hunting the grisly and other sketches-第10章

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four　or　five　bounds；　and　struck　it　a　tremendous　blow　on　the　flank　with
one　paw；　knocking　several　ribs　clear　away　from　the　spine；　and　killing
the　animal　outright　by　the　shock。

Horses　no　less　than　horned　cattle　at　times　fall　victims　to　this　great
bear；　which　usually　spring　on　them　from　the　edge　of　a　clearing　as　they
graze　in　some　mountain　pasture；　or　among　the　foot…hills；　and　there　is
no　other　animal　of　which　horses　seem　so　much　afraid。　Generally　the
bear；　whether　successful　or　unsuccessful　in　its　raids　on　cattle　and
horses；　comes　off　unscathed　from　the　struggle；　but　this　is　not　always
the　case；　and　it　has　much　respect　for　the　hoofs　or　horns　of　its
should…be　prey。　Some　horses　do　not　seem　to　know　how　to　fight　at　all；
but　others　are　both　quick　and　vicious；　and　prove　themselves　very
formidable　foes；　lashing　out　behind；　and　striking　with　their　fore…
hoofs。　I　have　elsewhere　given　an　instance　of　a　stallion　which　beat　off
a　bear；　breaking　its　jaw。

Quite　near　my　ranch；　once；　a　cowboy　in　my　employ　found　unmistakable
evidence　of　the　discomfiture　of　a　bear　by　a　long…horned　range　cow。　It
was　in　the　early　spring；　and　the　cow　with　her　new…born　calf　was　in　a
brush…bordered　valley。　The　footprints　in　the　damp　soil　were　very
plain；　and　showed　all　that　had　happened。　The　bear　had　evidently　come
out　of　the　bushes　with　a　rush；　probably　bent　merely　on　seizing　the
calf；　and　had　slowed　up　when　the　cow　instead　of　flying　faced　him。　He
had　then　begun　to　walk　round　his　expected　dinner　in　a　circle；　the　cow
fronting　him　and　moving　nervously　back　and　forth；　so　that　her　sharp
hoofs　cut　and　trampled　the　ground。　Finally　she　had　charged　savagely；
whereupon　the　bear　had　bolted；　and；　whether　frightened　at　the　charge；
or　at　the　approach　of　some　one；　he　had　not　returned。

The　grisly　is　even　fonder　of　sheep　and　pigs　than　is　its　smaller　black
brother。　Lurking　round　the　settler's　house　until　after　nightfall；　it
will　vault　into　the　fold　or　sty；　grasp　a　helpless；　bleating　fleece…
bearer；　or　a　shrieking；　struggling　member　of　the　bristly　brotherhood；
and　bundle　it　out　over　the　fence　to　its　death。　In　carrying　its　prey　a
bear　sometimes　holds　the　body　in　its　teeth；　walking　along　on　all…fours
and　dragging　it　as　a　wolf　does。　Sometimes；　however；　it　seizes　an
animal　in　its　forearms　or　in　one　of　them；　and　walks　awkwardly　on　three
legs　or　two；　adopting　this　method　in　lifting　and　pushing　the　body　over
rocks　and　down　timber。

When　a　grisly　can　get　at　domestic　animals　it　rarely　seeks　to　molest
game；　the　former　being　far　less　wary　and　more　helpless。　Its　heaviness
and　clumsiness　do　not　fit　it　well　for　a　life　of　rapine　against　shy
woodland　creatures。　Its　vast　strength　and　determined　temper；　however；
more　than　make　amends　for　lack　of　agility　in　the　actual　struggle　with
the　stricken　prey；　its　difficulty　lies　in　seizing；　not　in　killing；　the
game。　Hence；　when　a　grisly　does　take　to　game…killing；　it　is　likely　to
attack　bison；　moose；　and　elk；　it　is　rarely　able　to　catch　deer；　still
less　sheep　or　antelope。　In　fact　these　smaller　game　animals　often　show
but　little　dread　of　its　neighborhood；　and；　though　careful　not　to　let
it　come　too　near；　go　on　grazing　when　a　bear　is　in　full　sight。
Whitetail　deer　are　frequently　found　at　home　in　the　same　thicket　in
which　a　bear　has　its　den；　while　they　immediately　desert　the　temporary
abiding　place　of　a　wolf　or　cougar。　Nevertheless；　they　sometimes
presume　too　much　on　this　confidence。　A　couple　of　years　before　the
occurrence　of　the　feats　of　cattle…killing　mentioned　above　as　happening
near　my　ranch；　either　the　same　bear　that　figured　in　them；　or　another
of　similar　tastes；　took　to　game…hunting。　The　beast　lived　in　the　same
succession　of　huge　thickets　which　cover　for　two　or　three　miles　the
river　bottoms　and　the　mouths　of　the　inflowing　creeks；　and　he　suddenly
made　a　raid　on　the　whitetail　deer　which　were　plentiful　in　the　dense
cover。　The　shaggy；　clumsy　monster　was　cunning　enough　to　kill　several
of　these　knowing　creatures。　The　exact　course　of　procedure　I　never
could　find　out；　but　apparently　the　bear　laid　in　wait　beside　the　game
trails；　along　which　the　deer　wandered。

In　the　old　days　when　the　innumerable　bison　grazed　free　on　the　prairie；
the　grisly　sometimes　harassed　their　bands　as　it　now　does　the　herds　of
the　ranchman。　The　bison　was　the　most　easily　approached　of　all　game；
and　the　great　bear　could　often　get　near　some　outlying　straggler；　in
its　quest　after　stray　cows；　yearlings；　or　calves。　In　default　of　a
favorable　chance　to　make　a　prey　of　one　of　these　weaker　members　of　the
herds；　it　did　not　hesitate　to　attack　the　mighty　bulls　themselves；　and
perhaps　the　grandest　sights　which　it　was　ever　the　good　fortune　of　the
early　hunters　to　witness　was　one　of　these　rare　battles　between　a
hungry　grisly　and　a　powerful　buffalo　bull。　Nowadays；　however；　the　few
last　survivors　of　the　bison　are　vanishing　even　from　the　inaccessible
mountain　fastnesses　in　which　they　sought　a　final　refuge　from　their
destroyers。

At　present　the　wapiti　is　of　all　wild　game　that　which　is　most　likely　to
fall　a　victim　to　the　grisly；　when　the　big　bear　is　in　the　mood　to　turn
hunter。　Wapiti　are　found　in　the　same　places　as　the　grisly；　and　in　some
spots　they　are　yet　very　plentiful；　they　are　less　shy　and　active　than
deer；　while　not　powerful　enough　to　beat　off　so　ponderous　a　foe；　and
they　live　in　cover　where　there　is　always　a　good　chance　either　to　stalk
or　to　stumble　on　them。　At　almost　any　season　bear　will　come　and　feast
on　an　elk　carcass；　and　if　the　food　supply　runs　short；　in　early　spring；
or　in　a　fall　when　the　berry　crop　fails；　they　sometimes　have　to　do
their　own　killing。　Twice　I　have　come　across　the　remains　of　elk；　which
had　seemingly　been　slain　and　devoured　by　bears。　I　have　never　heard　of
elk　making　a　fight　against　a　bear；　yet；　at　close　quarters　and　at　bay；
a　bull　elk　in　the　rutting　season　is　an　ugly　foe。

A　bull　moose　is　even　more　formidable；　being　able　to　strike　the　most
lightning…like　blows　with　his　terrible　forefeet；　his　true　weapons　of
defense。　I　doubt　if　any　beast　of　prey　would　rush　in　on　one　of　these
woodland　giants；　when　his　horns　were　grown；　and　if　he　was　on　his　guard
and　bent　on　fight。　Nevertheless；　the　moose　sometimes　fall　victims　to
the　uncouth　prowess　of　the　grisly；　in　the　thick　wet　forests　of　the
high　northern　Rockies；　where　both　beasts　dwell。　An　old　hunter　who　a
dozen　years　ago　wintered　at　Jackson　Lake；　in　northwestern　Wyoming；
told　me　that　when　the　snows　got　deep　on　the　mountains　the　moose　came
down　and　took　up　their　abode　near　the　lake；　on　its　western　side。
Nothing　molested　them　during　the　winter。　Early　in　the　spring　a　grisly
came　out　of　its　den；　and　he　found　its　tracks　in　many　places；　as　it
roamed　restlessly　about；　evidently　very　hungry。　Finding　little　to　eat
in　the　bleak；　snow…drifted　woods；　it　soon　began　to　depredate　on　the
moose；　and　killed　two　or　three；　generally　by　lying　in　wait　and　dashing
out　on　them　as　they　passed　near　its　lurking…place。　Even　the　bulls　were
at　that　season　weak；　and　of　course　hornless；　with　small　desire　to
fight；　and　in　each　case　the　rush　of　the　great　beardoubtless　made
with　the　ferocity　and　speed　which　so　often　belie　the　seeming
awkwardness　of　the　animalbore　down　the　startled　victim；　taken
utterly　unawares　before　it　had　a　chance　to　defend　itself。　In　one　case
the　bear　had　missed　its　spring；　the　moose　going　off；　for　a　few　rods；
with　huge　jumps；　and　then　settling　down　into　its　characteristic　trot。
The　old　hunter　who　followed　the　tracks　said　he　would　never　have　deemed
it　possible　for　any　animal　to　make　such　strides　while　in　a　trot。

Nevertheless；　the　grisly　is　only　occasionally；　not　normally；　a
formidable　predatory　beast；　a　killer　of　cattle　and　of　large　game。
Although　capable　of　far　swifter　movement　than　is　promised　by　his　frame
of　seemingly　clumsy　strength；　and　in　spite　of　his　power　of　charging
with　astonishing　suddenness　and　speed；　he　yet　lacks　altogether　the
supple　agility　of　such　finished　destroyers　as　the　cougar　and　the　wolf；
and　for　the　absence　of　this　agility　no　amount　of　mere　huge　muscle　can
atone。　He　is　more　apt　to　feast　on　animals　which　have　met　their　death
by　accident；　or　which　have　been　killed　by　other　beasts　or　by　man；　than
to　do　his　own　killing。　He　is　a　v