The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-07-12
A TOUGH CUSTOMER.
Tho Brown Bear OF Alaska II q
M&H Courageous Fighter.
A Instance Of the IeaE3ossnoos Of tAA
Animal-A Few Words Of Advice
from . Hunter Who IL Eonil.
lar with 1ts Habits.

| r16Om . hU0tOe VINO 10 COl0Us-
! lar with 1ts Habits.
A sportsman writing to the san
Francisco Chronicle advises others who
may complain that the California gris-
zly is growing scarce and losing hia
nerve that there Is q foeman worthy
his lead in the brown bear of Alaska
He thus describes the brute and hip
habitat: The northern side of tho
Keuai peninsula, bordering the shores
Of Cooks inlet, Kodiak island and the
Alaskan peninsula as far west as Uni
max island, are the habitat of the Alas
kan brown bear (ursus Richardsonii), i,
huge, shaggy animal, varying in
length from six to twelve feet, and
weighing from eight hundred to If
teen hundred pounds. This animal
ness Of his southern cousin, the grizzly,
and has been hunted SO little as yet
that he is absolutely fearless of man:
and is an exceedingly dangerous adI;
versary. The island Of Kodiak, being
more settled than the other localities
mentioned, is less favorable a. hunt
ing ground for the sportsman than the,
wilder regions adjacent. This Is espe7
oially true of the eastern and wooded
end of the island. On the west the
country is more open, and on that ac7
count seems to be preferred by the
bear. There is still good sport to be'
had in certain localities hereabout,,
and native guides can always be OBJ
At % In lila o&<~,o tAA an thu
shores of the bays or on the banks Of
the salmon streams In this vicinity.
Being an expert fisher tho bear he4
quents during the salmon season sl1l
the rivers emptying into the Behringl
sea and the North Pacific and their
tributaries as far as the fish go. After
the salmon run is over the animal re-
treats into the recesses of tho hills
where berries and small game arsl
plentiful.
The brown bear is the great road
maker Of this part of Alaska. Not
only are the banks of the stzeams
trodden into good trails by tho huge
numbering brutes, but the swampy
plains are crossed in every directionI
by paths leading to the hills The I
traveller viii do well to follow them In
his journeying across tho county, ss|
| they invariably lead to the best ford
ing places Of streams and form thoi
Ioasiest routes to tia hills Ii 81
ls<sg =
bears habitat Is, a. yet. undetermined,
but have seen them in the interior as
far a. latitude 81 degrees, and they
~f>sh h1~r ~, sksl1 $ue$hAD r.g.-
The mainland Of Alaska adjacent 10
the island of Unga is full Of brown
bears, and, although somewhat small
or than those found on the west side
Of Cooks inlet, they are sufficiently
fierce and aggressive. Some officers
from one of the vessels Of the Behr-
ing sea feet went ashore at Herendeen,
bay during the summer of 1891 on q
deer hunt, and one of the party saw
Q bear about one hundred yards dis
tant eating berries. Without a thought
Of the conseq uences he raised his gum
and fred at the animal. The shot
port of the gun the bear started for
the hunter on the dead run. His
charge was met by q shower of bullets
from the officers repeater, but, al
though badly wounded, the infuriated
brute did not hesitate an instant, but
rushed straight at his enemy. When
within about ten feet Of the hunter.
the bear rose on his launches and pro-
pared to close. Blood was pouring in
streams down his body. One bullet
had shattered his upper jaw, but hs4
was still so full Of fight that the OUT
come of the struggle would have beenI
extremely doubtful had not another Of
tho party arrived and ended the Aght'
by shooting the brute through tho!
brain. An examination of the bears
body showed that it had been struck
six times. Three Of the shots were In,
parts of the body ordinarily consid-
cred vital, and would doubtless hsve
ultimately caused death; but the VI
tality of these animals is almost in
credible, instances having been cited
OF their running over q hundred yards
after being shot through the heart.
Ono Of the best places in Alaska To-
find the brown bear 10 in the vicinity
Of Portage bay, ton or twelve miles
ecross Unga strait dom Sand point
AZ INC 1otto1 pA8co 0OtoA usso 1oCoASl
" been erected where visiting sports-
men can be assured of comfortable
quarters. Tho ptsrmigan shooting ID
excellent on these islands, and deer
Il plentiful. If that kind Of sport is
more desirable. The bear hunter,
however, will not have any cpuso for
complaint on account Of scarcity Of
his particular variety OF game. Last
summer, while I was 1t Sand point
two hunters came in after IN absence
Of little over . month in tho vicinity;
Of Portage bay and reported having
killed thirty-three besrA On one dAyj
alone they killed seven. In order 20
show that they were not spinning hum
ters' yarns they had brought the slEine
with them and sold them at the tradi90
post at Sand point. In dealing wath
the Alaskan bear hunter should new
er 60 alone. A companion isalmost ~
essential as gun. '5~5~'