Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-03

WASHINGTON, D. C., March D.
In all of the large and sparsely peo-
pied state of New Mexico, there are
but six grizzly bears left alive-and
the government of the United States
is camped on their trails.
At least, six is the grizzly popula-
tion OF New Mexico, according to a
census taken by officers of the
Biological Survey, and there is rea-
son to believe that the census is fair
ly accurate. The survey has tabu-
predatory animals in the state, just
as the census bureau has of the
people 1t is not out to exterminate
this population, but to regulate 1t.
More and more, brother bear and
brother coyote are treated as citi-
zens of the country. When they go
in for thievery they are pinched by
n steel trap, executed, or perhaps
condemned to serve a life term in
some zoo. If they behave them
selves, they are often let alone. The
survey is sparing the black bear
whenever it can. Many black bears
do no harm. ana their right to live
is recognized. Even coyotes are not
hunted to the last coyote. IL is
found that certain number of
coyotes are necessary 10 keep down
the jack rabbits. Ally coyote WHO
sticks to his proper business OF kill
ing ara ealing jack rabbits is fairly
SatH
But the grizzly has been con-
demned to determination, except in
few national parks. There SIM
ply is no room for both man and the
grizzly on this continent, A grizzly
will kill cattle, sheep and horses. He
will not be good and he serves no
economic purpose. He is a noble
and interesting creature, but except
in parks and ZOOS, his name is
Dennis, or it probably will be in a
few years. The last of the grizzlies
show great tenaciLy in clinging to
their useless lives. These six which
remain in the New Mexico Rockies
have been known TO the survey for
long time. 1t is even said. that
some of the trappers have pet
rames for them. But they are care
ful about putting their feet in traps,
they stick to the high mountains
and the tall timber, an dthey are at
once shy and wise.
Once a government hunter came
upon two of these grizzlies in the
Taos mountains. He had been look
ing for them for months. Here was
lis chance. He drew careful bead
and shot at them, The grizzlies
both started in his direction. He
felt a little nervous that morning
anyway, and perhaps the sight of
two bears ambling in his direction
made him more so. Anyway, he
operated his gun in such a hurry
that a cartridge got stuck in the
magazine. The bears kept on
coming.
Now, there is much dispute among
scientists and hunters as to whether
the grizzly really is savage animal.
Some contend that he will attack a
man without provocation when in T.
bad humor. Others assert that he
never attacks even when wounded,
if it is possible to retreat. They say
that when he runs toward the
hunter he Is doing so merely be-
cause he is confused and excited and
doesn't know where the hunter is.
This man had a fine chance to
stay and see whether grizzlies really
bite or whether these were merely
confused and excited. But he
passed it up. He couldn't shoot any
more anyway, and he had other
things to attend to, so he decided to
so in the same direction the griz-
zlles were going. lie did this so en-
ergetically that he left them behind
and never did see them again. They
are still up in the mountains living
on good beef. But, of course, it is
only matter of time until the gov
ernment will get them.
Old-Timers Best Hunters
When it comes to getting bears,
the survey has found that the man
for the work is a good old-fashioned
bear hunter, who doesn't know that
the scientific name for the grizzly is
Ursus Horribilis. but does konw a
lot about killing bears. In New
| Mexico the survey recently lost one
of its most efficient and remarkable
| bear hunters. He became so fam
Gus that he retired from the trap
| ping business to guide tourists
around the country and tell them
yarns,
The name of this man is Ben
Lilly and he is now nearly eighty
years old, but active and healthy
He is perfect survival of the
pioneer age in America--a man OF
exactly the same type as Daniel
Boone and Davey Crockett. Civil
ization has never bothered him be-
cause he has kept away from it
lUntil q year or SO ago he never de.
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