The record-union., 1896-10-01
THE BEST BAIT FOR GRIZZLIES.
Small Mice VIII Lure the Fierce AMI
mails When other rleat Fails.

You want to know how we get griz-
zlies nowadays, do you? Well, let, me
tell you that a hunter don't have to
scheme at all to get sight Of grizzly,
for the critters are never modest or
scarce about putting themselves in your
way. Grizzlies don't care If whole
battery of Gatling guns are trained
dead on them. If hunter is not ex-
perienced it will require more cunning
end skill for him to get out of the sight
of a grizzly than 1t will for him to come
in sight of one.
Since I first came across the Rock
les to these mountains, thirty-one years
ago, the Indian has been awed and
tanned down, but civilization has not
added one iota of sweetness to the griz-
zly bears temper or tended to dull his
claws or loosen his teeth. He's not so
numerous as formerly by g. good sight,
but he's the same ferocious, daredevil,
cross critter he always was.
so far as danger IS concerned, be-
lieve there is more in trapping the griz-
Ely than there is chasing him with a
rifle. Lots of people won't believe 1t
until they have been out in the mount
aims and seen for themselves. Our
traps are big, heavy iron instruments,
as heavy as three Of the common bear
traps of the East, and with jaws so stiff
IL requires three men using lever to
force them open so they can be set. We
attach a strong chain to the trap the
same as they do for small fry game In
the East, but our chains are strong
enough for log chains. At the other
end of the chain Is attached an iron
ring or band six or eight inches In diam
eter. This is forced by pounding 1t with
a maui over the end Of log six feet
long and big enough around to make the
iron band fit tight. When grizzly
steps on the pan of one of these great
traps and the stiff jaws close on his
legs the heavy log serves as hindrance
to him, as he drags 1t along by the
chain on his retreat to his haunts In
the tangly thioket he favors.
"A great heap Of scheming has to be
used in setting a trap for grizzly
bear, for he Is almost as suspicious as
a fox, and he will frequently desert
what has the appearance of good meal
II he makes up his mind danger Is lurk-
ing near. I've known a hunters hat
accidentally left a few yards from a
bear trap to make grizzlies suspicious
for a fortnight at time. A grizzly
never heSltaleS 10 TlSk danger tHdI ne
may see positively confronting or chal-
longing him In the way Of hunter,
dog, or anything else, but a suspicious
looking object, the nature of which he
caEnot understand, is enough to start
him off about his business and to keep
him moving until he has placed a good
extent Of territory between him and the
cause Of his fear.
"A person would naturally think the
best feeding for a great powerful beast
like this would be all kinds Of bloody
flesh and bones, the same as lions and
tigers enjoy. But it's little ground mice,
gophers, chipmunks, moles, crickets and
grubs that a grizzly likes best of ALL
Once trapped for a straight week up
in Fresno County for big grizzly that
was prowling about mining camp
where I was staying, but I failed In
every attempt made to lead the willy
beast into my trap. 1t was plain the
bear was suspicious Of my contrivance,
and could not be tempted. / was about
to give him up as a bad job, when I
heard a ground mouse squealing near
where the trap was set, and made up
my mind to give the bear one trial with
a few Of these little fellows as coaxers.
After a long search / caught dozen
mice. and, covering UP my trap care