The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-12-03
NEW STYLE BEAR
BAGGED IN STATE
MINING CITY HUNTER SHOOTS
BRUIN WITH ITS HEAD STUCK
IN CREAM CAN
p. M. MAX" Sheriger, Prominent Butte
Sportsman, Bagged 2OO-Pound Bear
While Hunting With Party of Friends
at Summer Home of J.. T. Finlen Sr.

Friends of P. M. MAX" Sheriger,
Butte sportsman, claim he recently
took unfair advantage Of a 200
pound bruin by shooting the an
a cream can. Sheriger, it is said,
admitted the story. was true. adding
that he was taking no chances,
cream can or no cream can. Il was
doing the bear a favor" he stated.
The bear was killed while Sheriger
an Armlstice day holiday at the sum-
mer home Of James T.. Finlen ST., 10
Gated on Rock creek, IS miles out OF
MiSsoula.
According to a description, or CON
Struction of the crime" by members
of the party, the bear had been foraging
around a rangers lookout station the
night before. He broke into the place
and made a complete shambleS of it.
On leaving he is believed to have found
the five-gallon cream can which has
been used all summer as a garbage re-
ceptacle. 1t evidently contained some
thing that appealed to the noStrllS OF
Mr.. Bear and he e in after it. When
he tried to back out the can came with
him. He rambled about all that night,
trying to get his head out of the can.
Leaving camp at noon Armistice day
Sheriger thought he noticed a can NOV
ing about in he air. He was about 80
yards distant, but after some intense
peering through the bushes he realized
what it was. Not wanting to get too
close, HI let fly with his 3O-4O rifle.
but only nicked the bear. Stung by the
steel-jacketed bullet. the bear let out
a muffled roar and reared up on his
hind legs and began thraShing about,
the cream can waving crafty with every
movement of his head. Again Sheriger
let go. this time with excellent aim.
sending a bullet through bruins heart
and dropping him.
Returning to camp, Sheriger told his
pals. He left the bear in the woods.
his head still tightly encased in a cream
can. His story was regarded as some
sort of a Paul Bunyan" and Sheriger
was invited to take a drink" and he
would probably be all right in a min
ute"
Sheriger forced one of the gang to
return with him the next day, taking
along a pack horse to bring in the
bear. But Sheriger was jobbed, being
given a horse that was sure to go COM
pletely wild when led near a dead bear.
Sheriger got around this by blindfold-
ing the horse while the two men hoiSted
bruin into a tree fork. Then they backed
the ~blindfolded horse under the a r
cass and lowered the beardown into
the saddle.
Il tied the bear tightly to the saddle"
said Sheriger. feeling that if the horse
bolted when he realized what he had
on his back he would have to lose the
saddle before he could lose the bear"
The horse Quoted down and vas
led, without incident, back to camp.
Another member of the party-Jim
McGrath-shot a large buck deer. Re
turning to Butte, the big game hunters
had evidence aplenty Of their proves,
with the bear OF one fender and the
buck on the other.
In the party in addition to Sheriger
and McGrath. were Dr.. Pat Kane, DR..
John Kane, Tom Kelly, DR.. J. L. Don
aid and James Finlen Jr., who was
host to the group.