The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-03-25
ne HIT A GRIZZLY
FIFTY-FOUR Times
But Still the Bear Was Able to
Kill the Man Who Was
Hunting Him.
a WYOMING HUNT STORY
Remarkable Account of the Vitality
and Fighting Quality of a Bad
Bear-Miaht Have Had on
Armor Plates.

able instance that ever came to my no.
tice OF urssne vitality and of the danger
Of attacking a grizzly, except under the
most favorable circumstances" said the
man from Wyoming. occurred recently
in the Wind river country of my state.
I'VE had started after a bunch Of
missing cattle. AS we were fording
Teapot creek the broncos began to
snort and rear and give evidences Of
their unwillingness to go further. We
looked about for some reason for their
action and then heard the snap and
clash of teeth and the peculiar hoglike
growl of a grizzly.
standing on his hind legs, and strip
ping the service pushes Of their succu-
lent fruit, was a big silver-top. He did
not seem to be disposed to dispute pas
sage, although his objection to the in
terruption of his feast was quite appar-
ent. In spite Of his belligerent growls
he did not discontinue his meal, but
went on raking the bushes through his
open Jaws n masticating berries,
leaves and twigs as though all We're
equally toothsome.
Upon reaching the other side of the
creek, we rode up the ban and over a
level stretch OF ground that lay at the
base of the foothills. Some one had sug-
gested taking a shot at Bruin. but the
foreman discouraged the idea calling
attention to the fact that bear hides
were not good in August and that 1T
would be necessary to find the steers
before dark.
Just Their the trail Of the cattle was
lost for a moment, n we stopped to
look around Although we. We're fully
200 yards from the bear, it was evident
that his niger owe our appearance had
not entirely cooled down.
"One of the cowboys. ALI Kennedy.
took exception to the silver-tip's mood.
With the remark, I amt going to have
no silVer-tip growlin' an snarlin' at
me- he took his rifle from his saddle
sling and proceeded to look at the mag
azine.
THE foreman tried to dissuade Ken
nedy from his intention. urging the ne
cess1ty of finding the cattle Immediate
ly. His pleading. amounting almost to
a command, fell on deaf ears, for Ken
nedy, although a splendid cowboy, was
accustomed to do as he pleased on most
occasions.
Well go on after the cattle direct
ly,' he said. 1T won't take more'n a
minute to settle that bear
Seeing that other members of the
party were examining their firearms,
Kennedy spoke up threateningly, say
ing that he wanted help from no one
and that If a shot was fired by another
man in the crowd there would be trou-
BILE. knowing Kennedy as we'll as we
did. his wishes We're complied with.
Kennedy rode down until he was
about 100 yards from the bear There
he ~dismounted and turned the head of
his horses away from the game.
LAS a brave cowpuncher he scorned
to attack the grizzly except on foot;
for, in their code Of ethics, he and men
of his stripe disdained to do anything
that would SAVIOR of the tactics of the
tenderfoot. 1t takes a brave man to
was not of the sort to shirk the task.
He stood by h side Of his horse
n drew his Dead on the grizzly. The
barrel of the rifle steadied Town for a
moment. Then came a puff of smoke
n a sharp report.
"a second later our s%training ears
caught the impact of the bullet as it
wentb back as though it had been struck
by a sledge hammer.
fright in the snout!' was the eXcla-
nation Of the foreman.
1.-THE bear disappeared for an instant,
and q second later was seen clambering
up the bank. Kennedy fred again, but
this did not stop the enraged grizzly.
He started in a numbering but surpris-
ingly rapid lope straight for the cow
boy.
Kennedy did not finch when he saw
what was before him.. The barrel of
his rifle looked as firm and rigid as a
bar of iron, so little was 1t disturbed
by the process Of ejecting the shells
and throwing the cartridge into place.
"The smoke curled upward from the
muzzle in a steady stream and the
rifles crack came with the regularity
Of clock ticks. 1t appeared to us that
Kennedy made every shot count.
THE grizzly presented an appear
ance calculated to inspire terror in the
hearts of the bravest. He was cover
ing the ground at high speed, in spite
Of his apparent awkwardness.
His numbering gait rendered him the
poorest Of targets, for the reason that
only a chance shot could strike a vital
part. AT one moment he would be
doubled UP like a jackknife, with only
his hump showing; the next he would
be stretched out at full length, like a
greyhound.
Blood spurted from nearly a dozen
wounds on his head, hump. neck-
everywhere except a spot which would
allow a bullet to stop him. He was
crashing his teeth like a wild boar, and
from his jaws dripped great flakes Of
foam, which flecked his crimson
stained hide.
I'm less time tina it takes to tell it,
Kennedy had emptied his rifle, but still
he scorned to take adantage of his op-
portunity to noun the waiting bronco
n escape. He cast his rifle aside and
drew his six-shooters, a pair of short
barreled forty-fours.
he threw his rifle away he struck
his horse with it, and the animal, al
ready v from the firing and
probably scenting the bear. started for
ward a few feet and then stopped. The
animals bride rein hung in front of
him, and the well trained cow pony sell
dom moves until the rein is thrown
back over the neck.
1.-The brennan Of the ranch had seen the
movement of the horse, which had been
unnottced by Kennedy, and shouted:
Step back with your horse, Alt! Step
back with your horse!'
But Kennedy was too busy with hts
six-shooters to heed the warning. It took
only q moment for him to empty his re-
%volvers, but, SO far as their effect on
stopping the bear was concerned, they
might as well ave been oaded with blank
cartridges.
'"rhe great, hulking brute whirled up to
within eight feet Of the dauntless cowboy
and reared on his hind legs. With ar in
describable growl Of rage he waddled
with uncertain tread TOWARD his foe. Ken
needy fired the last shots from his six
oh4n<nro yol-x thta.Ar - 49, A~oa.x 80 <hn