The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-02

and. believe it or not. just as you like.
We found by observation and watchfulness
that an old she bear that had once been
badly wounded in a similar spring trap
had come there and had deliberately sprung
our traps so that they would not catch
her FAMILY. We took such an interest In
sagacity that we did not go on a hunt for
her, but moved our camp several miles
further away in the mountains Tor rear
we might unknowingly STAY such an inter-
esting animal.
MONEY IN BEAR HUNTING.
How do w make any money out OF
bear hunting? Why, from the sale of the
skins, the grease and the trophies, to be
sure. There are several items OF money
making from bears nowadays that were
not worth anything thirty years ago. a
good-sized black bear. killed at the fall of
the year. now is worth from $40 TO SO.
1t all depends upon how the slayer takes
care of the carcass and markets the sala-
bic parts of bruins anatomy. The skin,
if it is full, glossy and heavy with fat,
will bring $50 TO $50. / have sold some in
San Francisco for $45. and the furrier has
made them UP with glass eyes and a lot
of fancy wooden trimmings in rugs that
sold at $125 each. The grease from a
bear, If properly fried out so as TO make it
pure and sweet. will bring from IS TO s2
~N1 I'll lHC Quasi II ~ DAN
II In great quantities for cooking purposes.
Tor the use of their bodies for rheurpa-
tism. bruises and wounds. Ffve-ga1on
cans OF the stuff are sent back TO New
York and London for hair preparation. so
L am told. Then there are the claws that
are bought by the hundreds by dealers
IN curios in every town where the Eastern
tourists flock in the winter season. There
is no Fixed value on bear claws. because
gift, while others want them for orna-
nents at home or for some museum or
some private collection of curiosities. and
will pay big money for them. L generally
get about $3.50 a paw for my bear claws.
but have sometimes got So and "a each for
them. A good fat bear that is killed so
near a town or a mining or ranch camp
that the meat can be cut up. and sold
while II is fresh is worth anywhere from
81 TO 81 for the meat alone. There are
thousands of the old-timers among the
mountains and in the mining camps of
CalfoFnia that would rather have bear
steak for a meal than any ducks and quail
that were ever bagged. i nave sold the
bones of four of the bears L have killed
10 persons who wanted them for mount
ing as skeletons in museums. but usually
we let the bones and about 200 pounds of
Drums flesh and entrails lie on the
ground. where we cut the critter up. 1t
takes three or four days to get a big bear
fried out for market. because up in the
mountains we have every thing primitive,
and none of the co%nveniences of a butcher
shop"
And now tell me. please. about how
bears act when at homer" asked the re-
porter;
teresting beasts on four feet to watch than
a family of black bears-mark me. I'm
saying black bears. for grizzlies are the
meanest, most sullen and selfish oruteS /
ever observed. except, possibly, the lynx.
A male black bear is a good, faithful
father TO his children and a generous and
brave helpmate to Mrs. Bruin. Ny part
ner and L have spent hours in summer
hiding and watching through our spy
glasses what was going on in a cavern
like spot. or in some tall timber across.
a canyon, or on some mountain side oppo-
site us. We've once or twice seen the old
man bear come lounging home with a lit
tie Iporker in his paws, and give It all up
10 MS wife and cubs. taking only what
they chose to leave him: and lots of times
1 have seen the he or she bear go out to-
gether. walking along like two lovers, TO
forage for grub for the cubs at home.
The funniest thing about black bears
is to see how they teach the little ones
good manners. Many a time my partner
and 1 nave snickered to see a father bear
turn about and cuff his offspring because
heels or was too frisky about the family
cave to suit the old fellow. Bear cubs are
born blind, and do not open their eyes
until three weeks old. There are usually
cubs stay at home until they are about a
year old. and then make homes for them
selves, because at about that time there is
likely TO be more arrivals in the family.
TIL average life of black bears is twenty
two years, but I've met some bear hunters
from Nevada and oregon who say they
seldom live IN that way beyond eighteen
years. but grizzlies will live thirty years
or more, All hunters disagree as to how
long or how regularly bears hibernate in
California. Some hunters. who know
what they are talking about. say that
black bears never really hibernate in Cal
ifornia. and there are others who will sit
All might around a cabin fire and tell why
they know some bears sleep a month or
two every winter. and others will sleep
only a week or so at a stretch. AS for
me- L know that bears do hibernate in
California, for I've caught them in the
act"