountain rose a thousand feet. + +After supper the Swede played on his accordion and was soon lost in +music. Pausing in my note-making to enjoy his contented expression, I +saw an old grizzly watching us from across the mountain. Standing upon a +bowlder, he was looking over the tops of the spruce trees that thrust up +out of the gulch. Through my field-glasses he appeared even more lost in +wonder at the music than the enthusiastic, emotional player. When the +refrain died away, the grizzly climbed down off the bowlder, and then, +as another piece was begun, at once rose to remount, but instead stood +with fore paws against the bowlder, listening. By and by he started up +the mountain, pausing every few steps to turn and listen. He either +stood broadside, his head tilted sideways, or raised himself on tiptoe, +fascinated. A loud, lively, clashing close to one piece started him off +on a gallop, but as soon as the music stopped the bear paused. He +appeared puzzled and fidgeted about while the player sat silent, +listening to my description of the bear's movements. A soft and +melodious piece was next played. The bear, as the first strain sounded +on the evening air, seated himself on his haunches facing us, and thus +remained until the piece was finished. Then he climbed higher up the +mountain and, on reaching the sky-line, walked lingering along in the +last rays of the sun, looking down on us now and then as though wanting +more music. + +For two or three hours I watched a number of water-ouzels in the St. +Vrain River. They often came within three or four feet of where I sat on +the bank with my back against a large bowlder. To avoid frightening +them, I sat motionless, not turning even my head for an hour or more at +a time. I was enjoying their actions, when suddenly I caught the +distinct odor of a bear. While still motionless and wondering further +about this new interest, I heard the faint crack of a stick behind me. +Turning my head at this sound, I saw a grizzly raised on hind legs with +fore paws resting on top of the bowlder against which I was leaning. He +looked at me with intense interest, all caution forgotten. His curiosity +absolutely dominated. But my slight movement had aroused him. In two +seconds from the time I turned he was crashing off through the thicket +and probably was condemning himself for being so curious. + +One Sunday afternoon one of the men in a lumber-camp rigged up a canvas +hammock from the remnants of an old tent and suspended it between two +trees. A pet grizzly who belonged at the camp watched him with curious +interest while he worked. She observed him with still greater interest +as he stretched himself out in it and began reading. When the man +deserted the hammock, she walked up to it, struck it, pushed it back and +forth with fore paws, and then began rather awkwardly to climb into it. +She had almost succeeded, when her weight upon the edge caused it to tip +over and spill her on the ground. She leaped back surprised, then walked +round the hammock, eyeing it with great curiosity. But the second +attempt at climbing into the hammock was successful, and she made a most +comical and awkward sight stretched out in it flat upon her back. + +I came upon a grizzly on the heights above the timber-line watching the +progress of a forest fire. Squatted on his haunches like a dog, he was +intently watching the fire-front below. A deep roar at one place, high +leaping flames at another, a vast smoke-cloud at another caused him to +turn toward each with rapt attention. He followed with eager eyes, also, +the swiftly advancing cloud-shadows as they mysteriously rushed forward +over ridge and valley. So intent was he that none of his keen senses +warned him of my presence, though I stood near for two or three minutes, +watching him. When I called he slowly turned his head. He stared at me +in a half-dazed manner, then angrily showed his teeth. After another +second he fled like a frightened rabbit. + +The actions of a fisherman were being followed with the closest +attention by a grizzly when I came along the opposite side of a narrow +cañon. The bear stood still for some minutes, all his faculties +concentrated on the fisherman. Every cast of the fly was observed with +the greatest interest. A dangling trout caused him much excitement. +Possibly the wind, touched with man-scent, finally warned him of danger. +Anyway, he suddenly came to his senses, roused himself, and ran off. + +On one of my camping-trips into the mountains I carried a long yellow +slicker. Wearing this one misty, half-snowy day, I was followed by a +grizzly. Twice he evidently came close to me; although I did not see +him, I scented him. When well upon a mountain during the afternoon, I +crossed an open place in the woods where a breeze broke up the +low-drifting clouds. For a moment I beheld a much interested grizzly +near by. He stood and stared at me with all caution forgotten in his +curiosity about the long yellow coat. + +At dark I made camp at timber-line and forgot about the bear. The +slicker was hung over a pole against a cliff to drain and dry. I went to +sleep about eleven o'clock, after writing up my notes and watching my +camp-fire. During the night the grizzly came boldly into camp, reared +up, and slit the slicker. My shoes near by had not been noticed; the +bacon and raisins swinging from a limb had not interested his keen nose. +He was interested only in that slicker. + +This was a case where the grizzly's curiosity might have got him into +trouble. So intent was he on seeing this one thing that for hours he had +forgotten food-hunting and followed me; and then in order to have a +closer examination of it he must have waited near my camp two or three +hours until I had lain down. + +Another time, in the Yellowstone, while I was sleeping out, a big +grizzly who had followed me all day came to give me closer inspection. I +was awakened by his lightly clawing my bed. I opened my eyes and watched +him for some seconds and lay perfectly still while he sniffed me over. +After several seconds of this he appeared to have satisfied his +curiosity and walked quietly away beneath the stars. + +As I was trying to flash information with a looking-glass from Mount +Lincoln to a prospector down in the valley one day, a grizzly became +attracted by the flashes and lay down to watch them circle and shimmer +here and there. In the San Juan Mountains a prospector once lost a wheel +from a rude cart which he was hauling up a steep, roadless slope. As the +detached wheel went bounding down and across the bottom of the gulch, a +grizzly hit an attitude of attention and watched it. He became excited +as it leaped and rushed up the opposite slope, and when it rolled over +he approached cautiously to see what manner of thing it might be. A +grizzly sat down on his haunches to watch the uncertain movements of an +umbrella which had taken advantage of a wind-storm to desert a +mountain-top artist. He observed the disheveled umbrella with the +greatest enjoyment as it danced across the moorland, and was +particularly interested when a whirl sent it high into the air. + +Riding a lazy pony slowly, silently, along a trail in the San Juan +Mountains, I came close upon a grizzly and three cubs. They aroused the +deep emotional nature of my pony. He took on new and fiery life, and in +his eagerness to reach a high mountain across the cañon he forgot all +about the topography--the cañon that lay deep between. While he was +standing on one hind foot on the edge of the cañon I leaped from the +saddle. The old bear and cubs, forgetting all possible danger, while he +was thus performing stood up to watch the entire exhibition. + +A grizzly keeps an eye on near-by animals, often without appearing to do +so. But if the animal is doing something new or unusual he gives it his +entire attention. Two bears, side by side, are interested in the same +thing; yet the individuality of each will show if you watch them a +minute. Of course, all bears are not equally curious about the same +thing, but seldom do I recall outwitting a bear even when appealing to +his curiosity, and never could I class him as stupid. + +Grizzlies in regions just invaded by white men appear to have put in +much time trying to make out what these strange creatures were about. +What man is doing is ever of first importance to the long-lived grizzly. +His interest in his surroundings appears to be greater than that of the +average person. At any rate, the grizzly shows better knowledge of the +habits of human beings than people have of the habits of bears. + +His is not the curiosity of the idle; the grizzly is not prying into the +affairs of others for mere pastime, but is concerned only so far as +these affairs may benefit or harm him. His is the intelligent curiosity +of a mind seeking facts. Most of the time he leads a solitary life; he +rarely exchanges ideas or information with other bears. Most animals +live in pairs or flocks and, each gathering information for all, they +divide sentinel duty; but single-handed the grizzly must get the news, +must scout for himself. He is ever on the watch, does nothing blindly, +and he simply must understand. + +Any unusual occurrence arouses a grizzly's curiosity, and is to him "a +word to the wise." His success lies in constant alertness. He might well +be likened to a frontiersman; he has that painstaking vigilance, that +untiring energy, which seeks to discover whether this strange track, +sound, or displacement is the camouflage which conceals the enemy or if +it be a clue which will lead to something of advantage. He at once +endeavors to find out all that may be learned about it. + +The grizzly bear may have inherited a love for exploration. His +ancestors were adventurers, coming to this continent from Asia. The +natural attraction which the new and unusual has for him may generally +be gratified in his curiosity about things at home. But we may readily +imagine that the grizzly must sometimes become restless when there is +nothing stirring near by, when he finds no excitement in his home +territory, and so wanders like an explorer to seek discoveries in +far-off scenes. He is innately an adventurer; he seeks adventure and +often finds it. His curiosity does not allow him to live in a rut--to +live contentedly with old conditions. He is always learning; he keeps +alive and growing. + +The grizzly bear simply cannot be understood, nor half understood, if +his curiosity is not considered. Notice a grizzly bear pet, observe a +grizzly in a zoo, watch both the cubs and the old grizzlies in the +Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. They walk about like superior +animals, which they are. Those in parks ever notice any sudden movement, +any new figure in the foreground, and detect any unusual noise that +comes from far away behind the woods. The grizzly bear and the scout are +masters of woodcraft through intensive observation. Behind the word +curiosity the grizzly bear has put a world of meaning. + +The wild grizzly shows a deeper feeling for the scenes, the sounds, and +the movements around him than any other animal that I have watched. +Sometimes, while thus interested, he sits on haunches like a dog, again +he stands on all fours, at other times he stands on hind feet, tiptoe, +and, on rare occasions, he sits on his tail with fore paws against his +breast, perhaps leaning against something. Once in a while he gives full +attention while lying down. + +When looking at scenery and sunsets, his appearance is one of enjoyment; +he appears to have feeling in the conscious presence of that which we +call beautiful or glorious. I have seen a grizzly looking at a +magnificent and many-colored sunset, completely absorbed. There was no +fear at a flash of lightning or the roar and echoing roll of thunder. +Once I saw a grizzly turn to stare at the course of a shooting star; +another gazed for seconds at a brilliant rainbow. + +Generally the grizzly's attention to these demonstrations rose superior +to commonplace curiosity; he looked long, he listened closely, he was +absorbed, and he appeared to feel as he sat lost in wonder. Had he been +a child, with the power of speech, he certainly would have asked +questions. Often his expression, his attitude, indicated that he was +saying to himself: "What was that? What caused it? Where did that noise +come from? What are those strange shadows running from, and how can they +move without a sound?" + + + + +On the Defensive + + +In the grizzly bear we have the leading animal of North America, and one +who might well be put at the head of the wild life of the earth. He has +brain and brawn. He is self-contained and is prepared for anything. He +makes an impressive appearance. He looks capable. He has bulk, agility, +strength, endurance, repose, courage, enthusiasm, and curiosity. He is a +masterful fighter if forced to defend himself. + +But, a century ago, fifty years ago, or to-day, one could ramble the +grizzly's territory in safety--unless attempting to kill a grizzly. The +grizzly objects to being killed. If he is surprised or crowded so that +he sees no escape, if the cubs are in danger or the mother thinks they +are, or if the bear is wounded, there will be a fight or a retreat; and +the grizzly will not be the one retreating. Almost every animal--wild or +domestic--will fight if cornered or if he thinks himself cornered. + +Before the days of the repeating rifle the grizzly boldly wandered over +his domain as absolute master; there was nothing for him to fear; not +an aggressive foe existed. But, being ever curious, he hastened to +examine whatever interested him. The novel outfit of Lewis and Clark, +which appears to have attracted unusual attention even from frontier +people, must naturally have aroused the highest pitch of interest in the +numbers of bears congregated in places along the river. There were boats +of odd type,--some with sails,--strange cargoes, men in picturesque +accoutrements, and even a colored man. The frequent close approaches +which the bears made in trying to satisfy their curiosity caused Lewis +and Clark to think them ferocious. + +But is the grizzly bear ferocious? All the firsthand evidence I can find +says he is not. Speaking from years of experience with him my answer is +emphatically, "No!" Nearly every one whom a grizzly has killed went out +with the special intention of killing a grizzly. The majority of people +who hold the opinion that he is not ferocious are those who have studied +him without attempting to kill him; while the majority who say that he +is ferocious are those who have killed or attempted to kill him. + +During the greater part of my life I have lived in a grizzly bear +region. I have camped for months alone and without a gun in their +territory. I have seen them when alone and when with hunters, in +Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, +British Columbia, and Alaska. I have spent weeks trailing and watching +grizzlies, and their tracks in the snow showed that they often trailed +me. They frequently came close, and there were times when they might +have attacked me with every advantage. But they did not do so. As they +never made any attack on me, nor on any one else that I know of who was +not bent on killing them, I can only conclude that they are not +ferocious. + +Once I was running down a Wyoming mountainside, leaping fallen +fire-killed timber, when suddenly I surprised a grizzly by landing +within a few feet of him. He leaped up and struck at me with sufficient +force to have almost cut me in two had the blow landed. Then he +instantly fled. This, however, was not ferocity. Plainly he thought +himself attacked and struck in self-defense. + +There are many naturalists and frontiersmen who affirm from first-hand +experience that the grizzly is not ferocious, and following are given a +number of quotations from a few of these men. + +John Muir, who spent about forty years in the wilderness home of the +grizzly bear, from 1868 to 1912, usually camped alone and never carried +firearms. He has repeatedly called attention in his books to the +wilderness as a place of safety, and has mentioned that grizzly bears +are masters in attending to their own affairs; also that bears have +effectively suggested to wilderness visitors to do likewise. In "Our +National Parks" Muir says:-- + + "In my first interview with a Sierra bear we were frightened and + embarrassed, both of us, but the bear's behavior was better than + mine.... After studying his appearance as he stood at rest, I rushed + forward to frighten him, that I might study his gait in running. + But, contrary to all I had heard about the shyness of bears, he did + not run at all; and when I stopped short within a few steps of him, + as he held his ground in a fighting attitude, my mistake was + monstrously plain. I was put on my good behavior, and never + afterwards forgot the right manners of the wilderness." + +Muir also says, in "Steep Trails":-- + + "There are bears in the woods, but not in such numbers nor of such + unspeakable ferocity as town-dwellers imagine, nor do bears spend + their lives in going about the country like the devil, seeking whom + they may devour. Oregon bears, like most others, have no liking for + man either as meat or as society; and while some may be curious at + times to see what manner of creature he is, most of them have + learned to shun people as deadly enemies." + +Mr. William H. Wright spent most of his time from 1883 to 1908 as a +hunter of wild animals, and especially as a hunter of the grizzly. In +addition to being an observer of exceptional care while hunting and +trapping, he spent some years in photographing grizzlies. He first +studied them in order to hunt them successfully; then laid aside his +rifle and hunted them to study them. From full acquaintance with the +grizzly Mr. Wright declares that he is not ferocious. He offers the +following comment concerning his curiosity--a trait which early +explorers mistook for ferocity:-- + + "We know now that the grizzly is chock-full of curiosity, and that + one of his habits is to follow up any trail that puzzles or + interests him, be it of man or beast. This trait has been noted and + misconstrued by many.... So often have I seen this curiosity and + proved it to be innocent that I have no fear whatever of these + animals when indulging in this weakness of theirs. Time and again I + have allowed one to approach within a few yards of me, and no calm + observer who had watched a bear defying his own caution to satisfy + his own inquisitiveness could mistake the nature of his approach." + +Drummond, the botanist, had numerous experiences with grizzlies in the +Rocky Mountains in 1826. He was familiar with their curiosity. He says +that often they came close and stood up to look at him. But if he made a +noise with his specimen-box, or "even waved his hand," they ran away. + +James Capen Adams hunted and trapped big game from 1849 to 1859 in +California and along the Pacific Coast. He captured numerous grizzlies, +both old and young, and literally domesticated them. He discusses their +characteristics at length. He knew them intimately, and in summing them +up after years of close association he says of the grizzly, "He did not +invite combat." + +Kit Carson, another frontiersman of long experience with grizzlies, in +writing of them does not call them ferocious. + +Dr. W. T. Hornaday knows the grizzly in the wilds and has long and +intimately known him in the zoo. In "The American Natural History" Dr. +Hornaday has the following:-- + + "I have made many observations on the temper of the Grizzly Bear, + and am convinced that naturally the disposition of this reputedly + savage creature is rather peaceful and good-natured. At the same + time, however, no animal is more prompt to resent an affront or + injury, or punish an offender. The Grizzly temper is defensive, not + aggressive; and unless the animal is cornered, or _thinks he is + cornered_, he always flees from man." + +The early explorers were warned by the Indians that the grizzly was "an +awful and ferocious animal." All the early writers had the preconceived +belief that the grizzly was ferocious. Many of these writers never saw a +grizzly, but wrote down as fact the erroneous conclusions of the +Indians. The few writers who did see a grizzly evidently judged him +largely from these preconceived ideas. Even Lewis and Clark describe a +number of the grizzly's actions and call him ferocious when the very +actions which they describe simply show him as being curious, +interested, or, at worst, excited at their strange appearance. They +misinterpreted what actually happened. + +A few sentences from Audubon well illustrate the wrought-up frame of +mind of many hunters and authors when hunting or writing about the +grizzly. Audubon says:-- + + "While in the neighborhood where the grizzly bear may possibly be + hidden, the excited nerves will cause the heart's pulsations to + quicken if but a startled ground squirrel run past, the sharp click + of the lock is heard and the rifle hastily thrown to the shoulder + before a second of time has assured the hunter of the trifling cause + of his emotion." This suggests emotion but not accuracy. + + In summing up the animals of the North and West in 1790, Edward + Umfreville wrote of the "red and the grizzle bear" that "their + nature is savage and ferocious, their power dangerous, and their + haunts to be guarded against." + +In 1795 Sir Alexander MacKenzie recorded the following:-- + + "The Indians entertain great apprehension of this kind of a bear, + which is called the grisly bear, and they never venture to attack it + except in a party of least three or four." + +Henry M. Brackenridge, author of "Views of Louisiana," wrote the +following from hearsay:-- + + "This animal is the monarch of the country which he inhabitates. The + African lion or the Bengal tiger are not more terrible than he. He + is the enemy of man and literally thirsts for human blood. So far + from shunning, he seldom fails to attack and even to hunt him. The + Indians make war upon these ferocious monsters with ceremonies as + they do upon a tribe of their own species, and, in the recital of + their victories, the death of one of them gives the warrior greater + renown than the scalp of an enemy. He possesses an amazing strength, + and attacks without hesitation and tears to pieces the largest + buffalo." + +The first paragraph which Lewis and Clark wrote concerning the grizzly, +April 29, 1805, says: + + "We proceeded early, with a moderate wind. Captain Lewis, who was on + shore with one hunter, met about eight o'clock two white bears. Of + the strength and ferocity of this animal the Indians had given us + dreadful accounts; they never attack him but in parties of six or + eight persons, and even then are often defeated with a loss of one + or more of the party. Having no weapons but bows and arrows, and + the bad guns which the traders supply them, they are obliged to + approach very near the bear, and as no wound except through the head + or heart is fatal they frequently fall a sacrifice if they miss + their aim. He rather attacks than avoids man, and such is the terror + which he has inspired that the Indians who go in quest of him paint + themselves and perform all the superstitious rites customary when + they make war on a neighboring nation. Hitherto those we had seen + did not appear desirous of encountering us, but although to a + skillful rifleman the danger is very much diminished, yet the white + bear is still a terrible animal. On the approach of these two, both + Captain Lewis and the hunter fired and each wounded a bear; one of + them made his escape; the other turned upon Captain Lewis and + pursued him seventy or eighty yards, but being badly wounded he + could not run so fast as to prevent him reloading his piece, which + he again aimed at him, and a third shot from the hunter brought him + to the ground." + +Below are two additional paragraphs from the Journal of Lewis and Clark. +These show that the grizzly was most wide-awake and curious, and also +that he was not accustomed to being afraid. + + "The bear which gave so much trouble on the head of the Missouri are + equally fierce in this quarter. This morning one of them, which was + on a sand-bar as the boat passed, raised himself on his hind feet + and after looking at the party, plunged in and swam towards them. He + was received with three balls in the body; he then turned around and + made for the shore. Towards evening another entered the water to + swim across. Captain Clark ordered the boat towards the shore, and + just as the bear landed shot the animal in the head. It proved to be + the largest female they had ever seen, and so old that its tusks + were worn quite smooth." + + "Just as he arrived near Willow Run, he approached a thicket of + brush in which was a white bear, which he did not discover till he + was within ten feet of him; his horse started, and wheeling suddenly + round, threw M'Neal almost immediately under the bear, who started + up instantly, and finding the bear raising himself on his hind feet + to attack him, struck him on the head with the butt end of his + musket; the blow was so violent that it broke the breech of the + musket and knocked the bear to the ground, and before he recovered, + M'Neal, seeing a willow tree close by, sprang up, and there + remained while the bear closely guarded the foot of the tree until + late in the afternoon. He then went off, and M'Neal being released + came down, and having found his horse, which had strayed off to the + distance of two miles, returned to camp. These animals are, indeed, + of a most extraordinary ferocity, and it is matter of wonder that in + all our encounters we have had the good fortune to escape." + +The grizzly was introduced to the world by Governor DeWitt Clinton of +New York, who appears to have taken his information from the Journal of +Lewis and Clark. In the course of an address before the Literary and +Philosophical Society of New York City in 1814, he completely +misinterpreted the real character of the grizzly and popularized a +number of errors that not only were believed then but have survived to +this day. The real grizzly is a distinguished character; but the grizzly +as commonly described by tongue and story--well, "there ain't no such +animal." + +Governor Clinton in discussing the work in store for the coming +naturalists said, "There is the white, brown, or grizzly bear, the +ferocious tyrant of the American woods--it exists, the terror of the +savages, the tyrant of all other animals, devouring alike man and beast +and defying the attacks of a whole tribe of Indians." Few people realize +to what extent these inaccurate words have discouraged outdoor life and +how enormously they have contributed to the output of fictitious nature +writing. + +The Indians had a profound respect for the fighting efficiency of the +grizzly. When one of them killed a grizzly he triumphantly wore the claw +as a medal for rare bravery. The grizzly has a head and a hide that the +Indian could rarely penetrate with either an arrow or a spear. We may +readily believe that the grizzly defied the attacks of "a whole tribe of +Indians," as Governor DeWitt Clinton said. He would defy a whole tribe +of Indians or a score of white men with similar weapons to-day. So, too, +would the elephant, the African lion, or the tiger. + +With the rifles used at the time of Lewis and Clark it was necessary for +the hunter to approach close to the bear that the bullet might have +sufficient velocity to penetrate a vital spot. The rifles being only +single-shot, the hunter was exposed to the assault of the bear in case +his aim missed or the shot was ineffective. It is not surprising that +in most cases those attempting to kill the grizzly either were +overpowered by him or succeeded only through force of numbers and with +the loss of some of the assailants. But the ability of the grizzly to +withstand such attacks and to defend himself has been confused with +ferocity. + +The grizzly is a fighting-machine of the first order and with the +weapons of two or three generations ago he often sold his life most +dearly. In a short time the grizzly had the reputation of being a +terrible fighter, and along with this he was given the reputation of +being ferocious--of being an awful hunter of man. For the grizzly to +repel effectually those who went out to attack him is a very different +thing from his going out to hunt and to attack people who were not +molesting him. This latter he has never done. + +The words of Umfreville, MacKenzie, Brackenridge, Clinton, and Lewis and +Clark bring out strongly that the grizzly is a fighter, formidable, +perhaps unequaled. Their opinion on this point is supported by ample +first-hand testimony down through the years, from all over the grizzly +territory. But it has not been established that the grizzly is +ferocious, is seeking to kill. No, the grizzly does not look for a +fight; he is for peace at almost any price. + +The grizzly fights in self-defense; men do the same. A man is not +criminal for fighting in self-defense; neither is a grizzly. For this +self-defense fighting the grizzly should not be put in the criminal +class. "The worm will turn," is an old saying. All animals fight in +self-defense, some more quickly than others. Few ever succeed against +man; the grizzly often does. Apparently the effective self-defense of +the grizzly is responsible for his criminal reputation. + +It is common for those who believe that the grizzly is ferocious to +believe also that he eats human flesh. There is no known instance of his +having done so. + +We are now hearing that the Alaska bears are especially ferocious. Yet, +in Alaska at the present time, and for many years in the past, the bear +trails are concealed as much as possible by being in the woods. This +would prevent the bear on the trail being readily seen by man. Along the +sea, where much bear food is cast ashore, the trails are not upon the +open beach but some distance away behind the trees. The bears depend on +scent to tell them if there is anything along the shore to eat. Both +their trails and their daily life in Alaska conclusively show that their +chief concern is to keep away from and out of sight of man. + +The experience with bears in the Yellowstone Park demonstrates that the +grizzly is not ferocious. The Park had a numerous grizzly population +when it was made a wild-life reservation. The people who in increasing +numbers visited the Park carried no fire-arms and they were not molested +by the grizzlies. Yet grizzlies were all about. After some twenty years +of this friendly association of people and grizzlies, a number of +grizzlies, dyspeptic and demoralized from eating garbage, and annoyed by +the teasing of thoughtless people, became cross and lately even +dangerous. But these bears cannot be called ferocious. Eliminate the +garbage-piles and cease harassing the bears, and they will again be +friendly. + +The grizzly bear has been a golden gift of the gods for the countless +writers of highly colored alleged natural history. There is a type, too, +of wild fiction-writers of the Captain Mayne Reid class whose thrilling +stories of the grizzly and other wilderness animals are purely +fictitious, and, though not even pretending to be fact, appear to have +been taken seriously by thousands. So prolific and continuous has been +the output of these writers that facts have been lost, and it is +practically impossible for the average individual to know the real +grizzly bear. This comes near to being the immortality of error. It is a +national misfortune that the overwhelming majority of people should be +imposed upon with erroneous natural history. The destiny of the human +race is intimately tied up with nature, and for any one to misunderstand +the simple facts which unite us with nature is to be out of harmony with +the whole scheme of things. An accurate knowledge of natural history has +an important place in guiding the judgments of our race. + +Because of their intimate knowledge of the grizzly bear, James Capen +Adams, William H. Wright, and Philip Ashton Rollins admired this animal. +It would be a glorious thing if every one appreciated the real character +of the grizzly bear. A changed attitude toward him--the great animal of +the outdoors--might cause the wilderness to appeal to all as a friendly +wonderland. + + + + +Man's Loyal Companion + +MISS GRIZZLY + + +Just as I reached the edge of the woods by a sawmill in the Medicine Bow +Mountains, a young grizzly rushed at me as though to "chew me up." She +frightened me for a second, but the next instant I realized that it was +only a bluff. + +"You are not polite to strangers," I said to her. + +She stood still for a minute, looked at me quietly, and then began +leaping and racing about me like an awkward puppy who has just made your +acquaintance and is eager for play. + +"Miss Grizzly" had been captured when a small cub, about a year and a +half before, and raised by the foreman of the mill. The pet and favorite +of all the men in camp, she had the freedom of the place, played with +the visiting teamsters, and welcomed strangers. She was companionable +with every one, but was nobody's grizzly. + +Early in her life at the mill she had learned to be afraid of the big +buzzing saw. One day as she stood several feet away, either listening +to the hum of the saw or watching the dust thrown from it, the saw +chanced to strike a knot. A piece of this flew and struck Miss Grizzly +solidly between the eyes, raising a lump. She was exceedingly wary of +the saw after that. Although she ranged around it, she never risked +going too close again. Often she leaped upon a log as it was starting on +the carrier for the saw, but she never failed to leap off before getting +as near the saw as she had been when struck by the flying chip. + +A logger from several miles away who had come to remain at the mill for +some time brought with him his pet black bear. All the men were +assembled in the bunk-house to see the meeting of the two bears. Miss +Grizzly was in the room when the black bear came in. The instant the +black bear caught sight of Miss Grizzly he was "scared out of his wits." +He at once turned about and tried to run from the room. But haughty Miss +Grizzly acted indifferently. Although she was much smaller than the +black, there was no fear; she pretended that she had not seen him. +Ignoring him, she went out of the room by the rear door and began +playing with one of the dogs. + + [Illustration: A BLACK BEAR IN THE SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK] + +Miss Grizzly was ever independent, resourceful, and capable. One day a +teamster handed her a bottle of catsup. Standing erect, she took it +deftly in her fore paws. She was greatly interested in it--probably in +the color. In turning it about she caught sight of a floating +air-bubble. Inverting the bottle from end to end, she tried to make this +out; she held it between her eyes and the light, she shook it back and +forth close to her ear. Then, going directly to a near-by log, she +brought the bottle down upon it and catsup splashed in all directions. +Her curiosity satisfied, she seemed to enjoy licking up the catsup. + +The men never teased Miss Grizzly nor attempted to teach her any tricks. +Consequently her disposition was uniformly of the best. She enjoyed +cartwheeling and liked to have the men start her with a little push down +the slope near the mill. Curling her nose behind her toes, she rolled +over and over. Occasionally she climbed upon the flat-roofed lumber-shed +for the fun of rolling off. While she did much climbing over the logs +and lumber-piles and on the low roofs, she did not attempt to climb a +tree after the first few weeks she was at the mill. + +She was never chained and she rambled about wherever she liked. She +spent most of her time at the sawmill or close to it. Occasionally she +followed one of the loggers off into the woods. Sometimes by the hour +she would lie near where he was working, interested in the flying chips. +Sometimes she would go off on a little hunting-excursion, tear an old +stump to pieces, or overturn rocks in search of ants and grubs. One day +a tree in falling sent a shower of limbs all about Miss Grizzly, one of +them apparently striking her. She was not injured, but, bawling like a +frightened baby, she turned and ran for camp, and never again did she go +to the woods with the logger. + +Miss Grizzly was usually fed just outside the cook-house door. She +preferred to eat in seclusion. But when especially hungry she came +boldly into the dining-room while the men were eating. Walking round the +table, she accepted whatever was offered her--and every one offered her +something. + +She was fond of the teamster who arrived twice a week with supplies and +usually followed him homeward, running along behind the wagon. Now and +then she preferred to ride close to him with her nose on his shoulder, +sitting on her haunches like a big dog. Usually she went only two or +three miles and then returned promptly home, but occasionally she +lingered. One day, during her third summer at the mill, she followed the +teamster as usual but did not return until in the night. After this she +made an occasional excursion into the woods alone, sometimes being gone +a day or two. One day, after an unusually long absence, she came back +accompanied by another young grizzly. + +Tracks in the dust showed that the stranger had hesitated to approach +the mill. Within two or three hundred yards of it he had reared up, +alert, as though he had scented or heard something alarming. Here and +there in the road Miss Grizzly had evidently turned back to reassure +him. Both finally came within a short distance of the mill, when at the +appearance of one of the men the strange bear turned and fled. + +The first winter Miss Grizzly did not offer to hibernate. She was fed +regularly, and the men never thought of encouraging her to den up. But +the second winter she slept three months. About the first of December +she dug a den back into the side of the big sawdust pile and crawled in. +Two or three times during the winter the men wakened her, and she came +to the mouth of the den and then returned to sleep. Once she came out +for a few hours, but, though tempted, refused to eat. Ordinarily Miss +Grizzly slept outside the sawmill, against one end of the building; but +sometimes she spent the night beneath the edge of the slab-pile. + +The third autumn at the mill Miss Grizzly made numerous excursions into +the woods alone, and one day she went off on one from which she did not +return. + + +BEN FRANKLIN + +James Capen Adams, known as "Grizzly Adams," the celebrated hunter and +trapper of wild American animals, was easily foremost for what he +accomplished in showing the real character of the grizzly bear. His +biography, "The Adventures of James Capen Adams," tells of his +intelligent, sympathetic, and successful methods in handling grizzly +bears, whether they were young or old. He made loyal companions of +grizzlies and trained them so that they served him capably in a number +of capacities. In the handling of these animals Adams studied their +character. He was uniformly sympathetic, kind, calm, and firm. He +endeavored to accomplish any desired end through gentleness and by +appeal to the animal's interest and loyalty. Force and torture, which so +often are the chief equipment of animal-trainers, had no place in his +methods. + +The story of Ben Franklin and his bringing-up by Adams gives an +excellent view of a real grizzly and an excellent master. Adams took Ben +Franklin from a den when he was a tiny blind cub. At first he was fed on +a mixture of water, flour, and sugar, and then Adams persuaded a +greyhound which was nursing a puppy, Rambler, to suckle Ben. Ben, while +nursing, was made to wear buckskin mittens to prevent his scratching his +foster-mother. Ben and Rambler became lifelong companions, and when not +asleep spent most of their time playing and tussling with each other. + +Sometimes, when traveling through the mountains with them when they were +still small, Adams would take them out of the wagon and allow them to +play together. They chased each other over the grass or had merry races +after rabbits, squirrels, or prairie-dogs. When older, they enjoyed +traveling all day together on foot. On a number of occasions it was +necessary for Ben to wear buckskin moccasins to protect his feet from +the sharp rocks and the desert sand, and once, after he was much larger, +his feet became so sore he was loaded into the wagon and hauled for a +day or two. + +Ben quickly outstripped his foster-brother in size, but, although very +swift of foot, he was soon outrun by the greyhound. Several times Ben +and Rambler came upon the fleet-footed antelope, which Rambler closely +pursued for miles. Ben would usually race for half a mile or so, then, +being unable to keep up with Rambler, would sit down, look around for a +minute, and return to his master. For several years they followed Adams +in his long hunting-trips across the mountains. + +Adams sometimes tempted Ben by placing within his reach scraps of dainty +food, but he was so well trained that he never touched any food until it +was given to him. Often, when hungry, Ben would sit on his haunches near +his master, occasionally looking up into his face and remonstrating if +he did not receive attention. + +When Ben became larger, Adams trained him as a pack-animal, and Ben +carried the camp outfit and supplies on his back through the wilderness. +At other times he was used with Rambler in hunting, or when Adams was +attacking a grizzly. Ben was once severely injured in a fight with a +jaguar. He was not chained except when near a village, and then only for +the safety of the excited dogs. + +On one of his hunting-expeditions in the mountains of Oregon, Adams had +what he considered one of the narrowest escapes of his life. He had with +him as usual Rambler and Ben Franklin. While passing through a thicket +Adams came unexpectedly upon a mother grizzly with cubs. The mother bear +at once knocked him down and began to chew him up. Ben Franklin had not +heretofore seen one of his kin. + +"What will Ben do?" thought Adams, "help me or join his own kind and +also attack me?" + +There was neither doubt nor hesitation in Ben's mind. Though young and +small, he went to the defense of his master against a grizzly five times +his own size. So vigorously did Ben throw himself upon the big grizzly +that she turned from Adams and vented her fury upon Ben. Though badly +wounded, Adams was able with this opportunity to reach for his rifle and +kill the grizzly. + +Ben ran howling to camp. Adams, also frightfully injured, followed, and +found Ben lying under the wagon licking his bleeding sides. So grateful +was he to Ben for saving his life that he dressed the little bear's +wounds before giving attention to his own, and remained in camp several +days, giving Ben every possible attention and opportunity to recover. We +can understand his saying of Ben Franklin: "The most excellent of all +beasts, as faithful as it is possible for any animal to be; Ben +Franklin, the king of the forest, the flower of his race, my firmest +friend." + +The following tribute to Ben Franklin appeared in the San Francisco +"Evening Bulletin" of January 19, 1858:-- + + "DEATH OF A DISTINGUISHED NATIVE CALIFORNIAN + + "Ben Franklin, the grizzly bear, the favorite of the Museum man, + Adams, the companion for the last three or four years of his various + expeditions in the mountains and his sojourns in the cities and + towns of California, departed from this mortal existence on Sunday + evening, at 10 o'clock. The noble brute, which was captured at the + head-waters of the Merced River in 1854, had been raised by his + master from a cub, and during his life manifested the most + indubitable indications of remarkable sagacity and affection. He was + ever tame and gentle, and although possessed of the size and + strength of a giant among brutes, was in disposition peaceful; rough + it is true, in his playfulness, but always well disposed. He + frequently carried his master's pack, provisions and weapons; + frequently shared his blanket and fed from the same loaf. + + "One of his eyes was observed to be injured and several scars were + to be seen about his head and neck; but they were honorable wounds + and reflected as much credit upon poor Ben as the scars of a brave + soldier. They were all received in the service of his human friend, + protector and master. As might be supposed his loss has been + severely felt by Adams." + + +MISS JIM AND MR. BESSIE + +During many years in the West, Mr. Philip A. Rollins was an accurate and +sympathetic observer of the grizzly bear. He knew him in various +localities, and saw him under countless conditions. He hunted him with a +gun and then without a gun. He raised grizzlies, kindly and +intelligently. He is one of the highest authorities on the grizzly. He +kindly wrote for me the following from his personal experience:-- + + "To one who knows and loves bears, Enos A. Mills, from one who + loves them, Philip A. Rollins. + + "One summer day, now almost thirty years ago, a cowboy, hunting from + our Wyoming ranch, killed a female grizzly bear. Her two attendant + cubs were brought to the ranch by the cowboy, an operation which + decreased the value of his clothing, and lessened the quantity of + his skin. The names of Jim and Bessie, hastily bestowed as the + party, in part hauling and swearing, and in part twisting and + growling, made its arrival, were, for the sake of accuracy, later + changed to Miss Jim and Mr. Bessie. + + "The youngsters were presently introduced to their sleeping quarters + in the 'bear parlor,' an enclosure connecting with the main room of + the ranch house by a doorway usually closed only with several + curtains of heavy felt. Five black bears had their abode in the + 'bear parlor' when the little grizzlies registered their advent--a + registration effected by clawing and biting everybody and everything + within reach. After a few days marked by pandemonium and the + enticements of very frequent meals, Miss Jim and Mr. Bessie were + the dictators of all the black bears and the friends of all the men; + of all the men, save one,--he could not refrain from teasing. Months + passed; the little grizzlies increased in strength. The teasing + continued. One day a visiting surgeon set three ribs and an arm. + + "Except for this research into human anatomy, nothing untoward + happened until the end of four years. Meanwhile the two grizzlies + had, at all times, come and gone at will into and out of the ranch + house; had, whenever they desired, tidbits supplemental to their + food; attended the ranch meals, perched in orderly fashion on a + bench at the foot of the dining-table; and, after the first six + months, made any excursion they wished, being absent from the ranch + sometimes for several successive days, going thus either alone or as + the companions of whatever man might have occasion to travel across + country. These trips not infrequently made them adjuncts of a + fishing-party, and on such occasions they were always content with + their toll of the first four fish caught--two fish for each bear. + + "No attempt was ever made to exact from the bears the performance of + tricks. They were treated from the outset in the same manner as one + would treat a well-trained hunting hound, save that special care was + taken that they should be fed before approaching either the men's + dining-table in the ranch house or the lunching group of a + fishing-party. On their bench at the foot of the dining-table, they + never were indecorous, never snatched at any food, but would sit in + dignified silence until called by name. Upon the sound of its name, + the invited bear would lumber down to the floor, shuffle along to + the chair of the inviter, and, having been given and somewhat gently + received, the promised confection, would promptly return to its + seat. It is true that the returning bear would not infrequently in + passing, give playful, if vigorous, pokes into the bodies of its + fellows, but none of the blows were aimed at or reached a human + being. + + "The grizzlies were true companions, for they had all the + affectionate faithfulness of the best of dogs, intelligence far + beyond that of any horse, and endless sense of humor. As to + intelligence, they repeatedly used their brains in a manner which + perhaps is best exemplified by the following instance of another + grizzly which I watched years ago: An animal which, discovering a + half-filled food-can, and prevented by the semi-closed lid from + touching the contents, takes a stone between its paws and smashes + the lid, has claim to brains, even if that animal be only a bear. + + "I have said that nothing untoward happened during the four years. + On second thought, an untoward event did occur. One November, a + quantity of freshly preserved blueberries had been obtained from the + East. These berries were transformed into twenty-four large + deep-dish pies, one for each man on the ranch. On the date of the + anticipated feast, an entertainment at a neighboring camp + depopulated the house, but did not degrizzly its environs. In the + early evening of that day, the house was approached by a file of + men, pie-bent, expectant, joyous. Two house logs pulled from without + doors, bear-tracks done upon the snow in vivid blue, forewarned that + twenty-four pies had passed into history. + + "At the end of the four years, Miss Jim fell victim to poison, + whether set for her or for wolves we never knew. Presently Mr. + Bessie was once more teased, this time by a visiting ranchman. After + the ranchman had been reassembled and revived, it was decided that + the bear must be done for. He should not be killed. That smacked of + murder. He should not be caged in a zoölogical garden. He had not + sinned according to bear law. Accordingly it was agreed that he + should be lost. He was led two hundred miles from the ranch and + bidden to go his way. His return to the ranch preceded that of his + keeper by eight hours. He was led to the mountains of Idaho, and the + duration of his return journey not improbably is still the minimum + record for that course. Finally two admirers conducted him to Oregon + and there parted with him forever. The last view disclosed a + cheerful expression as he contemplated two hams tied to a tree, + partly for purposes of strategy and partly as a parting gift." + + * * * * * + +A real acquaintance with the grizzly bear appears to fill every one with +admiration for him. Mr. William H. Wright, quoted elsewhere in this +book, understood the grizzly thoroughly. His comprehensive book, "The +Grizzly Bear," is dedicated with these words:-- + + "WITH THE RESPECT, ADMIRATION AND AFFECTION + OF THE AUTHOR, + TO THE NOBLEST WILD ANIMAL OF NORTH AMERICA, + THE GRIZZLY BEAR." + + + + +New Environments + + +A rock fell from a high cliff and struck upon solid granite near a +grizzly whom I was watching. There was a terrific crash and roar. +Unmindful of the flying fragments and pieces bounding near, the grizzly +reared up and pressed fore paws over his ears. Just as he was uncovering +them the echo came thundering and booming back from a cliff across the +lake. Again he hastily covered his ears with his paws to soften the +ear-bursting crash. + +On another occasion a wounded bear took refuge in a small thicket where +the hunter was unable to get a shot at him. After failing to force the +bear into the open, the hunter gave a wild, ear-splitting yell. With a +growl of pain the bear at once chained furiously through the thicket +toward the hunter. + +A grizzly has supersensitive ears, and loud, harsh sounds give his +nerves a harrowing shock. Through his higher development the grizzly +probably suffers more intensely and enjoys more fully than other +animals. The clashing city noises must be a never-ending irritation and +torture to a bear who has been sentenced to end his days in a riotous +environment. How he must yearn for the hush of the wilderness! And, as +his sense of smell is also amazingly developed, perhaps he longs for a +whiff of pine-spiced air and the wild, exquisite perfume of the violets. + +Experience in many zoos has shown that subjecting caged grizzlies to +close contact with people is usually cruelty to animals. Often they +become cross, and a number of crowd-worried grizzlies have died +prematurely from resultant apoplexy. Modern zoo bear-pens are +constructed so that the bear is beyond the wiles of visitors--so that he +can have much privacy--one of the needs of any grizzly. Perhaps we too +often think of the bulky grizzly as being coarse and crude. But he is an +animal of the highest type, sensitive, independent, and retiring. The +normal bear is good-tempered and cheerful. + +A grizzly placed in new environment in association with men will respond +happily only to considerate handling and proper feeding. Tell me what a +bear is fed and how, and I will tell you what the bear is--his +disposition and health. A grizzly should be fed by no one except his +keeper. If any one and every one feed a bear, he is likely to receive +food that he ought not to eat and to have it given in a manner annoying +to him. Feeding is the vital consideration for grizzly pets, for +grizzlies in zoos, and for grizzlies in National Parks. + +When I arrived in Colorado, in 1884, grizzlies were still common +throughout the mountain areas of the State. They were numerous in a few +rugged sections where there were but few people and plenty of food. In +the Long's Peak region around my cabin, I early discovered the tracks of +five grizzlies. One or two missing toes or some other peculiarity +enabled me to determine the number. Two of these bears ranged near, and +I had frequent glimpses of them. + +During the autumn of one year, 1893 as I remember, I crossed the +mountains between Trapper's Lake and Long's Peak. Snow covered most of +the ground. During the eight days which this trip occupied I must have +seen the tracks of between forty and forty-five grizzlies. I counted the +tracks of eleven in one half-day. But grizzlies decreased in numbers +rapidly. Numerous hunters came into the State annually. Stockmen and +settlers hunted grizzlies for fun and for their hides, and professional +hunters for revenue. Altogether, the grizzly had little chance for his +life, and only a few survived. + +In the settlement of the West many of the grizzlies had to go. Men came +in with flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. The grizzlies' food was +taken or driven off. Rarely did a grizzly kill any of the invading +stock. Usually he worked harder for a living and took things +philosophically. Many grizzlies were killed and a few sought homes +elsewhere. But in the West there are still many wild regions, and in +these there is room for the grizzly. + +There is a wonderful unwritten story of the making of an empire--the +Yellowstone--into a wildlife reservation. Big game had long been hunted +in this region. The grizzly bear, since his discovery, had been +relentlessly pursued; man with every conceivable contrivance was on his +trail day and night; there was no quarter and no hope for peace. But +suddenly firing ceased and pursuit stopped. This was epoch-marking. +"What can it mean?" the grizzlies must have instantly asked. They must +have asked it over and over again. But they quickly accepted it as a +fact and as an advantage, and came forth to associate peacefully with +man. + + [Illustration: A BLACK BEAR AND CUBS] + +This has made a change worth while for man. Since shooting has stopped, +thousands have seen the grizzly and enjoyed him where only one saw him +before. + +The grizzly is easily the most popular animal in the National Parks. He +really is the greatest animal on the continent. The grizzly walks: there +is a dignity, a lordliness of carriage, and an indifference to all the +world that impress themselves on the attention. Some one speaks quietly +to him: he halts, stands on hind legs, and shows a childlike eagerness +of interest in his expressive face. His attitude and responsiveness are +most companionable and never fail to awake the best in every one who +sees him in these moments. + +Some one told me the following amusing incident concerning a grizzly. In +the southwest corner of Yellowstone Park a number of boys were bathing +in a stream, when a young grizzly came along and for a moment stood +watching their pranks. Then he slipped quietly behind some trees upon +the bank of the stream. When the boys approached this spot, with a wild +"Woof, woof," he leaped into the water among them. This caused great +excitement and merriment, plainly just what he desired. As he swam +hurriedly away, he looked back over his shoulder with satisfaction. + +Another amusing incident also happened in the Yellowstone. As the stage +arrived at the Cañon Hotel, one of the passengers, who had been having +much to say concerning bears, put on his raincoat and got down on all +fours, proceeding to impersonate a bear. While this demonstration was on +a grizzly arrived. He made a rush at the man and chased him up a tree, +amid laughter and excitement. The bear made no attempt to harm any one +and plainly enjoyed this prank merely as a prank. + +A grizzly mother in Yellowstone Park was catching trout for her cubs one +June day of 1891, when a friend and I came along. We went near to watch +them. Mother grizzly charged; we fled. After one leap she stood still +and appeared to be almost grinning at us. We went back, she charged, and +again we ran, although she stopped at the end of the first leap. But the +third time she leaped at us we stood our ground. She growled but came no +nearer. Although her threats did not appear to be in earnest, we did not +risk going closer; nor would I have risked standing even at that +distance if we had been outside of the Park boundary. + +One day I saw a bear who appeared to be suffering from a headache. A +short time before he had eaten an enormous quantity of garbage. This may +have been his first dinner at a garbage-pile. Standing up, he felt of +his head with first one fore paw and then the other. Then, lying down, +he endeavored to hold his head in both fore paws. He had just thrust it +into a stream and was trying to rub it with his paw when I last saw him. +On another occasion I noticed a bear suffering from a toothache. He felt +of his tooth, clawed at it, and in a number of other ways showed his +annoyance. + +In the Yellowstone the environment of grizzlies was radically changed +when it became a wild-life reservation. The numerous bear-population +quickly discovered that in the Park it would not be shot at. Grizzlies +at once wandered about near people with no attempt to conceal themselves +and with the best of manners; there was no annoying of people, no +crossness, no ferocity. This ideal association of people and grizzly +bears went on unmarred for years. + +Numbers of bears from far outside Park boundaries came to spend two or +three months of each summer there, returning to home territory during +the autumn. Other grizzlies left their homes outside the Park and moved +in to stay. Whether the summer migrant bears or the recent residents +came to the Park because of the food, the safety, or both is difficult +to say. Unusual opportunities were furnished Park visitors to study and +observe the grizzly, with beneficial influence on themselves. But their +worrying of the bears in time proved harmful. + +The bears were thoughtlessly betrayed. Increasing numbers of visitors +produced large garbage-piles. People came to the garbage-piles to watch +the bears feed and often teased them. The bears became cross. Sometimes +there were fights among the assembled bears over the smelly feasts. The +charity of the garbage-pile led them into bad habits, upset their +digestions, and ruined their dispositions. But their appetite for +garbage increased until they became food pensioners and garbage +drunkards. Like some humans they enjoy being pensioners and insist on +being supplied. If there wasn't enough garbage they raided camps and +hotels. If their raid was interrupted they resented it. In due time a +few of the most dyspeptic bears became bold and defiant raiders. + +The Park is visited by thousands for whom the bears should be a source +of relaxation and furnish new interests and enjoyment. But the bears are +becoming unhealthy and are a menace to people. Now and then some +official tries to cure the bear trouble by having a number of bears +roped, tied, and whipped. Occasionally a bear is shot. There are those +who advocate that the guides and officials of the Park carry guns; and +still others are advocating the extermination of the grizzly. We need +the grizzly. Most cures proposed are worse than his trouble. But there +is a prevention in simply no garbage-piles. + +In the Glacier National Park, which has been a wild-life reservation +only since 1910, the grizzlies have not yet become demoralized by +garbage. The grizzly bear situation in the Yellowstone is a serious and +even an alarming one, and what exists here is certain to develop in +other Parks. The demoralizing factors are likely to be expanded and not +diminished. Then, too, in the Yellowstone this continuous eating of +garbage may ere long bring on a pestilence among the grizzlies, or +possibly put a check on the number of cubs born. The whole situation +appears to be embraced in what I have previously said about what a +grizzly is fed and how. + +The grizzly has not lost all his old instincts in the Park. Around the +garbage-piles he is a lazy, cross pensioner. But away from them, and +especially where he ranges outside of the Park, the same bear is as +alert and as energetic as ever in getting a living and watching out for +his safety. They are tame near garbage-piles but a short distance away +are wild. They are comparatively easy to trap near the garbage-piles, +where they will enter a trap-door; but the same bear outside the Park is +extremely wary and avoids going near a trap. Says William H. Wright, in +"The Grizzly Bear":-- + + "Altogether I did not find the grizzlies of Yellowstone Park in any + degree more tame or less cunning than they are to-day, for example, + in the Selkirks. Many of them, it is true, come to the garbage-piles + to feed, but these very bears, fifty yards back in the timber, are + again as wild as any of them anywhere. At the cañon, the + garbage-pile is in a hollow at the foot of rather a steep incline + that leads up to the edge of the woods. Bear after bear, coming down + the trails that converge toward this point, will stop as he reaches + the brink of this declivity, glance downward, turn his head from + side to side, and launch himself down hill, with the same air of + committing himself to a foreign element that one sees in the upward + glance and deep breath of a man launching himself from a diving + board. On their return, they invariably halted for a few seconds at + the top of the hill, looked around, occasionally shook themselves, + and with their first step up the familiar trail, resumed every sign + of their habitual caution and alertness. While on the garbage-pile + itself, they appear to pay scant attention to the people gathered + behind the fairly distant wire fence, but even there, an eye + familiar with their actions would note the constant watch they kept + on what was going on and the hurried way in which they fed; and, + fifty feet from the edge of the surrounding timber, they would at + the least scent or sound or sight, bolt as incontinently as in the + farthest hills. Grizzlies are no more plentiful around the Park + to-day than they were twenty-five years ago in the Bitter Roots, and + a hundred yards from the garbage-pile they are no different." + +Apparently young bears do not inherit fear of a trap, for they are +easily trapped. Young bears in captivity sometimes exhibit inherited +instincts; they may be pleasurably excited with the scent of food never +before seen; and they will sometimes dig down for a hidden root of a +kind that their parents ate but which they themselves had never seen. In +these cases of digging, they either dug at the right place from scent, +or from inherited memory of place. There was nothing on the surface to +indicate the presence of buried roots beneath. + +The young of most animals, wild or tame, make interesting pets. But of +all the pets I have known, none equal grizzly cubs for energy, +alertness, and individuality. They take naturally to new, unnatural +environments. A grizzly cub learns speedily and from the first tries to +know everything around him. So all-knowing are his senses and his +instincts that the approach of anything new at once attracts him; he +stops play and with rare curiosity and concentration tries to understand +it. If he solve the mystery he promptly continues play at the point +where he left it. + +"Baby Sylvester" is a celebrated bear story by Bret Harte that +characteristically and humorously describes a bear in new environments. +This little bear lost none of his native energy, alertness, and +versatility under changed and unexacting conditions. The way he handled +every situation was a constant surprise and delight. + +Pet cubs, if gently treated, quickly accept and make the best of new +environment; they become intimate and loving, in fact most intensely so. +If handled kindly, the cub is willing to do everything reasonable, +everything he understands one wants done. But whip or scold him, and he +at once becomes stubborn and unwilling, reserved and cross. The grizzly +is an animal of high type and to have him develop his best he needs +fine, high consideration. + +The grizzly's real character stands out when he is associated with man. +He is ever true to himself. A dog will lick the hand of a cruel master +or fawn on a most unworthy one. Not so the grizzly; he will not go down +in the dust. Only a uniformly just man can win his loyalty or retain his +friendship; he has individuality and self-respect and will not willingly +serve a tyrant or even bow to him. The wearing of a hat, the holding of +a pipe, the sitting up in a silly attitude, tricks which many dogs do to +please a master, the grizzly will do only under compulsion. The grizzly +is ever faithful and loyal to a worthy master; he will do unto you as +you do unto him. Elsewhere in this book I give a number of stories +which show the high character and the great possibilities of the grizzly +as a companion of man if handled intelligently. + +In eastern Washington, "Grizzly" Adams captured a yearling grizzly which +he named Lady Washington. With her he used but little discipline, and he +at all times treated her with consideration and kindness. She was +constantly with him on long journeys across the mountains from State to +State, in camp and on hunts. Of her Adams says:-- + + "She has always been with me; and often shared my dangers and + privations, borne my burdens, and partaken of my meals. The reader + may be surprised to hear of a grizzly companion and friend, but Lady + Washington has been both to me. He may hardly credit the accounts of + my nestling up between her and the fire to keep both sides warm + under the frosty skies of the mountains, but all this is true." + +The ability to comprehend a new situation or incident and readjust one's +self to it is the act of an open and a thinking mind. The food, +religion, politics, and personal habits of an individual are changed +slowly and with difficulty. Progress is constantly being held back by +old customs--the inability of the race to form new habits meeting new +conditions. Many species of extinct animals have perished because of +over-specialization. "Leave your prejudice at home" was the best advice +I received just prior to a trip to Europe. Prejudice and its allied +mental conditions are binding and delaying. The grizzly does not allow +old prejudice to prevent his exploring for new information, and he is +ever ready for something new in his environment. + +In a generation or two the grizzly has become expert in eluding the +pursuer; he rivals the fox in concealing his trail, in confounding the +trailer and escaping with his life. That he has developed this trait +since coming in contact with the white man and the repeating rifle--out +of necessity--there can be no doubt. Formerly, the rightful monarch of +the wilds through superiority, he roamed freely about, indifferent as to +where he went or whether or not he was seen. He has been wise enough to +readjust himself to the evolutionary and revolutionary forces introduced +by man. The king of the wilderness has survived through retreat; he has +become the master of strategy. Instinct hardly accounts for this swift +evolution. The readjustment--avoiding man--does not indicate cowardice; +it indicates brains. In the warfare of existence, in changing, exacting +environments, the grizzly bear has risen triumphant. + + + + +Description, History, and Classification + + +Bears appear to be of Old World origin. Fossils tell of their existence +in Asia eons ago. The first bear emigrants perhaps landed in Alaska more +than a million years ago. They may have come over on one of the land +bridges which have at times connected Asia and America. + +"In the Old World, bears were first distinguishable in the Upper +Miocene, and may there be traced back to forms which were unmistakably +derivatives of the early dogs," says Mr. William B. Scott in "A History +of Land Mammals in the Western Hemisphere." + +It is interesting that bears, dogs, and seals descended from a common +ancestor. Seals have been called "sea bears." The bear lives for a long +period each year without either food or drink. During this period he +lies dormant. The seal has the habit of doing without food and drink and +also sleep for weeks while leading an active life. The bear and the dog +are alike in many ways. Both accept domestication readily and both +become loyal and intimate associates of man. Many of their ways in play +are alike, and each has the habit of sometimes becoming restless in his +home locality and traveling afar for adventure. + +In North America bears have branched out into numerous species, and here +they have attained their greatest development. South America has, +perhaps, only one small species, and Africa only one. Europe and Asia +combined are accredited with having eight species. + +The grizzly is distributed over the western half of North America, from +northern Alaska far down into Mexico. His home is more generally in the +mountains. He is also found in the barren lands of Canada, in the Bad +Lands of the Upper Missouri, and in the western margin of the Great +Plains. On a number of the wilderness islands of the Alaskan and +Northwest Coast, where he is of unusually large size, he forms a +numerous population. + +The similarity of the mental processes and the customs of the various +species of Alaskan bears has been remarked upon by many people. Mr. +Charles Sheldon, the hunter-scientist, says:-- + + "Nothing is more striking than the general similarity in nature, + actions, appearance, and habits of both the brown bears of the humid + coast region of Alaska and the grizzlies of the dry interior. The + several species of both the coast and inland bears differ more or + less widely in size, anatomy, color, and claws, but no one can + observe them in their natural habitats without realizing that all + have descended from a common ancestor." + +The little that I have seen of the polar bear suggests to me that he may +be related to the grizzly. It is interesting that the coats of the polar +bear are uniformly white, while those of the grizzly are of assorted +colors. + +The grizzly is scattered over a vast and varied range, feeds on a +variety of food, and is divided into numerous species and subspecies, +but he ever runs true to character, everywhere is one hundred per cent +grizzly. The chief points of dissimilarity in the different species are +the shape of the skull and the character of the teeth. Rarely is there +any difference apparent in the living animals; the classification is +determined chiefly from the teeth and the formation of the skull. + +Color is no clue to the species. Color may vary as much in one species, +or even in one litter of cubs, as in different species widely separated +as to locality. Assemble a number of grizzlies representing each of the +many species and subspecies, and there will be a bewildering array of +fur coats, perhaps no two alike. However, as I have said, the grizzly's +characteristics are ever the same, no matter what the color of his coat +or where he lives. Wherever you see a grizzly,--on the glaciers of +Alaska, on the desert sands of Mexico, or fishing in the Columbia,--he +seems as much the same old acquaintance as the bluebird who comes each +spring. + +The color of the species runs through many shades of brown: among them +are cream, tan, mouse-color, cinnamon, and golden yellow. Black or +almost white may be the fur of the grizzly, but shades of gray and brown +predominate. Infrequently a grizzly is seen with a coat of more than one +color. This variety of color causes confusion concerning species, but +within the bounds of the United States, outside of Alaska, there are +virtually only two kinds of bear, the black and the grizzly, though +these are divided by naturalists into many species and subspecies +according to the arrangement and forms of their teeth and the bones of +the head. Cinnamon and brown are common colors of both grizzlies and +black bears. + + [Illustration: GRIZZLY BEAR GROUP IN COLORADO MUSEUM OF NATURAL + HISTORY, DENVER] + +The fur of the grizzly, like any fur, is composed of a fine, thick +fleece lining and long, coarse hairs which project from it. The under +fur may be of any color, but the hairs that project through this are, I +believe, invariably dark with a silver tip. Commonly the fur is long and +shaggy on the grizzly's flanks and shoulders. + +The grizzly is from six to seven feet long and in contour is pointed in +front, and heavy, though well-rounded, behind. His shoulders are high. +The body of the grizzly is longer, straighter along the back line, and +less humped on the haunches than the black bear's. The grizzly's head is +narrower, the jaws and nose longer and less blunt, than the black's. + +The grizzly always appears larger than he really is. The average weight +is between three hundred and fifty and six hundred pounds; males weigh a +fourth more than females. Few grizzlies weigh more than seven hundred +pounds, though exceptional specimens are known to have weighed more than +one thousand. Adams gave the weight of "Samson," a California grizzly, +as fifteen hundred pounds, and a few Alaskan grizzlies, judging by +their skins, may have weighed more than "Samson." It may be that years +ago, when not so closely hunted, the grizzly lived longer and grew to a +larger size than he attains to-day. + +The grizzly looks capable and substantial. His massive proportions +suggest strength rather than bulk. With back broad and well-rounded, and +feet pulled well together beneath him, he may at first appearance seem +top-heavy. But this impression is forgotten the instant his movements +display his ease of adjustment and nicety of balance. Without effort he +raises himself on hind legs to his full height gracefully and stands +with the repose of a statue. + +Many of his movements appear awkward and clumsy. He is loose-jointed and +sometimes is rather lumbering; he often shuffles as though wearing a +large, loose wooden shoe on each foot. Commonly he travels along with a +gait neither walk nor trot. Yet the bear is exceedingly speedy and few +horses can overtake him. His endurance is astounding. + +He has extraordinary strength. I have known him to drag the carcass of a +cow or a steer of twice his own weight. In several instances this was +dragged up the mountain-side over fallen logs, yet it was apparently +moved without extraordinary effort. + +The grizzly is exceptionally expert and agile with his paws. With either +fore paw he can strike like a sledge-hammer or lift a heavy weight. He +boxes or strikes with lightning-like rapidity. Most grizzlies are +right-handed; that is, the right fore paw is most used. If a small +object is to be touched or moved, he will daintily use but one claw. The +black bear would use the entire paw. + +The fore-foot prints made by the grizzly are much shorter than the +tracks made by his hind feet. His hind foot leaves a track similar to +the bare-footed track of a man, while the track of the fore foot has the +appearance of the grizzly's having walked upon the front of his +foot,--the ball and toes,--with the heel upraised. The fore claws are +from two to five inches long, the hind claws much shorter. + +The fore ankles of the grizzly are smaller than the black bear's, the +hind feet relatively larger; the claws are much longer and less curved. +The grizzly's claws do not curve as sharply downward as a black's, but +the claw-points extend well beyond the ends of the toes. The black's +curved claws are much used in climbing; the grizzly's claws are used +mostly for digging. + +The largest grizzly-track that I have measured was slightly more than +thirteen inches long, and seven and one half inches wide at the widest +point. These measurements did not include the claw-marks. In places +where this bear had slipped on snowy or muddy ground the track with +claw-marks was of most formidable appearance. Many of the big Alaskan +grizzlies have large feet, sometimes making a track eighteen inches in +length. However, in the Rocky Mountains I have seen a large track that +had been made by a comparatively small bear. More than once I have seen +bears weighing less than four hundred pounds whose feet were larger than +those of other bears who weighed upwards of six hundred pounds. A large +grizzly bear track does not necessarily indicate that it is the track of +a large bear. + +There is marked difference in the ordinary ways of the black and the +grizzly. The grizzly is energetic, thorough, works hard, and takes life +rather seriously; while the black bear is lazy, careless, does no more +work each day than is necessary, and is more playful. The grizzly's +hibernating-den is usually a substantial, complete affair, while that of +the black bear is more or less of a makeshift. The black bear likes to +play with other bears, while the grizzly enjoys playing alone. The black +climbs a tree easily and often sleeps in a tree-top; the grizzly bear +rarely climbs after he passes cubhood. + +Most of the time the grizzly is silent. When he does say anything it is +in a queer, but expressive, language. He utters a choppy champ of a +cough; he says "Woof," "Woof," with various accents; he growls +eloquently; he grunts and he sniffs. The youngsters say something like +"Eu-wow-wow," and when forlorn give an appealing cry I cannot translate +into words. + +Little is known concerning the mating-habits of wild grizzly bears. The +majority of authorities maintain that mating takes place in June and +July, while a few believe that it occurs late in the autumn. The few +times that I have seen males and females together were in late June and +July. + +Although known to the white race only a little more than a century, the +grizzly has been a part of the life and legends of the Indians for +countless generations. Often feared, frequently admired, his brain and +brawn are featured again and again; he is always the acknowledged chief +and master of the wilderness. + +Many are the names that he carries: grizzly bear, silver-tip, white +bear, bald-face, cinnamon bear, roach-back, range bear, and others. + +The first printed mention of the grizzly that I know of is one by Edward +Umfreville, who, in writing concerning Hudson's Bay in 1790, mentions +the "Grizzle Bear." In 1795 Sir Alexander MacKenzie writes of the +"Grisly Bear." But the grizzly was given a definite place in history +when Lewis and Clark mentioned him in their Journal, in April, 1805, as +the "white bear." Much that they wrote was made public, and the bear's +career started, by Governor DeWitt Clinton in an address before the +Literary and Philosophical Society of New York, May 4, 1814. + +As is shown by Guthrie's Geography, George Ord, the naturalist, +described and first classified the grizzly as _Ursus horribilis_, in +1815. This was from information which Brackenridge had gathered, chiefly +from the Journal of Lewis and Clark, and was based on the "white bear" +of the type locality of the Missouri River a little above the mouth of +Poplar River, northeastern Montana. + +Dr. C. Hart Merriam is the supreme authority concerning bears. Following +I give his classification of the grizzly and big brown bears, together +with quotations from his introduction to "North American Fauna, No. 41" +(1918):-- + + "REVIEW OF THE GRIZZLY AND BIG BROWN BEARS OF NORTH AMERICA (_Genus + Ursus_) + + "WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS VETULARCTOS + + "When Audubon and Bachman published their great work on the Mammals + of North America (1846-1854), and in fact up to the year 1857, it + was commonly believed by naturalists as well as by hunters and the + public generally that there was only a single species of grizzly + bear--the one described by Lewis and Clark in 1804-5, and named + _Ursus horribilis_ by Ord in 1815. Baird, in 1857, described another + species, from Coppermines, New Mexico, which he named _Ursus + horriæus_. + + "Nearly forty years later, in my 'Preliminary Synopsis of the + American Bears,' eight grizzlies and big brown bears were + recognized, of which five were described as new. It was not then + suspected that the number remaining to be discovered was anything + like so great as has since proved to be the case. The steady influx + of specimens resulting from the labors of the Biological Survey, + supplemented by the personal efforts of a number of + hunter-naturalists, brought to light many surprises, most of which + have been published; and beginning in the spring of 1910, a fund + placed at my disposal made it possible to offer hunters and trappers + sufficient inducement to tempt them to exert themselves in securing + needed specimens. As a result, the national collection of bears has + steadily grown until, in number of species represented, in + completeness of series, and in number of type specimens, it now far + excels all other collections in the world together. + + "Nevertheless there are many gaps in the series. Knowledge of the + big bears is by no means complete and many years must pass before + the last word on the subject will be written. Many bears now roaming + the wilds will have to be killed and their skulls and skins sent to + museums before their characters and variations will be fully + understood and before it will be possible to construct accurate + maps of their ranges. Persons having the means and ambition to hunt + big game may be assured that bears are still common in many parts of + British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Alaska, and that much + additional material is absolutely required to settle questions still + in doubt.... + + "Some writers have advanced the view that the various species of + bears freely interbreed. Let those so minded ask themselves the + question, If promiscuous interbreeding were to take place, what + would become of the species? From the nature of the case, the + stability of species depends on the rarity of crossings with other + species, for if interbreeding were to take place frequently the + species so interbreeding would of course cease to exist, having + merged into a common hybrid. Hybrids now and then occur, + particularly in zoölogical gardens, but among wild animals in their + native haunts they are exceedingly rare. + + "The number of species here given will appear to many as + preposterous. To all such I extend a cordial invitation to visit the + National Museum and see for themselves what the bear skulls show. + Recognition of species is a matter of interpretation. If the + material is adequate there can be little room for difference of + opinion; if inadequate, many important points must remain in doubt. + It is not the business of the naturalist either to create or to + suppress species, but to endeavor to ascertain how many Nature has + established, and having discovered this, to point out their + characters and learn as much as possible about them. + + "One of the unlooked-for results of the critical study of the + American bears is the discovery that the big bears, like mice and + other small mammals, split up into a large number of forms whose + ranges in some cases overlap so that three or more species may be + found in the same region. + + "Another surprising result is the discovery that Admiralty Island in + Southwestern Alaska appears to be inhabited by no less than five + distinct species, each of which is obviously related to and + representative of an adjacent mainland species.... + + "SEXUAL DIFFERENCES + + "In most species of bears the males are much larger than the + females. In some the disparity in size is very remarkable, as in + _middendorffi_ of Kodiak Island and _magister_ of southern + California. In a few cases the difference is slight, as in + _kidderi_ of Alaska Peninsula. + + "AGE DIFFERENCES + + "Bear skulls undergo a series of changes from early life to old age, + and in most species do not attain their mature form until seven or + more years of age. In species having the frontal shield highly + elevated, as in _middendorffi_, _kluane_, _stikeenensis_, and + _mirabilis_, the frontals reach their maximum of arching or bulging + in early adult life (about the sixth year), after which they + gradually become flatter.... + + "CLASSIFICATION OF GRIZZLY AND BIG BROWN BEARS + + "The differences formerly supposed to exist between the grizzlies + and the big brown bears appear, in the light of the material now + available, to distinguish certain groups of species from certain + other groups, rather than the grizzlies collectively from the big + brown bears collectively. In other words, the differences between + the grizzlies on the one hand and the big brown bears on the other + are neither so great nor so constant as at one time believed. And + there are species which in the present state of knowledge cannot be + positively referred to either group. In fact, it seems at least + possible that certain species which appear to belong with the + grizzlies are closely related to certain other species which clearly + belong with the big brown bears. The typical brown bears differ from + the typical grizzlies in peculiarities of color, claws, skull, and + teeth. The color of the former is more uniform, with less of the + surface grizzling due to admixture of pale-tipped hairs; the claws + are shorter, more curved, darker, and scurfy instead of smooth; the + skull is more massive; the fourth lower premolar is conical, lacking + the sulcate heel of the true grizzlies. But these are average + differences, not one of which holds true throughout the group. Most + of the specimens in museums consist of skulls only, unaccompanied by + skins or claws, leaving a doubt as to the external characters; and + in old bears the important fourth lower premolar is likely to be so + worn that its original form cannot be made out. And, worst of all, + some of the grizzlies lack the distinctive type of premolar, leaving + only the skull as a guide to their affinities. The present + classification, therefore, must be regarded as tentative and subject + to revision.... + + "The present paper is merely a review of the existing state of + knowledge of the grizzlies and big brown bears of America and does + not include either the polar or the black bears. It is not intended + as a monographic revision, but aims to supply a list of the species, + together with descriptions and comparisons of adult skulls, chiefly + males. Little is said of external characters, for the reason that + little is known, only a few skins with claws being available for + study. + + "LIST OF SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF GRIZZLY AND BIG BROWN BEARS, WITH + TYPE LOCALITIES.[1] + + [Footnote 1: "Nearly 130 years ago Prof. Zauschner proposed the name + _Ursus saribur_ for an animal 'from the region of Canada' (Bestimmung + der Hundsart Krokute, und der Bärenart Saribur, p. 8, 1788), but the + species appears to be impossible of identification."] + + (_Classification provisional._) + + + _Horribilis_ group: + _Ursus horribilis horribilis_ Ord Missouri River, northeastern + Montana. + _horribilis bairdi_ Merriam Blue River, Summit County, + Colorado. + _horribilis imperator_ Merriam Yellowstone National Park, + Wyoming. + _chelidonias_ nobis Jervis Inlet, British Columbia. + _atnarko_ nobis Atnarko River, British Columbia. + _kwakiutl_ Merriam Jervis Inlet, British Columbia. + _nortoni_ Merriam Southeastern side Yakutat + Bay, Alaska. + _warburtoni_ Merriam Atnarko River, British Columbia. + _neglectus_ Merriam Near Hawk Inlet, Admiralty + Island, Southeastern Alaska. + _californicus_ Merriam Monterey, California. + _tularensis_ Merriam Fort Tejon, California. + _colusus_ Merriam Sacramento Valley, California. + _dusorgus_ nobis[2] Jack Pine River, Alberta-British + Columbia boundary. + + _Planiceps_ group: + _Ursus nelsoni_ Merriam Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, + Mexico. + _texensis texensis_ Merriam Davis Mountains, Texas. + _texensis navaho_ Merriam Navajo country near Fort + Defiance, Arizona. (Probably + Chuska Mts.) + _planiceps_ nobis Colorado (exact locality + uncertain). + _macrodon_ nobis Twin Lakes, Colorado. + _mirus_ nobis Yellowstone National Park, + Wyoming. + _eltonclarki_ Merriam Near Freshwater Bay, Chichagof + Island, Alaska. + _tahltanicus_ Merriam Klappan Creek ( = Third + South Fork Stikine River), + British Columbia. + _insularis_ Merriam Admiralty Island, Alaska. + _orgilos_ Merriam Bartlett Bay, east side Glacier + Bay, Southeastern Alaska. + _orgiloides_ nobis Italio River, Alaska. + _pallasi_ Merriam Donjek River, southwestern + Yukon. + _rungiusi rungiusi_ nobis Rocky Mountains, headwaters + Athabaska River, Alberta. + _rungiusi sagittalis_ nobis Champagne Landing, southwestern + Yukon. + _macfarlani nobis_ Anderson River, 50 miles + below Fort Anderson, Mackenzie. + _canadensis_ Merriam[2] Moose Pass, near Mount + Robson, British Columbia. + + _Arizonæ_ group: + _Ursus arizonæ_ Merriam Escudilla Mts., Apache County, + Arizona. + _idahoensis_ nobis North Fork Teton River, + eastern Idaho. + _pulchellus pulchellus_ nobis Ross River, Yukon. + _pulchellus ereunetes_ nobis Beaverfoot Range, Kootenay + District, British Columbia. + _oribasus_ nobis Upper Liard River, Yukon. + _chelan_ Merriam East slope Cascade Mts., + Chelan County, Washington. + _shoshone_ Merriam Estes Park, Colorado. + _kennerlyi_ Merriam Mountains of northeastern + Sonora, near Los Nogales, + Mexico. + _utahensis_ Merriam Salina Creek, near Mayfield, + Utah. + _perturbans_ nobis Mount Taylor, northern New + Mexico. + _rogersi rogersi_ nobis Upper Greybull River, Absaroka + Mountains, Wyoming. + _rogersi bisonophagus_ nobis Black Hills (Bear Lodge), + northeastern Wyoming. + _pervagor_ Merriam Pemberton Lake (now Lillooet + Lake), British Columbia. + _caurinus_ Merriam Berners Bay, east side + Lynn Canal, Southeastern + Alaska. + _eulophus_ Merriam Admiralty Island, Southeastern + Alaska. + _klamathensis_ Merriam[2] Beswick, near mouth Shovel + Creek, Klamath River, + northern California. + _mendocinensis_ Merriam[2] Long Valley, Mendocino + County, California. + _magister_ Merriam[2] Los Biacitos, Santa Ana + Mountains, Southern California. + + _Hylodromus_ group: + _Ursus hylodromus_ Elliot Rocky Mountains, western + Alberta. + _kluane kluane_ Merriam McConnell River, Yukon. + _kluane impiger_ nobis Columbia Valley, British Columbia. + _pellyensis_ nobis Ketza Divide, Pelly Mountains, + Yukon. + _andersoni_ nobis[2] Dease River, near Great + Bear Lake, Mackenzie. + + _Horriæus_ group: + _Ursus apache_ Merriam Whorton Creek, south slope + White Mts., eastern Arizona + (a few miles west of Blue). + _horriæus_ Baird Coppermines, southwestern + New Mexico. + _henshawi_ Merriam Southern Sierra Nevada, + near Havilah, Kern County, + California. + + _Stikeenensis_ group: + _Ursus stikeenensis_ Merriam Tatletuey Lake, tributary to + Finlay River, near head + Skeena River, British Columbia. + _crassodon_ nobis Klappan Creek (= Third + South Fork Stikine River), + British Columbia. + _crassus_ nobis[2] Upper Macmillan River, Yukon. + _mirabilis_ Merriam[2] Admiralty Island, Alaska. + _absarokus_ Merriam[2] Little Bighorn River, northern + Bighorn Mountains, + Montana. + + _Alascensis_ group: + _Ursus alascensis_ Merriam Unalaklik River, Alaska. + _toklat_ Merriam Head of Toklat River, north + base Alaska Range, near + Mount McKinley, Alaska. + _latifrons_ Merriam Jasper House, Alberta. + + _Richardsoni_ group: + _Ursus richardsoni_ Swainson Shore of Arctic Ocean, west + side Bathurst Inlet, near + mouth of Hood River. + _russelli_ Merriam[2] West side Mackenzie River + delta, Canada. + _phæonyx_ Merriam[2] Glacier Mountain, Tanana + Mts., Alaska (about 2 + miles below source of Comet + Creek, near Forty-mile + Creek, between Yukon and + Tanana Rivers). + _internationalis_ Merriam Alaska-Yukon boundary, + about 50 miles south of + Arctic coast. + _ophrus_ Merriam Eastern British Columbia + (exact locality unknown). + _washake_ Merriam North Fork Shoshone River, + Absaroka Mts., western + Wyoming. + + _Kidderi_ group: + _Ursus kidderi kidderi_ Merriam Chinitna Bay, Cook Inlet, + Alaska. + _kidderi tundrensis_ Merriam Shaktolik River, Norton + Sound, Alaska. + _eximius_ Merriam Head of Knik Arm, Cook + Inlet, Alaska. + + _Innuitus_ group: + _Ursus innuitus_ Merriam Golofnin Bay, south side + Seward Peninsula, northwestern + Alaska. + _cressonus_ Merriam Lakina River, south slope + Wrangell Range, Alaska. + _alexandræ_ Merriam[2] Kusilof Lake, Kenai Peninsula, + Alaska. + + _Townsendi_ group: + _Ursus townsendi_ Merriam Mainland of Southeastern + Alaska (exact locality + uncertain). + + _Dalli_ group: + _Ursus dalli_ Merriam Yakutat Bay (northwest + side), Alaska. + _hoots_ Merriam Clearwater Creek, a north + branch of Stikine River, + British Columbia. + _sitkensis_ Merriam Sitka Islands, Alaska. + _shirasi_ Merriam Pybus Bay, Admiralty Island, + Alaska. + _nuchek_ Merriam[2] Head of Nuchek Bay, Hinchinbrook + Island, Prince + William Sound, Alaska. + _Gyas_ group: + _Ursus gyas_ Merriam Pavlof Bay, Alaska Peninsula. + _middendorffi_ Merriam Kodiak Island, Alaska. + + + _Kenaiensis_ group: + _Ursus kenaiensis_ Merriam Cape Elizabeth, extreme + west end Kenai Peninsula, + Alaska. + _sheldoni_ Merriam Montague Island, Prince + William Sound, Alaska. + + _Vetularctos_ genus nobis (pp. 131-133, 'North American Fauna, No. 41'): + _Vetularctos inopinatus_ nobis Rendezvous Lake, northeast + of Fort Anderson, Mackenzie. + + [Footnote 2: "Reference to group provisional."] + + + + +Will the Grizzly be Exterminated? + + +The grizzly bear is vanishing so rapidly that without protection he is +likely to become extinct. If there is good reason--and there is--for the +protection of deer, elk, and the bighorn, there is every good reason why +we should protect the grizzly. He is a destroyer of pests, he helps +sustain a hunting-industry, he encourages many individuals to take +mental relaxation and healthful exercise in the outdoors, he carries +more popular and sustained interest than any other animal, and, in most +respects, he is the greatest wild animal in the world. It will benefit +the human race to perpetuate the grizzly, and to do this will require a +few years of legal protection. + +A close season for a period of years is needed. If there is an open +season this should be restricted to two or three States, and it should +be short. The number taken should be limited to one per person, unless a +mother grizzly with cubs be killed, in which case the cubs also may be +captured. The use of steel trap, deadfall, poison, spring gun, and dogs +should be prohibited and the sale of hides forbidden. + +Most big game has had some protection for years; the grizzly has had +none. He is not a bad fellow, there is no just claim against him, but he +has paid the penalty of being misunderstood. He has been classed as a +menace and relentlessly pursued as though a dangerous criminal. Men +follow him the year round, with guns, dogs, horses, traps, and poison. +He is even trailed to the hibernating-den and slaughtered without any +chance for his life. + +Fear of bears and prejudice against them is all too often taught and +developed in childhood. Mothers and nurses hush children by telling +them, "Bears will get you if you're not good." People, however, are now +learning that bears are not ferocious, that they do not eat human flesh, +and that in the wilds the grizzly flees from man as though from a +pestilence. + +Mr. Pocock, in "A Man in the Open," with quaint, satirical philosophy +goes to the bottom of the grizzly question. He says:-- + + "The coarse treatment grizzlies gets from hunters makes them sort of + bashful with any stranger. Ye see, b'ars yearns to man, same as the + heathen does to their fool gods, whereas bullets, pizen, and + deadfalls is sort of discouraging. Their sentiments gets mixed, they + acts confused and naturally if they're shot at they'll get hostile, + same as you and me. They is misunderstood and that's how nobody has + a kind word for grizzlies." + +Grizzlies are walking mouse-traps. They are, like birds, destroyers of +pests, and give us services of economic value. They are useful for what +they eat; their food is made up in part of mice, rats, rabbits, ants, +grasshoppers, and stray carcasses, and the remainder may be considered +of little or no value to man. + +A grizzly came down into a rancher's meadow in southern Colorado and +"rooted it up like a hog." The owner was up in arms and one morning +killed the invader. Curious as to what the grizzly could have been +eating, he sent for a local butcher. His "insides" showed, among other +things, the remains of thirty-four mice, one rat, and one rabbit. + +Rarely does a grizzly kill cattle. This killing, when done, is by one +grizzly. Perhaps ninety-nine out of every hundred grizzlies never kill +any stock or big game. Then, too, when a grizzly kills cattle he +usually makes a business of it, and if one should get the habit he could +be specially disposed of. Protection to the grizzly would not be at the +expense of live stock or big game. + +During rambles in the mountains through the years I have investigated +more than fourteen cases in which the grizzly was charged with killing +cattle. In a number of instances there was not a trace of a grizzly near +the carcass. There were traces of other animals, but the guilty one +could not be determined. There were eleven carcasses that had been +visited by grizzlies; six of these animals had been killed by lions, one +by poisonous plants, one by wolves, two by stones that rolled from a +land-slip. In the eleventh case neither the carcass nor its surroundings +gave any conclusive evidence for determining the cause of the cow's +death. The carcass had been fed upon by coyotes, wolves, lions, and both +black and grizzly bears. But what killed the cow? It might have been +lightning or disease, a wolf or a lion, or possibly a hunter. Many +hunters are not up on natural history and shoot at the first object that +moves. The only evidence against the grizzly was entirely +circumstantial; he had eaten a part of the carcass. + +The killing of wild life is not in my line. I am not a hunter. But in +the hunting-industry the grizzly heads the list. The hunter will pay +more for a shot at a grizzly than for a shot at any other, and often all +other, big game. Hunters frequently spend from one thousand to many +thousands of dollars in going after the grizzly. They will work harder +and longer for a grizzly than for any other animal. + +But the grizzly-hunting industry is coming to an end through decreasing +numbers of grizzlies. A short time ago the "Saturday Evening Post" said: +"The betting is a thousand to one that you will never kill a grizzly +inside the United States. There are a few left but not many; and all are +highly trained in suspiciousness and resourcefulness." + +If the hunting of grizzlies is to continue, the grizzly must promptly +have some protection. Mr. J. A. McGuire, editor of "Outdoor Life," has +been working for years to bring about legal protection and intelligent +understanding of bears. At last it looks as though he would succeed. But +much work is yet to be done before all States give bears proper +protection, before bear natural histories are rewritten and bears are +appreciated at their real, their high, worth. Writing as a +hunter-naturalist, Mr. McGuire says:-- + + "When the grizzly bear shall have passed--and he is found in such + lamentably small numbers now that his exit from our midst is but a + question of years--there shall have disappeared from our mountains + one of the sublimest specimens of animal life that exalts the + western wilderness. As a sporting trophy, his hide stands at the top + of the list of American wild animals--one which sportsmen from all + over the world have come here to secure. Nowhere else in the world + can the grizzly bear be found except in western North America, and + we as sportsmen naturalists should see to it that his demise is not + hastened and that his life shall be preserved to posterity." + +Shooting is not all there is to hunting. Hunters while hunting often +take on a new lease of efficiency, even though they do not get the +grizzly. Often, too, they make the intimate acquaintance of another +hunter, or of a guide, and return with enlarged views into human nature; +or they develop a new and worth-while outdoor interest. So that, +considered solely for hunting purposes, the grizzly has both a +commercial and a higher value. + +Any one who sees a grizzly bear in his rugged mountain home or even in a +National Park, which is a wilderness-land, will receive a lasting +impression. It is the character of this animal that stands out. He is of +heroic size and powerfully built, but he is at all times so dignified, +and so wide-awake, that his individuality never fails to impress you. +The splendid animal and the scene wherein he stood will often be +recalled. Again and again you will wonder concerning him and his life, +his neighbors, and his territory. The interest which you have received +may lead you to revisit the wild, revivifying mountain-land in which he +lives. + +When the hunter ceased firing in the Yellowstone National Park, the +grizzly bear was the first of the big wild animals to discover that it +was safe to show himself. The wildest animal, extremely shy of being +seen even at long range, he showed his superior intelligence, his strong +character, in being the first to realize that times had changed and that +man had ceased trying to kill the wild folks on sight. It took the other +big animals a long time to learn that they were protected. Many of them +relied on old experiences, and for years, on the approach of man, they +ran for their lives. + +National Parks are developing a friendly interest in grizzlies, and +there is a growing appreciation of the grizzly's true worth. But just at +present this appreciation and this sentiment are not strong enough to +protect the grizzly without the formal assistance of a +grizzly-protection law. + +During the past twenty-five years the grizzly population has enormously +decreased. The grizzly is in danger of extermination. In California, +where he was once numerous, he is now extinct. He has also gone from +extensive areas in all the other Western States. In the areas where he +still exists the population is in most places sparse. + +It is doubtful if he is holding his own anywhere within the bounds of +the United States, unless it be in Glacier National Park. The grizzly +population of the Yellowstone National Park is variously estimated from +fifty to one hundred. But each year numbers of cubs born inside the Park +are trapped just outside of it, and old bears whose home is inside the +Park are occasionally shot outside the boundary-line. It may be that the +bears coming in from outside, a few of whom each year appear to move +into the Park to live, may maintain the normal or possibly slightly +increase the population; but this is doubtful. There are a few +grizzlies in the Rocky Mountain National Park, perhaps a few in the +Mount Rainier Park, and a number in four or five of the Canadian +National Parks. Alaska is the grizzly country at present; but dozens of +hunters are each year putting a check on its increase in grizzly +population, except in the Mount McKinley National Park. + +The grizzly needs protection at once, needs your active interest now. He +is making his last stand and is surrounded by relentless foes. +Protection only will save him and enable him to perpetuate himself. +Without the grizzly the wilds would be dull, the cañon and the crag +would lose their eloquent appeal. This wild uncrowned king has won his +place in nature which no other animal can fill. We need the grizzly +bear--the King of the Wilderness World. + +With a closed season everywhere in the United States for a few years, +the bears would increase in numbers and in due time areas now +depopulated would be again peopled by them. Among the grizzlies there +are always adventurers who wander far away looking for new scenes. These +exploring grizzlies, as numbers increased, might redistribute +themselves. Grizzlies in western Oregon might wander southward and even +restock the four National Parks of California, where there is now not a +grizzly. But this would require a cessation of the shooting of grizzlies +for a number of years. + +The population might be more quickly affected by restocking. A few +grizzlies could be trapped in Yellowstone and set free in these other +National Parks. The problem of restocking unoccupied areas would not be +difficult if there could be for a few years a general closed season. In +restocking these areas the zoos could not help. So far grizzlies have +not been successfully bred in confinement. + +The grizzly is an educational factor of enormous potential value. An +acquaintance with him will give a lively interest in the whole world of +nature, in both natural history and the natural resources of the earth. +A knowledge of these will increase the enjoyment and the usefulness of +every one. + +In learning natural history the grizzly might well be the first life +studied. Interest in him could be used to arouse interest in all life. +In the very beginnings of interest in any living thing there is a desire +for information concerning its food. Soil, directly or indirectly, +produces the entire food-supply of the earth. Thus the trail of the +grizzly bear would lead one to the wonderful story of soil-creation and +the strange, almost enchanting powers it has over our strange existence. + +For the young, and perhaps for the older, the grizzly has qualities +which should make him the supreme mental stimulus of the great outdoors. +A better acquaintance with him will be beneficial of itself, and an +interest in him would inevitably extend to his wild neighbors and to the +whole wide world of beauty and grandeur wherein he lives his adventurous +life. + +The eagle, our emblematic bird, has prowess; he soars, he dares the +storm, and he explores the cloud scenery of the sky. He makes an appeal +to the interest of a few, but the bear stirs the minds and the hearts of +many. In most respects the grizzly would rival the eagle for an +emblematic animal and would excel all animals in arousing a nature +interest around the world. + +Perpetuate the grizzly in our wild places and National Parks, and this +will fill all wild scenes again with their appealing primeval spell--the +master touch which stirs the imagination. An educator has called the +imagination "the supreme intellectual faculty"; it is creative, +original, refreshing. The imagination will be alive so long as the +grizzly lives. + +In art alone the grizzly is a subject worthy of the sculptor. He will +help quicken and develop the creative imagination of any one who knows +him--the grizzly of heroic art. + +The grizzly probably heads the animal list in brain-power. He is still +developing. He appreciates play and he has marked individuality. He is +the greatest animal that is without a voice. Stories of "this animal +that walks like man" ever appeal; he is the most impressive animal on +the continent. He is the dominant and the most distinguished animal of +the world. + + +THE END + + + + +Index + + + Abundance, 231. + Accordion, 177, 178. + Acrobatic pranks, 13. + Adams, James Capen, 166, 170, 196, 207, 251; + quoted, 196, 220, 242; + and his pet grizzlies, 216-21, 242. + Adventure, 185. + Age, 58, 59. + Agility, 253. + Alaska, 53, 54, 205, 206, 248-50, 259-61, 281. + Ants, 107. + Arizona, 150, 151. + Audubon, John James, quoted, 198. + + Bear, black, and hard-tack, 7; + and grizzly cubs, 114, 115, 212, 222, 223; + colors, 251; + contrasted with the grizzly, 254, 255. + Bear, polar, 94, 249. + Bears, origin and evolution, 247, 248. + Bears, big brown, 257-69. + Beaver, 29. + "Ben Franklin," 216-21. + Brackenridge, Henry M., 256; + quoted, 199. + + Cactus, 150, 151. + Can, tin, 6. + Carson, Kit, 196. + Catsup, 213. + Cattle-killing, 13, 14, 73, 75, 76, 155-58, 275, 276. + Caution, 72, 157-62. + Chapman, Frank M., 170. + Classification, 249, 256-69. + Claw-marks on trees, 47-49, 131. + Claws, 253, 254. + Clinton, DeWitt, 256; + quoted, 202, 203. + "Clubfoot," 14. + Coasting, 126, 127, 144, 145. + Colors, 249-51. + Courage, 17, 18, 191. + Cow, dead, 7-9. + Coyote, 146. + Cubs, and dead mother, 23-25; + birth and nurture, 25, 26; + size, 25, 26; + color, 27; + care and training from mother, 27-29; + experiences with, 29-37; + weaning, 31, 32; + mimicry, 32; + play, 35, 36; + eating honey, 37; + family ties, 37, 38; + selection of home territory, 43. + _See also_ Pets. + Curiosity, 54, 55, 175-87. + + Death, 59, 60. + Dens. _See_ Hibernation. + Digging, 3, 4, 71, 125, 126, 131, 132. + Dignity, 233. + Disposition, 236-38. + Distribution, 248-50. + Dogs, 109-11, 163, 217-19. + Drummond, Thomas, 175, 176, 196. + + Economic value, 275-78. + Eluding followers, 4, 5, 243. + _See also_ Trailing. + Exploration, 56, 57. + + Feet, 253, 254. + Feigning death, 14. + Ferocity, undeserved reputation for, 192-206. + Figgins, J. D., on hibernation, 94-98. + Fighting qualities, 204, 205. + Fire, 179, 180. + Fish, catching, 69, 70, 234. + Food and feeding-habits, 63-77, 82, 92, 93, 105-07, 206, 230, 231, + 236-39, 275, 276. + Form, 251, 252. + Fur, 251. + + Gait, 15, 252. + Garbage, 206, 236-39. + Glacier National Park, 237. + Grace, 252. + + Hallett Glacier, 81. + Hammock, 179. + Hard-tack, 7. + Headache, 235. + Hearing, 6, 229, 230. + Hibernation, 52, 81-98, 215, 216. + Home territory, 38, 39, 43-53. + Hornaday, William T., quoted, 197. + Hunting, 161-70, 277, 278. + + Indians, 203, 255. + Intelligence, 3-19, 243, 244. + + Jenny. _See_ Johnny. + Johnny and Jenny, 101-15. + + "Lady Washington," 242. + Lewis and Clark, 53, 176, 192, 197, 256; + quoted, 199-202. + Lion, mountain, 52. + Log, 139-43. + + McClelland, George, 165. + McGuire, J. A., 277; + quoted, 278. + MacKenzie, Sir Alexander, 256; + quoted, 198. + Magpie, 141. + Maimed, 17. + Man, as an enemy, 17, 18; + not eaten by the grizzly, 76, 77; + attacked, 162-70. + Mating, 255. + Merriam, Dr. C. Hart, quoted, 257-69. + Migration, 57. + "Miss Grizzly," 211-16. + "Miss Jim" and "Mr. Bessie," 221-26. + "Mose, Old," 155, 156. + Mud, 143, 144. + Muir, John, 170, 194; + quoted, 194, 195. + Music, 177, 178. + + Names, 256. + National Parks, 280-82. + Nutcracker, Clarke, 141. + + Ord, George, 256. + _Outdoor Life_, 277. + + Pets, 101-15, 211-26, 240-42. + Pies, 225. + Play, 54, 139-52. + Pocock, Roger, quoted, 274, 275. + Protection, 273, 274, 280-83. + + Raspberries, 105-07. + Rifles, 203. + Rocking-chair, 112. + Rollins, Philip Ashton, 207, 221; + quoted, 222-26. + Roosevelt, Theodore, 170. + Roping, 167. + + Sagacity, 3-19, 243, 244. + "Samson," 251. + _Saturday Evening Post,_ quoted, 277. + Sawmill, 211, 212. + Scenery, 186, 187. + Scotch, the collie, 109-11. + Scott, William B., quoted, 247. + Senses, 5, 6, 229, 230. + Sensitiveness, 229, 230. + Seton, Ernest Thompson, 170. + Shadow, 147-49. + Sheep, mountain, 35, 72, 73. + Sheldon, Charles, quoted, 248, 249. + Size, 251, 252. + Skin of soles of feet, 91. + Slicker, 180, 181. + Smell, sense of, 6, 230. + Social life, 45, 46, 53. + Solitariness, 44, 149. + Strength, 252, 253. + Swimming, 50, 51. + + "Three-Toes," 14. + "Timberline," 46, 47, 119-35. + Tooth-marks on trees, 47-49, 131. + Toothache, 235. + Tracks, 253, 254 + Trailing, 9-13, 49, 50, 56, 57, 119-36, 146-49, 169, 170. + Trapping, 157-60, 162. + + Umbrellas, 109, 182. + Umfreville, Edward, quoted, 198, 256. + + Voice, 255. + + Wheel, 182. + Wolves, 16, 17. + Wright, William H., 164, 170, 195, 207; + quoted, 195, 196, 226, 238, 239. + + Yellowstone Park, 58, 206, 232-39, 280. + + + + + The Riverside Press + CAMBRIDGE . MASSACHUSETTS + U . S . A + + * * * * * + +TRANSCRIBER NOTES: + + + Archaic, alternate spellings (including hyphenation), and obsolete + words have been retained with the exception of those listed below. + + Page 120: "railing" changed to "trailing" (The most impressive + thing I had early learned in trailing and studying the grizzly). + + + Page 175: "observavation" changed to "observation" (In old bears + curiosity is accompanied with a keenness of observation). + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Grizzly, by Enos A. Mills + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42277 *** |