Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-06-19

A letter dated Bethel, Me-, March 18th,
printed In Forest md Stream, gives the
writer's personal observations of the hab
its of the black bear, rs follows:
These hot days remind old hunters that
the bears are about awakening out Of their
long winter sleep. They 90 into den at
different times in different years. accord
ing to the abundance or scarcity of ber-
ries. In years of plenty they prowl
about until the last of December, and
even the first of January; at other times
they have been known to den up in No
yember. Sometimes they make their
quai tiers in II nice, snug room in Il ledge;
AT others in hollow logs, in hollow stand
Ing trees, under the bottoms of trees part
y turned up by the roots and even under
large brush heaps, after The snow get,
deep. They often come out in mid-win-
ter, in heavy thaw, and take round
turn of mile or more, and return 10 their
old quarters again, thus showing that it is
tile warm weather which brings them out,
and not because they have got their nap
out. | have often seen where bear has
camped on the snow-crust by breaking
boughs OF evergreen or tearing dry rotten
| logs 10 pieces for Il nice, warm bed. They
sometimes leave their winter quarters
early in March, and make some other
| place II temporary abode until spring
opens. | have known them to lay them
selves away Tor SIX months at u time in n
cave or ledge in the deep recesSes of the
forest, in utter solitude, where the damp
ness OF the rocks only ad ed to the dismal
surroundings. They are supposed by
many to suck their claws during their long
isolation, but they do not; neither do they
require any Eourlshmenl, for the eXhaus-
ton of the system is so little that they
usually come out in us good condition
IN the spring rs they entered in the fall
generally fat.
Before going into their den they eal
but very lIule for some time, and so
prepare themselves by degrees for their
long fasting; and when they come out in
the Spring they are very dainty for II long
time. Iney first eat spears OF green grass,
| hen frogs and fish rs soon rs the little
brooklels open.
After the snow is gone and the fish work
up the little streams in the woods and
heritage begins TO spring up, the bears be-
gin 10 fellow the shore of ponds and
| streams in search of food and other bears
AT this season they rub their feet deep in
the ground and make deep steppings, and
all other bears that happen along in these
paths will step in the same foot marks So
hunters set their traps in one of these deep
| tracks and cover it SO that they all look
| alike, and they are sure of the first bear
| that comes along. AT this time, which is
about the first of June in Northern Maine,
the bears will ST. etch up against IA Fir tree
and bite large strips of bark and wood
from the tree. Some people suppose this
is u obtain balsam to heal their toes which
they have sucked all winter, and 81 made
tender. suppose it is done because they
teel savage and want to try their teeth.
Others suppose it is to let other bears know
that they have been there. The next move
they make, after week OF two of this |
Irampng, is to traverse second growth
land, or where II few years before exten
sive forest fires have destroyed the original
trees and much down timber is the result |
Here they finish up the summer, tearing
rotten logs to pieces Tor the ants and grubo |
they can find, until berries begin to ripen
The cry Of the bear varies according to
the circumstances which occasion it, Ii
IN Il trap, the adult will make grunt,
squGal, or coarse noise very loud ard long
# calling their cubs from IL distant point,
where they have left them, the sound is |
like the voice of "A woman calling loudly, |
and If they are merely giving notice to
each other while feeding or in company
and not far apart, they whistle quite sharp
and loud, and if suddenly startled by IA |
man or beast, they usually make loud
snort, which is like three or four coarse
whistles together,