Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-02-27
Social Qualities ofthe Bear.

Social Qualities of the Bear.
Inc mountain ranges of Colorado are
well supplied with bears and during the
iall OF the year, when the plums and cranes
are ripe, it is nothing unusual to stumble
upon dozen or SO of the brutes in half an
hours walk. There are three distinct spe-
cles; the common brown or black bear.
Whlch still maintains precarious footbold
IN many OF the Eastern States, and is hunt
cd with much ceremony the cinnamon.
and the genuine grizzly.
The cinnamon chap is about the color of
brick dust and his fighting weight ranges
all the way from 800 10 1000 pounds. He
Is supple, active brute, and inclined to be
genuine coward. Meet him in a secluded
place and he will skulk off with his tail be-
tween his legs, like coyote; but he is apt
TO prove dangerous customer when
wounded and brought to bay. Then he as
sumes the offensive, and true rifle and a
steady nerve are required on the part of the
sportsman, or his tearship will proceed to
form an acquaintance more close than
agreeable. 1fa good tree is at hand, and
Inc hunter can scale it, so much the better,
as the cinnamons do not climb; and a
knowledge Of this fact tends to restore con-
hdence. The majority of men I Lave con-
versed with prefer to hunt them in this
way. In some instances the cinnamon. af-
Ter being badly hit, rushes at the tree up
which his antagonist has climbed for dear
liie, seizes it in his teeth, and claws and at
tempts 10 tear it down. At this critical
Juncture it is best for the hunter 10 preserve
his confposure and not fly off the handle.
The bear may keep him imprisoned an
hour or so, but bruin has a small stock of
patience, and when he ascertains that the
position is impregnable, he gives up the
Job In disgust, and retires in good order.
The grizzly, however, stands at the head
oi The bear family, and is more feared and
respected than all others. Heis treacher-
ous' sullen, malicious, desperate, ill-man-
nered, uncouth, shaggy brute-one which
stubbornly resists all advances toward
friendship, and is ready at any time to die
in the last ditch. Like the immortal "Old
Guard' of Napoleon, your genuine grizzly
never surrenders, but is game to the last
The grizzly has lordly, Independent bear
ing, and on his native mountain sides or in
the forests, will hardly deign to make room
for man himself If you meet one in the
road, the chances are that he will not bulge
an inch, unless he happens 20 be in an ac-
commodatIng mood, and then he will trot
out one side few yards, rear himself up
ON his enormous launches, and graciously
wait for you to pass. No matter whether
you are armed with a breach-loadlng Bal
lard, needle-gun, Winchester or Sharpe,
never attack grizzly alone, or out in the
open country.
The only safe position is on the back ofa
good horse, or in the limbs of cottonwood
tree. Many persons, disregardlng this ad-
vice, have paid for their temerity with
their lives; for no matter where you shoot
grizzly whether through the heart or
brain-box, he never gives up the ghost
without struggle, and will fight as long
as he can lift paw. Practical illustrations
of the fighting powers OF the grlzzley are to
be seen in these mountain regions nearly
every day. The other morning your cor
respondent encountered a miner from Fair
play, who had come down to The valley re-
gion for supplies. His personal appearance
was, TO say the least, peculiar. He carried
his right arm in sling; one eye was twist
cd upwards his face was scratched and
torn, and indented with ridges while his
head was as guiltless of hair as a billiard
bail. At first I supposed he had been in
vited by some of the friendly Indians to q
calping picnic as a chief per former; but,
in conversation, 1t turned out that he had
received each and all these grlevous wounds
from the claws of a grizzly.
The grizzly bear attains his full growth
in four years. At six he is in his prime
and able to cope with any animal In exis-
tence. The majestic lion may be consider
ed the king OF beasts, so far as looks are
concerned, but he would stand very poor
show in the hug of grizzly. Tho average
weight of grizzly is 300 pounds, but
quite number have been killed in this To-
cality who kicked the beam at 800. Old
man Griffin, OF Cannon, one of the early
settlers, and reputed to be the sharpest and
most courageous bear hunter in these parts,
knocked over a grizzly last fall that weigh
ed 1000 pounds after being dressed. The
claws OF this fellow were large enough to
anchor a good sized sloop, being nine inch
es in length. He fought to the last and
with three balls square through his heart,
charged upon the enemy, and dropped
down stone dead so close to the old man
that he could touch him with his paw.
They tell story around here of a foolish
young fellow, residing on Current Creek,
who made bet that he would lasso griz-
ely and bring him into camp. He made
the experiment, and slipped good moose
over Mr.. Grizzly but the latter sat down