Cañon City record., 1904-05-19
A GOOD BEAR STORY.
J. p. Chapman Relates a Reminis-
cence Of The Michigan Woods.
How an Attempt to Cap
ture a Couple of Cubs
Got Him Into
Trouble.

Apropos of the killing of "Oid Nose"
the famous grizzly. near the S'irrup
ranch, few weeks ago. many interest
ing personal experiences have been
told by Canon City sportsmen while
bear hunting in various parts of the
country. One OF the most thrilling and
entertaining Of these stories was told
by J. p. Chapman the other day, who
WAS overheard to remark that he never
lost but one bear in his life and that he
did not make a very strenuous effort to
find it. When appealed to for the
sequel Mr.. Chapman narrated the
following incident.
'While camping in the great north
woods Of Michigan with a couple of
companions many years ago got into
a mix-up with black bear that came
near putting an end to my mundane
existence, and the only reason that
am alive tc relate the circumstance is
due to an accident which befel me
while trying to get away. II took place
in the upper peninsula OF the Wolverine
'sahNr "HiSA tNchAg yNhie h&o Vhs u
favorate resort for elk, moose. bear
and other big game. although most OF
il has been killed or driven out by
hunters and lumbermen since that
time.
As We sat about our camp fire the
first night OF our stay in the wilderness
the conversation very naturally related
to xhnt we would do in case we found
a bear or a moose the next day. for we
were novices in the hunting business
and our iberperience madeit an easy
matter to outline our course OF action.
In justice to ourselves, however. it may
be stated that we did not anticipate
such a contingency as we had discussed,
but it is the unexpected that happens,
particularly on a hunting trip, and, in
view Of the adventure which was so
soon TO occur, the conversation alluded
to zee ms prophet e. although it 10
with some humility that the acknow-
legement 10 made that the heroic con-
duct formulated at that time was not
carrie into effect.
After refreshing ourselves with a
sound sleep. such as can only be enjoy
ed in the pine woods of the north, we
ate hearty breakfast, and. having
done up the chores aocut the camp,
started out to explore the surrounding
country. We kept pretty close to-
gether for sn hour or two. but a. the
morning wore on the distance which
separated us gradually widened until
the only way we could keep in touch
was by shouting TO each other. 1t was
in the spring of the year and the al
lurements Of the woods were such as to
cause me to wander farther away into
the forest than had intended doing,
and when attempted to communicate
with my companions I was unable to
do so.
On turning around to retrace my
steps towards camp was surprised to
see two small bear cubs in . pine tree,
some thirty or forty feet from the
ground. and thoushtlessly placed my
gun against . convenient stump and
ran to the tree to keep the cubs from
coming down. With a heavy club 1
against the tree trunk and
shouted as loudly as could to my
friends to come to my assistance and
help me capture the cubs alive. OF
course. made a great deal OF noise
and the attention of the old bear was
attracted by il, although it did not oc-
cur to me that such would be the case
until heard crash in tree top be-
hind me, a d, on looking around, saw
that I vas In for Il,
In my excited Condition the old bear
seemed to be about the sire OF an
ordinary sixty-ton box car, and, as she
was coming straight at me, l did not
al and unnn the prtier nf my unipu hnt