The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-12-26
Albert H. Modricker.

want to hear some stories about big
game? Well, I don't know any
other way than just to fire ahead.
"Well, speaking of game, there is
still big game in Arizona. Deer
and antelope alone have decreased.
A decade ago deer was plentiful in
the mountains around Phoenix and
antelope ran in great bands in the
great Grand Canyon region.
Though 500 a scalp is paid for
their slaughter, mountain lions and
bear are numerous in the Mazatzal,
Magollon and Sierra Ancha noun
tains, as well as in the mountains
of southwestern Arizona. The lions
can be hunted only with the aid of
we'll trained dogs, for they flee from
men and hide themselves readily,
despite their size. They have been
killed as near Phenix as Mcdowell,
showing themselves, as a rule, in
their quest for colt meat, for which
they have special fondness. I
| killed a nine foot lion near there
only week or so Sefore left.
Bears of great size are common
all along the rim of the Mogollon,
fro mthe upper Verde southeast to
| the New Mexico line. I killed an
500 pound black bear, the largest of
the species ever locally known, to
my knowledge, in the month of July
in the Rincon mountains, near
Tucson. The bear had been hurt in
some way and was charging me
when l gave him the fatal bullet.
Black bear are common near Pay
son, under the rim. They are
mainly of the small variety, harm
less to man, and best hunted with
dogs and horses, for they run at
surprising speed through the pine
woods of the locality.
"The brown and cinnamon bear
are little different from the true
grizzly and are fully as ferocious.
Most sportsmen pass them by if the
weapon at hand is lighter than a
1903 rifle, preferably carrying an ex-
panding bullet.
"A few years ago a cinnamon
bear, weighing nearly a ton, was
ailled by me in the Sierra Anchas,
and, I'll admit, the bear would have
got the best of me had it not been
for my pack of dogs.
"Of course, I've caught many a
bear by means of traps, and, you
can gamble, that when a bear has
been tussling with trap for day
or two, he isn't quite SO fresh and
spry as when you come up to him
the first day or hour or so after he
is caught. However, the bear will
| NAME CoLSlIcl dDic llOuDiS anu ca
element even then-even after
being in the trap for more than a
day or two.
Il recall one big bear that |
had caught in trap, and, after |
had given him a shot-a very good
one, as | thought laid down my
gun, and, picking up a big stick Of
timber, in order to be ready for him
in case he wasn't quite dead, went
over to him.
81 had got within a foot or so OF
him, when something struck that
club | was carrying and it flew out
of my hand in a jiffy, while it
seemed as if the now well known
mule Maud had struck me with
her hind feet, and | was knocked
several feet. | got up as quick as
could, grabbed my rifle lying be-
side me-for | had been thrown in
and near the direction where my
rifle lay-and, when my hand was
steady enough to pull the trigger,
let the contents go, hitting the bear
in the ear-which, by the way, is
the best place to shoot bear. OF
course, you can bet that bear was
put out of business. That was a
pretty good sized bear, weighing
close to a thousand pounds. He
was a whopper, and no mistake!
another time had bear that
had just a little life left in him
when | went over to him after
shooting, and he scratched con.
siderable skin off my left arm, but
he was too far gone to get hold of
me, and to that always put down
that | didn't get hurt pretty bad
don't believe a person would live
but few minutes if one of those
animals really got hold of you.
Anyhow, I've had considerable
experience with animals, and, you
can bet, | don't go very near when
oro oannbt In N inJoaI