The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-11-03
DEADLY BEAR DUEL.
Caught in the Same Trap Animals
Fight to a Finish.

| buQ HAWKINS, VINO lives up JOCKEY
Cap mountain way. reported that he
had seen big black bear between
the Cap and Shrewsbury Peak. Hank
promptly set out with trap and the
carcass of horse to look for the bear
He found tracks by Shelter Spring
and followed them up the mountain
using his old mare to snake his bait
At convenient point he set the trap
threw the dead horse in pit just be
You'd and went home.
The next morning he got Bud tC
take his gun and go to the trap with
him. The men had reached a point
within sight of the trap when Hank
stopped and motioned Bud to remain
silent.
Holy smoke he whispered hoarse
ly. this two bar in tn trap, an they
be a-fightin' like all persessed."
Bud poked the bushes apart with his
gun and fairly gasped There, within
twenty rods of him We're two full
grown bears clawing and biting at
each other and screeching as though
Satan had got into them. Each was
caught by a hind leg and with the
other three they were clawing away
for dear life. The ground all about
was covered with blood and hair and
| from appearances the combattants had
| been battling for nearly an hour. The
| animals were about of a size and up
| to the time the hunters arrived hon
ors were easy.
Which one f EN- will sock fust?"
inquired Bud as soon as he recovered
fr1m his surprise.
Of
manded Hank after a moments medi-
tation. I've allus been fur fair play
an 'twouldn't be fair. Let 'em fight it
out an tn best bar win"
WAL we be fool, Hank" ejacu-
lated Bud disgustedly. Likes not
both of EN- II git away"
But Hank insisted. 1t was appar-
ent to both men that each bear
thought the other had got him into the
scrape and each was desperately try
ing to wreak vengeance on the other.
The carcass Of the horse had not been
touched, and thus it was plain that
they had arrived together and been
caught simultaneously.
The animals We're too much occu-
pied to notice the hunters and kept at
the fight undsturbed. The battle was
fast and furious and there was no
resting between rounds. At times the
animals stood up and boxed. each
waiting for chance to catch the
other in a death embrace; at other
times they crouched like cats and
sprang with the fury of lions. All
the time they roared and screeched
in rage. Now and then one would
,n tnI, no 9th Ii 10, o,,I ~;
off patch of hair as large as a
mans hand.
The battle continued for nearly an
hour before there was any signs of
letting up. Then one of the animals,
which appeared to have broken
small bone in the ankle held in the
trap, strained out Of his opponents
reach and licked such of his wounds
as he could reach. This gave the
other an opportunity to rest, and he
too lay down and cared for himself.
After an interval of five minutes
they went at it again with louder
roars and renewed fury. tearing and
biting and getting in a hug now and
then that would have crushed the life
out of a yearling bull. But the bears
ribs seemed to be made of rubber,
and the moment one could shake off
his antagonist he was after him as
though the fearful hug had been an
affectiOnate embrace.
Such an encounter could not keep
up indefinitely and after what SEEM
ed to the hunters half the forenoon
the bear with the broken ankle bone
began to fail and in an unwary mo-
ment the other got him in a strangle
hold. The squeezed bear stood it
for few moments, then his eyes
bulged out his tongue protruded,
and he began to wayer. AS soon as
the squeeZer saw the advantage he
had gained, he redouhled his efforts,
and the squeezed gradually sank to
the ground and finally breathed his
last.
The victorious bear had hardly
strength enough to sit on the body of
the dead one, and Hank declared that
he would go down and liberate him.
lie had, he said, earned his freedom,
and he would give it to him if it was
the last good deed of his life. Bill
eNpostuated. but to no purpose, and
the two men advanced The bear
regarded them suspiciously, but was
too weak to take much account Of
their presence and he allowed them
TO set within a few feet before he
staggered to his feet and growled
Hank got stick and managed to
set it in the jaws of the trap, Then
he pried the teeth slowly apart. The
bear felt his numb foot free and he
pulled it ont Then. like any other
Well-hred bear, he lunged after his
ltbeTator. Hank and Bud went up
tree, dropping the gun, and the bear
attempted to follow. His leg was too
numb. so he sat at the bottom and
groWled, But gradually his head
sank ON his chest and he went the
way of his mate
\ dainty lot of China and Glass
ware At buncan's, 1876 Main street.
north OF First National bank.
Times Slpxyrr