West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-07-10


y covered with brush and fallen timber.
Two OF the party walked round by the
euge oil the stream, but the third, "A
herman and very powerful fellow,
ionowed wcll-beaten game-trail lead
ing through the bushy point When
thcv were some forty yards apart the
TWO men heard an agonized shout from
the German, and mt the same time the
loud coughing growl or roar of bear.
They turned just in time to see their
companion struck terrible blow on the
head by a grizzly, which must have
been reused from its lair by his almost
stepping on it; so close was il that he
had no time to fire his rifle, but merely
helG 1t up over his head "a n guard. OF
course 1t was struck down, the claws
oil the great brute at the same time
shattering his skull like an egg-shell
Inc man staggered on some ten feet
before no fell; but whom he did fall he
never spoke or moved again. The two
Others killed the bear after short.
orlsk struggle, as he was in the midst
OF a most determined charge.
In 1872, near Fort Wingate. n. NJ
TWO soldiers OF cavalry regiment came
to their death at the claws of grizzly
bear. The army surgeon who attended
Them told me the particulars, so far ne
they were known. They were mail
carriers, and one day did not come in
at the appointed time. Next day a re-
lief party was sent out 90 look for them.
and after some search found the bodies
OF both, as well as that OF one of the
horses. One of the men still showed
signs OF me- he came To- his senses be-
iore dying, and told the story. They
had seen ~ grizzly and pursued it on
horseback with their Spencer rifles.
On coming close, one had fred into its
side, when IL turned with marvellous
quickness for SO large and unwieldv
an animal, and struck down the horse.
"a the same time innicting n CHASTITY
wound on the rider. The other man
dlsmounted and came up to the rescue
OF his companion. The bear then left
the latter aud attacked the other. AL
though hit by the bullet, it charged
nome and threw the man down. and
then lay on him and deliberately bit
him to death; his groans and cries were
lrlghtful to hear. Afterwards it walked
oil into the bushes without again offer
ing to modest the already mortallv
wounded victim of its first assault.
AT certain times the grizzly works
good deal of havoc among the herds of
the stockmen. A friend of mine. n
ranchman in Montana, told me that
one fall bears became very plenty
around his ranches, and caused him
severe loss, killing with ease even full
grown beef-steers. But one of them
once found his intended quarry too
much for him. My friend had stockv.
rather vicious range stallion, which had
Deen grazing one day near a small
| tllrEpt nf Inns -
came galloping in with three or four
gaShes IN one haunch, that looked as if
they mad been cut with a dull axe. The
cowboys knew at once that he had
been assailed by bear, and rode off To
the thicket near which he had been
FEEDING. Sure enough bear. evil
IDENTITY in very bad temper, sailed out
as soon as the thicket was surrounded.
and, after a spirited fight and a sue.
cesslon OF charges, was killed. On ex-
animation, it was found that his under
Jaw was broken, and part of his face
smashed IN, evidently by the stallon's
h2ois. The horse had been feeding.
when the bear leaped out ut him. but
ialled to Kill at the first strokes; then the
horse lnshed out behind, and not only
freed himself but also seriously dam
aged his opponent
Doubtless the grizzly could be hunted
TO advantage with dogs, which would
not, of course, be expected to seize him
but simply to find and bay him. and
distract his attention by barking and
nlpping Occasionally a bear can be
caught in the open and killed with the
aid OF horses. But nine times ont of
ten the only way TO get one is to put on
moccasins and still-hunt it in its own
haunts, shooting it Mt close quarters
Either its tracks should be followed I'M
TIL the bed wherein it lies during the
day Is found, or a given locality in
/ which 1t is known to exist should be
carefully beaten through, or else bait
should be left out and a watch kept on
1t to catch the bear when he has come
| to visit it,
during last summer we found it nee
essary TO leave my ranch on the Little
Missouri and take quite a long trio
through the cattle country of Southeast
ern Montana and Northern Wyoming.
and having come TO the foot Of the Big
| horn Moutains we took fortnighCs
hunt through them after elk and bear.
we went into the mountains with a
! pack-train, leaving the ranch-wagon at
the place where we began to 90 up tho
|
| besides myself in the party: one of
/ them, the teamster, weather-beaten
old painsman who possessed most
/ eXtraord nary stock of miscellaneous
mislniorluation upon every conceivable
| subject and the other. my ranch fore
man, Mcrriield. Mortified was origin
/ ally an Eastern backwoodsman. and
during the last year or two has been
my .FduS AchGtes Of the hunting-feId.
He is n well-built, good-looking fellow.
an excellent rider, first-class shot and
a keen sportsman. None Of us had ever
been within two hundred miles of the
Big Horn Range before, so that our
hunting trip had the added rest of being
also an exploring expedition
Zach Of MS rode one pony, and the
packs were carried on four others We
we're not burdened by much baggage.
Having no tent we took the canvas
wagon-sheet instead: our bedding.
plenty Of spare cartridges. some -four.
bacon. coffee, sugar and salt. and few
very primitive cooking utensils com
pleted the outfit
The Big Horn Range is a chain of
bare rocky peaks. stretching length
wise along the middle Of table-land
which is about thirty miles wide At
its edges this table-land falls sheer Of
into the rolling plains couriry From,