Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-12-09
HUNTING WITH CANNON.
WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER OF
GRIZZLY BEARS.
The Carcass OF Horse Formed the Bait
With Which the Animals Were At
traeted and Two Howitzers Formed
the Weapons of Destruction.

Ah@ nH6pons OF DESTRUCTION.
Along in the early fifties the grizzly
bears were SO plentiful in the canyons
near Fort Fillmore. N NJ, that
domestic animals were in constant
peril from their nightly incursions
In fact, they were dreaded by Lore
travellers almost as much as the saw
age and hostile Apaches.
! had occasion during my sojourn
in FL Paso, Texas, at that early period
Of the history Of that country to visit
Fort Fillmore. / was detained there
several days and made my headquar-
tors at the post with the sutler.
The second day after my arrival
one OF the cavalry horses. while play
ing in a corral, received a vicious
Kick from another horse. On ex-
animation it was thought to be i'm
possible for the poor brute ever TO
recover from the wound SO as TO be
Of any use. and to put him out OF his
misery he was shot and hauled up
the canyon, about q mile from the
fort.
AS it was we'll known that there
would be a grand carnival OF the
grizzlies and other wild beasts over
the carcass that night, the boys, +"
that is Lieutenant Cook and others,
consisting OF quite a respectable cor
porars guard, concluded to witness
the feast. The sky was clear and in
that soft, transparent atmosphere the
full moon lit up the canyon almost
equal to midday.
We selected two small brass howitz-
ers from the battery OF six guns and
loaded them almost to the muzzle
with grape shot and canister. We
then hauled our ordnance to within
convenient range Of the carcass and
secreted ourselves in ambush behind
a clump OF cactL
We waited some three hours,
which seemed almost an age to the
eager watchers. and about 10 o'clock
the first intimation OF the approach
ing carnival was made known By the
distant howl Of pack OF hungry
coyotes. 1ney were not long. how
ever. in putting in an appearance. in
such force that it was all we could
do 10 prevent Sergeant McGilYey
opening the battery on them. We
reserved our charge for the larger
game. as we knew the grizzly would
not fail TO attend the feast.
We had begun to despair OF the
coyotes leaving anything for the
bear. when, fortunately, monster
spotted tiger appeared on the scene.
putting the coyotes to flight and, tax
ing possession OF the banquet, pro.
ceeded in the most ravenous manner
to conduct the interesting ceremonies
alone. He did not enjoy his mo-
nopoly long. however. for few min.
utes later the awe-inspiring growls
Of three large grizzlies were heard in
chorus over the banquet table and in
turn putting to flight that beautifully
freckled but somewhat discounted
iaguar.
BY the time we had placed our
guns in position two more monster
grizzlies had arrived at the feast,
making five of the huge beasts. that
caused the ground to tremble by their
roars and savage growing as they
tore the carcass to pieces and fought
each other like demons.
Suddenly the deafening roar Of the
two guns, almost simultaneously,
awoke the echoes OF the canyon, and
also the fears Of the two remaining
grizzlies. leaving three Of their num-
Der dead and wounded on the battle
field.
The whole scene was in plain view
from my position, and | remained
secreted under that cactus (a large
variety of what is generally known as
prickly pear until the guns had
been heavily charged again. and was
fully satisfied that the bears were In
no condition to give further trouble.
Two Of the bears were killed out
right. says the Philadelphia Times.
being literally torn to pieces by the
canister, and the third was so badly
mangled that he lived perhaps half
an hour in great agony.
BY the time we had taken a topo.
graphical survey of the CORY field ii
was past midnight, and we concluded
Ito make night Of it, p hoping for q
return OF the coyotes
About A o'clock in the morning tho
distant wall. of hungry coyote told
us OF the commencement Of their
march to second banquet at the
augmented table Of good things. II
seemed that the wall of that lone
coyote was re-echoed by thousand
ravenous throats, and in less than
thirty minutes a bowling mob OF
them were tearing TO pieces and
over the remains Of both
horse and bears.
When the guus again belched forth
the deadly messages the earth trem.
bled, the carnival ceased and quiet
once more reigned over the scene.
In looking over the field OF destruc-
tion after the battle was over we did
not find whole coyote and q few
whole heads, but calculated the mum
Der slain by their tails, finding TWEEN
ty-seyen.
As the reveille sounded we wheeled
our guns into line and started for the