The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-10
A NEW MExICO BEAR HUNT.
Clay COOper's Seventy-Fifth Griz-
ely and the Tussle She Gave Him.

Clay COOper's SeVenty-Fifth Griz-
ely and the Tussle She Gave Him.
From the New York Tribune.
Socorro. ". M.-Clay Cooper, whose home
is in the western part of socorro county,
New Mexico, is a great bear hunter. The
region in which he lives is wild and rug
ged, broken by vast mountains and terri
BILE canyons and very thinly settled. On
a recent visit of a friend into that district
the two sat under a majestic pine in the
dooryard at McGrath's ranch, and Mr.
Cooper, who is one of the most pleasant
and genial of men, readily acquesced.
'In the first place l must tell YOU" he
said, that to hunt bear successfully one
must have dogs trained to the business.
While the bear is heavy. clumsy-looking
brute, there IS no more cunning and eau
tious animal living; one might hunt bear
for months without dogs and never catch
sight of one, and even if one did it would
be by the merest accident. They feed in
the early morning or late in the evening
During the day they lie concealed in the
dense thickets which may be found high
up on the sides of the mountains They
feed on pinon nuts, juniper berries and
acorns. They usually make their bedding
ground two or three miles from the feed
ing places.
ION the 10Th of last September l packed
my burros-six in all - saddled my bear
horse Spanish Black. and rode over into
Wilson canyon, about five miles from my
home. where I went into camp at a spring
about three miles from the mouth of this
canyon which opens out upon the valley
of the Rio Tularcsa.
Il had been over there a day or two be-
fore, ana had located the feeding-ground
of several bears near a little spring about
a mile and half above where l was camp
ed. My camp was an ideal spot there
were plenty of wood, a clear, cold spring
and good grass for my stock. In hunting
bear do not think it best to make a very
early start. This gives the bear plenty of
time to get back to his bed and go to sleep
before he is routed out by the dogs.
Il saddled up the next morning about
$50 o'clock, got my dogs-Rock, Sheriff,
Ringwood and Boss-together, mounted
Spanish Black, who could travel the rough
est country and keep his feet, and with
my forty-ive ninety Winchester and six
shooter in place started for the feeding
ground of the bears.
when we reached the pinon wood l
sent the dogs in, and it was only a few
moments before old Rock struck their
trail. 1t was probably four hours old. they
having been in early for their breakfast,
and led back to their bedding-ground high
up on the mountain.
Rock, followed by the other dogs, kept
the trail steadily. and in little more than
half an hour started the bears from their
beds in the head Of a dark canyon, thickiy
covered with trees and brush. There were
three of them. an old she bear and two big
cubs They circled around to the left with
the dogs yelling in hot pursuit. / follow
ed at my best speed-which was not great.
as the country was much brolen-at from
one-half to a mile behind
I'm crossing the head of a canyon that
ran down to Apache creek, another branch
of the Tularosa, the dogs ran 80 close
upon them that one of the cubs left Its
mother and took Off down this gulch. Two
of the dogs followed the cub, but Rock
and Sheriff kept on after the others. The
riding here was terrible, but Spanish
Black took powders, fallen trees and rock
slides all alike. and fairly outdid himself
in trying TO keep up with them. Blythe
way. old Spanish Black enjoys the sport
| almost as keenly as ! DO myself
ION coming to a deep canyon, / found
the dogs had stopped the game on the op.
posite side, high up among the brush and
| powders. They were having a terrible