Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-06-04

tana grizzly bears and those Of the
northern Rockies differ from the
. California grixxlies7 Although the
color is the same, the California
variety Is larger and possibly more
tractable. At least one instance is
recorded of the tanning Of q grizzly
that was supposed TO be q Native
Son" of that state,
A man named Adams was successful
in domesticating several bears. One
of these, a grizzly he named Der
/ Franklin, became so attached to its
master that it fought another grizzly
4 that attacked Adams. This dog-like de-
Votion on the part Of a bear Is I'M
/ precedented in bruin history, although
I the black bear has often been tanned
/ and trained to perform for the finan-
! cial benefit Of its owner.
I The grizzly, like several other wild
animals, is extremely curious, and is
also more cunning than any other OF
the Rocky mountain fauna, although
the antelope has been thought to head
the list in this respect.
Grizzly cubs are small and not so
large as those Of the black bear. Horn
aday weighed one that registered but
ID ounces. The length of one photo
graphed by Wright, earlier a taxider-
mist at MiSSoula, measured only 10
inches. Like kittens, their eyes are
closed at birth and they have no teeth
and little hair. How long they remain
blind, we are not definitely informed.
All we know is that in the twilight of
the den where they make their en-
trance into the world, gradually they
gain in size, sight and strength and at
the age Of two to four months they are
able to leave their birthplace and for
age for themselves.
The little fellows do not have to be
taught what they should eat; this
knowledge is theirs by instinct. In the
spring when they leave the den, all
about them the ground is covered with
freshly sprung grass, and this furnishes
them the required food. AS they grow
older, grizzlies have more varied bill
of fare.
Shutting along through the noun
tain forests they find the dogtooth
ing star. OF these latter the Bitter !
Root grizzlies are fond, but the griz-
lilies Of the Selkirks do not care for |
them.
If the Bitter Root grizzlies live where
there Is a salmon run they become ex-
pert fishers. Seated by the rifle of
some stream, the bear waits patiently
until the mounting salmon is halfway
up, when with one sweep of its paw
t sends the fish high in the air-often
10 feet-and lands it safely on the bank
where it cannot flop back into the
water. In this manner a grizzly has
)een known to catch II fish in day.
Quite a creditable record for any fish
rman when we consider the average
lie Of salmon.
After the salmon run is ended the
,ear does not Starve but goes on what
night be termed diet that is more
uited to the warm summer days. He
7anders through the woods and under
rush and with discriminating glance
elects a tree or rotten log where he
nows his lunch is hidden. His strong
laws rip open the bark disclosing what
) stored beneath-the choice mOrSel
le seeks. Sometimes it is nest of
reat ants, over half an inch long.
'hese are strongly acid and much liked
y the grizzlies. Then too, many choice
rubs are to be found there. These
hey relish greatly. In this manner
asses the summer until the second
almon run when their love for fish
evives and again they spend hours by
he river side expertly making their
atch.
Authorities state it is doubtful
neither grizzlies killed buffalo From
hat we can learn of their habits In
ifferent localities, they might have
lied buffalo and other wild animals
/ some places in the Rockies while not
DING SO elsewhere. However, they are
leat stealerS.
All bears are fond Of berries. There
re plenty of them along the noun
ltnsideS and near streams. In Glacier
ark, long before it was set aside as
ne Of our national Fairgrounds, bears
ID on berries.
In Wyoming these bears are carni-
oil -
anne. If they do not make the kill
lemselves, they are perfectly willing
} feed on what is left of dead car
IsSes after the slayer has Surfeited
mself. The Bitter Root bears, it is
aimed, will not touch these leftovers,
I'd the Selzirk bears are strictly veg
arians, except for gophers and the
Re. Wyoming grizzlies are also root
ggers, according to some authorities,
id undoubtedly eat ants and grlbs
se their Montana relatives. Grizzlies
e not gregarious, and the males, as
the case with many other animals,
u their young. This prediction of
eirs does not tend to establish
easant family relations.
The summer over and winter threat
ing, the grizzly prepares for its long
inter- sleep. He chooses for his den
spot high up on the mountains above
lere the black bear goes into winter
arters. Often a cave is chosen as
Is entails less work In preparatory
yging. Into the place selected, the
ar drags whatever material 1t finds
table for a bed. The mother bear
ms with her last years cubs that re-
ain with her the second summer,
.er which there is final separation.
The grizzly more than other bears
distinctively Montanan, as its type
.ality is the northeastern part Of this
ate. Here 1t was discovered by Lewis
d Clark and here 1t was the most
Some naturalists claim that
e grizzly is the same as the brown
ar. Others deny this, although adj
tting that they are closely related.
7ornaday says: Contrary to general
lief, q bear is naturally cheerful and
0d-tempered. Elk, deer, elephants.
ge cats and buffalo win often at
* their keepers. Bears seldom do"
Is being true, henceforth the we'll
ormed viii recognize that the COM
N expression, Gross as q bear" is
admissible.
live to be from Is to 40