The San Francisco call. [volume], June 09, 1907, Page 8, Image 8

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
MY MOST EXCITING DAYS SPORT AFTER BIG GAME
Elizabeth Haight Strong
"Wb»a a faUcx's fMlla'.blM,
'Am tb« best ones often do, - -' . -
F«ella*. c!um e.n" ont o"-sort*. - '
TA*f« the time for outdoor cportfc • \u25a0'\u25a0
eendln' rod an* poppla'.gna, . . :.. • '
Tbeis'e tbe things that bllct.nin
Trouble off the wnlUn 1 earth.
Outdoor life; .Then earth an' be*vea
Seem as close .as six an*. seTcnl",,> . *•
NOW is the time^as summer draws
\u25a0 near ' that \u25a0 lovefsVof the! shotgun
; growremlnlscent^and begin Uo :
\ tell' tales; of. trips; lnto the. coun-"
try In ; search of mountain and ; valley
Quail, .doves, wild- -pigeons, ducks^and
grouse; while the riflemen, who make
big ga:r.o their. .'specialty, commence' to i
ewap stories :<J .but . the graceful deer, \
the Ehas«> : bcaV, the trcacUcrous - pah- |
ther. or «uy other wild animal. that has _
come with!n,:ranKC of their ".guns. - ; The -.
Cshiug season is on, 'and the hunters, _
vhUe thinkins M ; sstfuUy-o::.thelr'."turn, .
llstea to Uic devotees fof \the . gentle
Xzaak "Walton .'.spsn; yarns,' of 'deluding.
the canny speckled; trout with tlie Im-;:
e.ge or a 'fat fly, or ticklins tho ; gbr- .
manfl fanclet; of;U;c salmon by anodor-
Jferou3 tidbit of spoiled- sardine. -The
marksmen utlcr-asvtiicir.Elxareibr Uhe -
conver?atiua 'discussions'; bn f"huntliig-t
arms, different. po\vdcr>, ; primers; and"
bullets,' aud questions^as to sights, am
munition, trigger ; pull, .-etc.. -^arise 1 " and
are debated Avltli an air of responsi
bility tbat would do justice, to a judge i
on the bench-". :'. -*.'\u25a0\u25a0•••.\u25a0. .-,\u25a0*.\u25a0;'
Alexander Vogelsang, ex-fish ' com-,
talssioner." ts .: more^a follower., of ; .the'^
rod than "the gun. ' ingenious,*^ Vurcs _; fcrl
outwitting wary fish "appealing more.to
him than the killing -of game.; He was f
asked to "tell again -the - story of UlO
catching of^Bip Mike at' Big Meadows.
the trout that leaped' into', local 'faiije
on the end of Jlr. Vogelsang's *; Uric, ;
but he Ignored J the sust'estion ' and ' re- '
lated Instead how he killed his -first
end only deer. -• r \ ' » • '\u25a0--
"It was on tlie Mendocino .coast,?' lie
began. : "Four of us . v.xat • into ' -tlio .
hills aud ' caraped over I night 5 where* wa ;
were told that 'deer were, numerous."
John C. Lane was the leader in our
little 'partj% for- be Vas a, surveyor and
civil engineer and knew- vis "country
well, besides be'ns- an" e^crt: shot and .
eportsnian. In the riipmuig ; *asAve;b\:^
gan to Work our "\i"ay tbwafd' Malpas !
and Alder' "creelre/ Ijane-'safd; 'We'ro
pretty sure -to get a 'sliot 1 at? th«i_ MaJp-ls t
buck today.' Wcaskcd liinu wnat-.that
meant, and. then.' he explained -that the
two creelis were about twoihiles apart,
and tha title" land /between, was. a "steep
bluff, the top oT which was" a grain
field Kloping s al3ruptly;to"thc ocean.;; \n
enormous., buck had : li\'c&"* '-there? -'-for •.
years ! aud- was known ,In", In" consequence .
as the. Ma] pas- buck. 1 Everyo ne in tlie ;
neighborsiood ! ja.ridvhunters 7 fromV afari
had Ehot T at \u25a0 him,; but; no} one.- had;' been
able to'hif him. -We 'decided 1 to trj^our
luck. As we /went along, we : saw; some"
eealions out In- the'- ocean ; and,f to" try .
the range of our {runs.'we fire Mat them.'
We finally drew • near to Malpas. '. and
had about given up all hopes- of E.eelnff,
deer that day, when some one shouted.
*Here comes tiie buck 'now!'; We all ;
Etood Etlll and looked. * He cam ©'run
ning elong the top of the bluff -until/
he reached ' a little point* that -Jutted
out f rom' the slope where he' stood- and'
tvalted.' "I 'could just -see the- tip of -!his:
horn, but *he was ' not * over ; 100 ? f eet \
away from". "Lane, .who^had'avgoo'd" view'
of him. Lane raised,'' his jVgtln, 4, took :J
careful aim and drew^ the: trigger.- . The-
Bbell refused to explode. \u25a0- .Without-even
Etopplng for remarks. . that', mi eh t ' have i
been excusable under ,- \u25a0 th"e / -.VQ|reuin l^'
6tances, Lane went through theimbtlon>
of putting-^ In • cartridges.^ raised his* gun?
again,' t6ok'.careful j jaim,iahd]asaln^the ';
shell failed to - explode. Lane then -de- \u25a0
llvered .himself of a long /string "'; of
sulphurous 'adjectives, ending; up/with .
the remark." 'The .gun isn't Ipaded"'
He'd forgotten . that he'd used .up 1113
ammunition Brins at the sealions. : * By •
this time -the buck started^ to' run again '
and came . Into vie w," of the rest ; of • us. .
Lane, loaded his.gun, the rest'jof us
<lld ,the same, and every/ one'.'flred at'
the fleeing animaL- .We; sprinkled, him
with gravel* and* scattered- dnsty-oveir*
him, but that's all ithe^harm- that 'hap-;
pened , to him. . ' He * ran *. up* into Malpas
canyon .and- today I hunters!in^ that "'ilo-}
call ty are still 1 trylng^to'kill : .the*"Malpas'
buck that seems more likely; to'diofronV
old age than bullets. But' on "the -way
back I • killed- my- first -and- last - deer,
for. unless - 1 need • the • meat, ' I'll : never
kill another."- •\u25a0 - - ;"" ';"; t '.:^-
He Wbuia- Not^Shoot - : .:^,*?S&
I Bernard JETaymonvllle, 'a. t nieinber r _of
the Country ';_ club,'^dedd.ed^ one Vday
that he would give- the /quail and^ducks
a little longer lease; on /life,' while 'he
went In quest of ;a; deer... Astheshad
fciever 1 killed one." some .of ? his 1 fellow
'member*. -/determined^-- that he
have the experience, and with "that 'end'
In view ' a party; of " six of them ''started
out one warm; summer's day<- from the
Country club with ' a ; guide and a- pack
\u25a0of hounds. . Mr. Faymonville I was given
the most favorable^ station "at ..the
ehoulder of , a.] blil* and- there he and .the
guide,, waited. -;;In. ;about ; an J hour, they
neard the dogs a mile or two away^'and
then as'tjie hounds drew. nearer.'r they
heard^what was unmistakably the "noise
of a pursuedi animal- crasliing:;down
toward " them^ /They;. examined .\ their
guns to 'see* that'they-weje'ln'^rcadlness,*
and breathlessly i awaited t<iie 'appear-;
ance of their game. ,. Presently. lie, come
in eight, and ctood'on'the extreme point
of the 'bill, r etamplng^ his iansry^ hoofs
as though -protesting -at?' such'-, anl out-,
rage. • A•: magTilnc"eht' :
back hewas, and as he stood with 'ant-.
lered • bead erect : and quivering, nostril v
undetermined * which { 'ways to i leap^next^
the giiide * exclaimed :, quickly *r to -^Mr. ;
Faymbnvllle^ /."Now, '\u25a0 ehoot 1 now, and
you'll ' get him, ; sure!"vf* <:'' \u25a0". \u25a0* \u25a0 •
Mr.'Faymoijyille ralsed>hls*gun; : tdoli
careful ; aim,*/ and ;i;thenT,; deliberately
lowered his weapon. . "\u25a0 " -'" i
# 'Sho\Jt.'jsJu>ottqulck/t:crledVthcrsuide,
' almost 3umpins;ur> arid flown In lff^Jt<-*
'.nervously; pfayihg
' v aroiind"tlie/trig'g i er'<ifhi.s pwn'gun; '*'.*;,
_' <i - Mr.'*- FaymonviTie -once 'itiorc pointed'/
his «Tifletat-;.tU»jbeauti?ul animal as lie
stobdri*on^,the>-* prdtniantory v outlined-
7 against;* the Vsky; 'and -/Mien* carefully^
* tired? straight: Jip" into "the ; air."/ . Tho '.
•'guide(respectfullyl refrained ; f ronV, let-;
< tins this) disgust/ show, in his coifnten-;
- ance.,'- "Buck ; "• fever" was tlie diagnosis ,
> lie* made l of- his employer's case," but his^
:. feeling's were to ' those ;
'\u25a0/of \ astonishment, when v Mr. ' Faymon^
• vllle, explained.' •
- « -.<ril- J be- blanked,'.', he' said,- "unless-. I
- needed-it'forjfood.af Icould. shoot suclj.
' a' graceful," magniflctnt animal as that!"
: ,Mr."*'*F.' liP.''.;1 i P.''.; Butler, an ; experienced -
i hunter, for* many- years,*jwho , has hunted
\u25a0.big^game' 3 ail! over California, and v/ho
s has "'earned /a^ wide -reputation - for
> prowess ' ; and:,'sureness; of aim, agrceaV
• with; :. Mr., ./ Fayrrionvllie \u0084 '. that - unless
\ needed >f or. food. ;it often seems . almost v
l-tt'-crlme to ' -kill'- "such beautiful C and
""harmless animals- as deer. '""The^-last
i.decr/jl, killed Vabouf. two ; years; ago,"
* he;'said,'7^but;- t)ie remarkable-thing
about Hhat^ hunt was • the ' fact ' that*. l-
J. killed^ himUn" less than* five hours' after
;'Jeay!ngYmy;omce; lnsSan ; ; Francisco, v It :
c was on a Saturday. afternoon,' and I ; left"
: on the^l:4s ! boat^fo'r Hhe'Tanialapais
; sportsme'n's* club' -which' has , lts*.-. head^
/quarters at" Mar.2anita»^There.were v six;
/ of; us^that.-'dayr.'-'Oiir^ horses * were fall;
, ready at the" club,* a'nd'^hel keeper with
. the .'hounds - was , ; waiting ,-for".-: us -at';
\u25a0J Ctoyote '* flat^^V'Tne'hounds'were^nrstputJ,
'.' down'N3^; > Green' : valley and ! they !hyn ted [\
; an'; hour.tbefore^ they -jumped^ a
j o^t Patch" cibseVtOhmev^He/
.;. trotted^-outjinto 'jth'e^ch'a'parraiia^bVtl^o]
I yaTds^avfay^ a'nd l^ then :?: ?> tu>ned J 'tbVlook;
back * ( at* the] hounds > iOO * yards i behind^
viUmUb'Qet ermine" his" course/, but; before;
he could Etart again I sholJK^f^S^jpS
then nearly \u25a0\u25a0'• 6' •'.- o'plotf^^^^^fi-^^S^^
was' \u25a0. setting- and - ; >" I'll'M^aF^^^M
get the " Picture, ... th'a^^lSpSftv
made} .as ;^^^^tood^v^!s*at|W^^B«e^
J^n^'^urnedJ{o^o'ok^t^is*s!UT^eyiM^
'memory, of '\u25a0it t .afierwaVdrdulled r the''edie'^'
but'tpday^
\u25a0jfi^ 0 ,,"^ *^ 0 *\u25a0 * I *"<? '*^®i *'?.9* * cment r ;is'over, v t
i^ < irtlU^S'^'{cwi^pop|^^^u^i^^^i^
'•*^|f»!l^*\^Vh*th"erafa^6ft^^
Wild Plunge rpown/a | Canyon' <.
, '','ltwas jßoi-nt earslago tl{at*Mr.?H.\H.V !
; Ha|ght. .yiio isVnoteil its a'kecn'sports^v\
;"5 man v and j a ri ca d \u25a0 sKo t, « iiaU^nt'csVuin's^ <
'? adventure .wltli an "enormous *\u25a0 l>uck V jthat'f/ Cl
, ? almost;put'an;Vnd^to^his^h^ting^
tf> 3te- Ha i g h t ;| d^esj; no t i^car ©*• "Vn at v ral 1 y^' ,
1
V>the -les'sonV heVl^rnc'd^
? cautlo^siiess lls c '} hcVis i n 61"6 1 " ai>t i .'
_';-tb'vforge\:^/y' :^y!V^y;yY^*\ ; rC; x :^^^i.:_i(
/Piskiyou.cognt:, fit' r-UMinor!" ' J
; Mr. Halght, ,"aiia as our proviVlfpe^^i
;iow, I? went, out' early, ,'oi.e moir.lng, lo s I
; bring^lmck;; inU tit|*teay^
* , of . meat. 34 1 \ final ly f ; r ea'cl icdva^v eryi h i gb/ !' }
|p ridg«\near^*a \u25a0* place veredp "wltiiV p.ftr 1
petual snow.^knovt-n as'- Goose's * Neck. !
BU lll^tiuitttingCf t hj atMs ." fl ; d"no;cfotTs''\]
walking alwns 1
this rirtge I saw the four'lecj c-f a .j.-jr "}
.|?«tandlng. behind a" manzanita \u25a0bush^i^.- 1
\andval 1 < I . had I topi
S»»j^^m^ato^by /vwere >his par^ jf*
|*inUer»|ab'o£e|^©X6hrubbei^
I ||Wiyat4^|&a^^|g|gTfromm:e:i»d-
< (B^Jnis-horhs^l'.shot^at^'hW-a^a-'imV^
Ip»«atBly/eaw. him . jump^about;six' feVti v
to Uio alx and.thcn^isappear.aonn' tha-S
\u0084•\u25a0...-';\u25a0 f, -\u25a0"•\u25a0\u25a0' .'..'\u25a0 \u25a0'. ' '\u25a0,"--.-
~:itount&!n in'a-cloud'of dust.; I^ran as •.
"filsr. a3 ; l''c6ulil'*througli\the brush>and
'ground l^6. yards.,
'»:ws^.":frijni^the" manzanlta '' bush; l-'a'pj-," '
j part-ml^Vjoacl-" ' - 1 ?• ) earned' Jwhen ; 1 t^was* ?.
'too'-littb^for- 'th'ieVknowledge'rtb "bfenefit >
fmV tlVat^t,fie\b}Jliet*h r £to^^^
' hlm-facross the back of -his n«ck. Think- 'V,
"lag inilmfdeaa^'l/dFe^TQUt'my. JJ h v untlng v ,
itoscut; hisHhcoat* rthatvh«Xrnlghtr thatvh«XrnIght \u25a0
'seized" Ijtm* by * the;
andVdrawnlhiS; head^backVwhen'. .
:to;-.rhyli.dismjtyr 11 < and /astonishment, jhe".:
;jumped v upjas-.thougli;,ria 1 thing, : had hap- 1>
opened » and ' dragged ? me jwith »^him. r I <•
f iwice. fil £ I-li«ld . on • it \u25bawas -my • strength V
; pitched j agarnstHlUs ;Mlf " I -letr go, \Keld f
-pake': a -hole -througirTne- -.with hishorEsi,.
.He^.was'an^enofmousifouripoint'.bucklf
Jot itho^SiejrraT black? tali; r species, • some-
I times • f osj the^ rniile • deer> but "•
|tMs^yarietyjie""neitfert.:s;een*^outhlo;f 1 the g
rpregq^rllnei^.Ofithei'iwtj Alternatives ', l v
I ,tli«^Messerr.evll«>O;-.
4 lf continued *to 'h'dld »o"n ; .to'^hiin with all '•
: t JjeTstrength v 'a > nd:;* welght^l!: could /ipus- *;
; ' tor^Vandi as • fi'oC shcrpk',rh.is j head * to : free . \u25a0
ih Unsclts Jiffrabbedihis^other. hornx with
jny;<*r Jgbt^hirfd.^whlqh still :3: 3 had'c my ./\u25a0
Shunting: kn Lf eiinj it>> " lnl his rtigh \u25a0 to* get : :
: down, but *p;
i con tjn'jied |tb i-lhol'd jon."; and 'together we -:'
hill; the'
;;b"uck , and t\l 'alternatingVon Ctop"* until Ithe '. :
fbottoirijof^the;'canroh^was : reach9d.- : ' No ,
,experience}of;the : pastMior;adyenturo pf r <
ijtlie^f uture i «?aii "ti nifike. '?. me.'s_fo"rge't *jo_ne i- ;
;moment~6f.Uhat;tensa%trtigsle, N .the"*an—
f tmal'B?desperato^efforjts«^ito^f ree:."himse! f \u25a0 -; 1
!'andtth*e^ •loyifftarJtlvat; Igrlßpe'«li.my,1 grlRpe'«li.my, h«art* r , (
tthat|iy3»fe*mi',;hol3.*^l*;d'JUstic,o"me''rr^^
ftlic^opinion^-tb^t^ltYwas^ll^offf for^fu*;.".']
I t"ur«sijhiiri t i rig f or '* me •J'Jr/ Mn i}ra s c - sot>(i "^ i
fluqk»wbuld?haxe{it.^«,*lid"io^tUe^botf^ (
; tojn 'of Ithe-Jgulcjhl andjw^rtS'st^pVed^by^a"'." 1
I fall cn^t rcs^tiia tf* J»yl> at^?ri gi»| i* a,n $I«3s^ J
'\u25a0KrMs'«Hi*c^c^y&«^^lt^\tfas*jast^htgliV s i «
"q nb^ g|i $t o y peript ts,t he^dedt' 9 or hV \u25a0, (1( 1
[slide^iinilernca tfi'.-'J arid § r^happened 7. to j' (
'\u25a0 be >upjt vnibstv<when^we i
\u25a0jso_};ablr-U'st_ly,-* to'SaVihaK^', ; _il*cnmb*ed ; on - 1
'top^of stbe~>tree-aud "tlia animal's^ <
against^the~^trunk.''*Strainfi.!
j ing *eyeVy,J muscle. 'ilisucceededj, In *hold-j>, 5
•ingQi ts js head Slo«sf enough * d i nj^thatt. po- ; "t
'sttloh^ wf thi^my^lef t*^handi;,while-- ,;« I - i
I pissed I my.i knife • across! his r throat :^wlth '<!
my^lglxt.'i^liWai (compelled ! ,t6Ji lie*, ptill $ J
"aV s .whllei:beside'^thfr^dead »fdeer,*>thof- \ !
: 6ughly2 exhausted. : ;j
hungihim^upi jand^went^backjto Jcamp } «
[for^atHor*e,\v r il^teriln^the^«ftern6Qn^l ;\u25a0 t
!brtusnt*h'i^.ttj*iana»myiftiend!nappcn^l
Ing* toj; tfave *ea\es^ with ,£d*mi 'w'CVrel ,\
'£&*& hife^*^ l>ressedi^i?of J«7 course^, that |r» 1
fhie^ns j^tit^a^xvWstShouW.l^with^he'ad"^ c
onS^ but ?k l«gs "toffr , T m.i*3 the r.k nees^hay 2
:welghVd'3o1 4 pourfds.^l^lefttnl»^»«*d^]
,at"<a taxidermist's, to be > mounted. and
;lt ;was J ,burnM up'in-'the tire. There
are* many: other' things I'd rather have
lost, than that" head.". ; * ". -',
"^\u25a0"Frank H.;Mayerna3 hunted all kind*
of *wlldigame. v buf perhaps ho ts most
familiar -wl t h > the * cougar > or ' mountain
Hour " ' "Frqni ::a :Tcowftoy's- standpoint.**
:Bald!3faysr,*',*th'!», "yellowy thief has but
'one -Virtue* to^be - commended. ( and thla
'is* hiailbvV. for* mutton.'* I*vo known *>
\u25a0 mountain, Hon to i kill over, 3oo; sheep tn
less then seven' months... He la the most
\u25a0 hated - scourge' ot the ranges. . and the
cow " punchers •' pursue *,n!m ' relentlessly
whenever they.; see i his tan ! hide on th*
\u25a0 landscape..' 'I .remember 'onca whea X
\u25a0was ; working .for* e the Lacey i outfit In
Utah, 1 twobuckaroos and I were riding
for,, strays ; on 'tne 'broken; mesaa below
the La Sal- mountains,: when one of tha
"meni suddenly spied something near ths
foot of»a % cedair- bluff, and swung ln'ba
hlnd •Iti to .Investigate, i Suddenly h»
fired, and' then; we . saw \u25a0 a", long. nth*,
bounding object: directly ahead of Ma
\u25a0"and 'coming 'toward us. tionr I yelled,
and then we three rode so as to form e>
triansle'and head the* cat. o£f. Ha hit
the ground Ilk© a colled spring, ium*
Ing to* gain fresh Impetus with •wry
spurt of dust that our-guns threw cj> a*
his" heels.- Before he noticed hla pr«
" dlcament the .husce'.cat !was almost di
rectly between us., and be-: saw that his
only, chance was to keep straight ahead.
' Like ' a flash . he bounded toward «otn*
timbered gully,* mile off. and my horse
• having * caught the . infection by ttf»
.time' began fairly to eat up thedlstano*
between , uiand-wbai seemed an Ani
mated, -leaping ball ; of f ur. ; Time and.
"again we all, three fired, but. -with no
effect- 'Finally: the • lion turned fa» my
direction, .and X •-" gripped \. 'a chunk
•but-* of >hlm that ' made-" him , doubl*
up. with a snarl and that.broa»txt my
• -horse '-to 4 such' a sudden- atop that t
/nearly .went over his head. -1 wed
again, and the ltonj turning a double
. sommer3ault, lay stllL Cougar coure
-lng.ls..fast*and | furious while *> lt lasts.
' but for ' one of the f elldlae th© beaat
possesses. ", surprisingly . small vitality
and is easily killed -in consequence."
Shooting in Alaska
' Northern Alaska was Edward I*. Bos
qul's hunting field for six years.' Alons
the \u25a0 Alaskan coast from Nome . on the
Berfnifr sea to Point Barrow In \th»
Arctic •he Had every chance "\u25a0 to enjoy
both the small and big game of that
rigorous climate. /'A prospecting trip
years: ago "Is quite "fresh In" my mem
ory.", invitingly began, Mr.. Bosqul. "For
years " the whaling fleet has depended
on Its supply, of. frcsft meat from this
district.' the -natives trading caribou or
reindeer- meat If or provisions* and am
munition. I reached the Colvllle river
tjie 24th" day of December, having been
30 days' traveling from Point ; Barrow.
Jt being midwinter. It was Impossible
; to locate game of any description, and
from that time: until May our diet was a
fish-one. About the middle of May I
"employed several natives , and we
started. In three, native" boats . (umiaks)
-to work through the Ice along the coast
to "the 'mouth of . the Mackenzie river,
.where -the ;nativ*3: told,, me - reindeer
could be found in "immense herds, being
driven? taere'f rom : the • interior Iby tha
mesiana " mosquitoes^ .Tho ice was Just
beginning 1 to break up. so it was with
%real 'difficulty that we. worked our way
coast, seeing many, pola*
"bears on the. floating Ice. but we mad*
,n» effort 'to kill them, aslwe^were look
.ing for : ;cood.'and.t^e , white bear's meat
.is never Vood to eat. \u25a0' v ">"' :
*l':'.?T&'e third day out V«. saw our first
jfbtCtflj of .reindeer feeding on the tundra
j about' a" mile' from the \u25a0 beach. *We lm
.rnedlately. lauded. ? I.went withthe Es.
\u25a0 klmos '.about a jrnile and then waited
wh}Je" r tliey-' njadc^a* long* detour and
drove' the. band toward me. v There must
'have "been --three' -or I four of
tlrera* the horns of both the male. and
femalo still "In. "tho velvet.* .As.it was
"my first experience" with that "style oC
shootinirTwaitffd until they were with
in JOQ yardsiot: me before; I -fired, for I
\u25a0wantedtp'maki every" shbrtell.' expect
ing-: theVwbole/ band, to disappear when
I one of; them", fell: -I .sc'as, mistaken. My
"fiFSt shbtfkri'ocJced dovrn' ths leader. The
.restj of jtber-.bantl, stepped and' began to
'-' circle .'arqund " hljnV: and- while they were"
gaing- through thl3 'curious performance
1 I.;klUcd v^se£-en/ roore,:; "1, might have
-killed 50 v more.* but 'as ther-bucks dress
tpounds II Ifelt ' tbat^wc'had 1 : enough
\ meat ;for "the suminer^: '.".-.\u25a0 --'v-
.\u25a0 * \u25a0• ' "Tha t evenfn g^ I tnad cr v pm y ' mind to
l.try, for. a' bear,' a3 n tb.ej natives- <told me
;that v ' by.cgolng | inland ;to ; a range of
mountains aibont : four miles from" wher«
,we * were \u25a0' camped \u25a0 I r d. probably/- get a
chaGce> to" 'shoot I one. ifor; tha . reindeer
were * usually * followed -by \u25a0' th© brown
bears from the, Interior. ".There was no
need to wait for break of day, continual
daylight- being: our lot. Just -then for
several -months, so I started out with »
'native* boy 'and "for; 10 -hours 'walked
.without*; seeing- anything. -but .a fe-«r
/.fresh tracks. • About, to give- up.'l sud
,'denly ,'saw what I 'supposed. were three
£ , reindeer feeding; on v«a.%hillock,about-sv «a.% hillock, about- s
mJlelaway. J * Calling the : boy's attention
\u25a0to^ tlie?bbj«cts, T he" gof-verj' "excited and
' Immediately .;wanted to go back to our
-'c'arap" for -more . 'guns,' meaning more
; 'men,?- for*; a; native '"will Inever- hunt, a
- bear. alone.. r.'l . \u0084> , I "' x, , "_ t *.
"'"I. knew* then what 'the objects were
>"and -worked around ,tosget above them*
"as "• they ' were feeding • close , to " the top
jCof "the * hill. J- 1 1 ' took . raeV an hour to
-reach^ my desired point, and, -when I
*\u25a0 glanced * over I v was" glad to see that
•they^. "hadn't " \ been 'f? disturbed. The
••'' largestVone^kept ifeedin^r: toward m».
I but waV almost, hidden by the berry
: biishes,'anil«as ; rd-h"eard that the brown
'.bear/jOi^Aiaska; Is an lugly customer
> when^wounded,"': I ' took no;,chances, but
f<waited*until.-" r he- 'carhe'', outsort '"• clear^
ground.: ; When he did he sat^up, looked
yaround'and began sniaing-'astlxough b»
s scentedv'. something rstrangej- * I flred,
hlm'.in the neck.close to
the butt of .the .ears.* for I was shooting
,^a' v*t>-55 : "Winchester ' j»' and '• knew if I
•f landed .there hetd not KQ piuch, farther.
,'>\.s'3oon^a3 ra 'flr^d I .lost sight of the
- bear,^hearins- Win:- either.^ running or
-VolJlng 'down the, hill. ,; I- then ran to a
point .'where' l 'could [see" the 'whole sldo
.valleys below to • look for the
- Qthers.";.Not:a bear' in. sfght*. Mystified
i'l* r^turn'«aJtoUh& spot Vwhere' the- first
..besirihad saw- by ~ the' blood
\u25a0 ;that~he**couldn*t'be"far.'off. "Pollowlns
r the ' tracks r I \was 'surprised -to sec his
Ijhlghnesa^ sitting up 'riot^24 .yards from
\u25a0 m?.' his'heacl'and shouldersijtist'appear
g ingf rabbyctitiie^brusb-^i I y nred."~ almost
« . taking ra{snap3liot; : I, Uieq ,wa,lted five
• . n»lhu(?C:wMch seemed more like hours.
J but Jie^ring^ no. noise Jl>worke<ls'ray»w»y
•\u25a0 : slowly *lnto the" -brush. "He
-inoved^f rom rhli tracks;*' simply . rolled
7- ov.er,,'shQt.thjro"ngh, } .theJ,h<?ad.* t , Noticing
1. nd'dther". wound , on; him I • felt ; that this
couldn't %be v the f bear. ( I'd I shot, first.* »o
> calling "the! boy land \u25a0 starting jhtm skin
i.nina::thls,one.'l'b«gan;a;searchifor the
h other.>~A,:fe,wiminuteaialanffithe;torn
;"upj path 'he'd rolled I 'found him- lodged
In raY pile^ "of f brush: \ *,',The * bullet * had
[<torn I away * and « mashed | every bon e\ in
s hla^hea'd.*."lf^he'd" If^he'd (alien . on ; a : l^ve>" »pot
\ : heinevif^; would took
j a ;'o f * Uou rs ,to\s ki n ,thetn ,• both.
} so »lt\was 'midnight^ before 'we .reached
\u25a0j the,caap<agalnil '^rbe.'larger. of-the two
.*, Bears 5* weighed '• o.ver i aQO^ pouiuls. ";. and
> the VsSlns lof ?botH . of tth^in ".trje're ; worth
i;saylnar.*»jfßutr4tfeeseraninaals-« caa't - b«
jj 1 comp^afed,* to *|h_e^beara; of . : southeastern j
/Ala»kWl.wherer a .bruter larger 'than tha
\u25a0"'B.ocky;jnoun.tainKvi3zly Jcan-be^touad.*