Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-13
DEER AND BEAR
FIGHTTODEATH
Buck Protects Honor by Kill
ing Does ASSdiI0nt.

NICHOL. British Columbia, Canada.
April 13.-Perhaps it is not generally
known that 4 big bear can 90 down for
the count before some of the other anf-
mails that roam the wIlds Of the Prince
George district of British Columbia. But
it is a fact. The thrilling battle between
a buck deer. weighing 800 pounds, and a
bear tipping the scales at about COO is
described by rancher Of the Canadian
Northwest an eyewitness of the
struggle.
1T happened just after daybreak.
was on my way to the OF her end of my
ranch on the Nechako River. Coming
out on the farther side of a heavy
growth OF spruce, / saw signs of what
must have been a recent fierce cut "
between some big animals. Blood.
pieces Of bloody hide and hair We're
strewn around. I also quickly detected
the unmistakable smell of bear. which
to a hunter after bar is sure sign that
be IS In the immediate vicinity.
while l was puzzling out just what
these signs pOrtended, I heard the sound
Of heavy blows on something solid like
the sound Of hoofbeats on turf, but I
knew there is no turf on the whole
ranch. | stood stock still, hoping for a
repetition. I saw a doe come into my
line Of vision from the west.
DEER AND
NO RIFLE.
AS is usual with most Of us fellows
about here, had come away without my
rife, so Kept perfectly still watching for
the next item on the program. The com
ing OF the does, alive and unhurt on
the scene, had not told me anything so
far as the bloody hair and hide was con
cerned, and I could yet smell that bear.
Then from the same direction came an
other doe and Joined the other. In the
ordinary course of stalking deer, they
would have scented me by this time.
but thees two acted as If theer was not
a human within a hundred miles.
What should I do? Two fine does
within range and no rife. Before | had
a CHARGE to do anything out trotted an
other and yet another does, making four.
These also ranged up with the two first.
each of them evidently intensely inter
ested in something.
Suddenly there came r. ny ears the
deep growing wool, We, of a bear.
No mistaking that SOUND! Then I heard
those sounds of heavy blows again, only
longer and louder this time ! thought
that 1 could detect a kind Of yowling
explosion of pain after each blow
"All my fancies were passed up by the
appearance of fine, handsome antlered
buck. He came over to the four does
who were yet standing as If petrifed.
It seemed as if he was having a roll
call of the lady deer on parade. Then
with a toss of his handsome head he
darted toward the clump of bushes and
again came thwsck, thwack, accompa-
MED by the most awful growls and
grOans.
THE BATTLE
ROYAL.
This was getting exciting. I 'bellied'
out and got the higher ground on the
far side Of the clearing just in time to
see what few men have ever seen In
these parts.
ION the ground lay large black bear
Perhaps l should say what was left of
him. He was not yet dead. What had
been his head was now a shapeless.
bloody mass. and how anything could
yet live in that shape got me guessing
Over this horrible thing stood the buck
I could see his nostrils all CULVER as he
stood like q prize fighter waiting to
give the fna. knockout to his fallen op.
pOnent as lie tries to raise from the
ground Tie dying bear gave q slight
movement. With a ferocity that IL is
hard to conceive in a deer, the buck
stood straight up. raised his front legs
to their full extent and then--dOwn like
lightning stroke on the quiverlng body
of the PROSTATE bear. Once. twice. thrice !;
and then he seemed TO know that the
fight was over as far as the bear was
concerned.
The look In the eyes of that buck. as
far of as I was, will never be effaced
from my memory. Those two front
hOOfs that came down with unerring pre-
cisiOn were as two huge razor edged
knives that cut through bone and sinew
as they Glove the hair and hide of the
bear. Each stroke ripped through all
as if it were thin paper. Only the great
fighting strength of a black bear could
have stood so long before the terrific on
slsught of an enraSed buck in the mat
ing season.
Il want to confess right here that I
was a scared man. I've seen cougars,
grizzlies and the gaunt. furnished timber
wolves. and hunted them. but if | had
any choice of showdown with any of
them, excuse me from the hoofs of an
enraged buck. I would not have gone
out then if l had a nine-point five
HOLDING
AN INQUEST.
AS quiet as knew I backed out.
The does we're still in the same place,