St. Landry democrat., 1878-06-08
Habits of the Black Bear.

Habits OF the Black Bear.
i letter dated Bethel, Maine, March
u, printed in Forest and Stream, gives
the writer's personal observations Of the
habits of the black bear as follows:
"These hot days remind old hunters
that the bears are about awakening out
of their long winter sleep. They 60 into
den at different times in different years,
according to the abundance or scarcity
of berries. 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 November. Sometimes they make
their quarters in nice, snug room in a
ledge: at others, in hollow logs, in hollow
standing trees, under the bottom of trees
partly turned up by the roots, and even
under large brush heaps, after the snow
gets deep. They often come cut in mid
winter, in heavy thaw, and take
round turn of mile or more and return
to their old quarters again, thus show
ing that it is the warm weather
which brings them out, and not
because they have got their nap
out. I have often seen where the bear
has camped on the snow crust by break
ing boughs of evergreen or tearing dry,
rotten logs to pieces for nice, warm
bed. They sometimes leave their winter
quarters early in March, and make some
other place a temporary abode until
spring opens. Ihave known them to lay
themselves away for six months at
time in a cave in ledge In the deep
reeesses of the forest, in utter solitude,
where the dampness of the rocks only
added 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
nourishment, for the exhaustion of the
system is 80 little that they usually
come out in the spring in as good condi-
ton as they enter their dens in the fall
generally fat. '
Before going into the den they eat
but very little 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 fora
long time. They first eat spears of
green grass, then frogs and fish as soon
the little brooklets 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
begin to follow 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 those
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
ook alike, and they are sure of the first
bear that comes along. At this time,
which is about the first of June in
1orthern Maine, the bears will stretch up |
against fir tree and bite large strips of
bark and wood from the tree. Some
'eople suppose this is to obtain balsam
o heal their toes which they have sucked
III winter, and 80 made tender. ] suppose
t is done because they feel savage and
Vant to try their teeth. Others suppose
is done to let other bears know that
hey have been there. The next move
hey make after week or two of
his tramping, is to traverse second growth
and, or where a few years before extern
i've forest fires have destroyed the orig.
,al trees and much down timber is the
asult. Here they finish up the summer
caring rotten logs to pieces for. The ants
nd gruba they can find, until berries
0SAA w IiPoH.
1.-The cry of the bear varies according
the circumstances which occasion it.
in trap, the adult will make grunt,
lueal Or coarse noise, very loud AMI long;
calling their cubs from some distant
'ints where they have left them, the
'und il like voice of q woman calling
udly, and if they are merely giving
otice TO each other while feeding or in
'npany, and not far apart, they whistle !,
ute sharp and loud, and if suddenly
artled by man or beast, they usually
AXE loud snort, which is like three !
four coarse whistles together
A Fragment. II
When il became N, aehnnxr,l Il d,.c,9 G, 4