The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1942-12-10


the hunting season when one morn
ing Klemoski heard a terrible COM
motion out in his chicken house and
he Immediately went out to investi-
gate. Chickens and geese were eth
er flying or in high gear in trying
to make a getaway from an I'M
seen object. sPapoose,' the dog,
was barking frantically and furi-
ously in vain attempt to drive off
the marauder. One glance inside
the door told the tale, for there was
a good sized black bear sitting up
on his launches reaching out first
with right hook and then with
left in a desperate attempt to catch
up with flying breakfast" Geese
were s'honking" and chickens
squawking amidst the frenzied
barking of "Papoose what a
sight inside that chicken house!
Well, something just had to be
done as this particular bear had
been getting more meddlesome each
visit. One day on a previous visit
he had cuffed "Papoose" almost too
hard in running battle around the
yard
Even though Klemoski has stiff
leg, he ran to the cabin, about 80
feet distant, after a gun, but could
find only Is guage shotgun and
one shell for it. On his way to the
barn he met the bear coming down
the path, where he stopped and
stood up on his hind feet and, at
about 80 feet, Klemoski took bead
on his head and fired. Now. this Is
where the real excitement began,
which was almost too much for the
old fellow.
The load OF No. 6 shot hit the
bear in the eyes, blinded him and,
as a result, it aroused his revenge
and anger to boiling-over point.
He struck out with his front paws,
made right and left passes, turned
around and around, and then would
below and roar, emitting forth
blood curdling sounds and screeches
that could have been heard for two
or three miles. These sounds, says
Klemoski were crossed between
screams, screeches, violent groWl-
ing, and walls caused from severe
agony and they made ones hair
stand on end (no foolinD and struck
home to the core. The dog would
Jump in and the bear would reach
for him with rapid fire lightning
strike" passes. He did not advance
much on account Of being blinded
but tried to reach for the enemy
who had caused him such intense
pain.
About this time Klemoski went
after his % rifle, remembering that
he had few shells for it. kle-
moski says, Il went around the
bear and shot him several times
with % shorts aiming for the head
but those bullets bounced off like
BIB shot and only increased the
bears anger that much more, which
by this time was at a white heat
Again those awful blood curdllng
roars which will never forget,
they made my hair stand on end
and nerves jittery | realized that
this bear was as dangerous as an
enemy submarine and something
had to be done and done quickly
and effectively so grabbed a can't
hook handle and when the bear
turned around once more with his
back towards me | sneaked up close
and swung at his head with all the
might and force in me. The blow
slowed him up and stunned him so
that | backed off and swung at him
again and the bear went down for
the final count, but just to be sure
/ gave him few more.
After resting nerves and
calming my pounding heart bit, |
--lSinncd the bear ard cut UP the
meat. | rendered out some lard and
gave a goodly portion of the meat
away as the weather was warm
For several days after this cpl
sode Klemoski says that he was SO
shaky and nervous he could neither
; cat nor sleep and never again does
he intend to kill bear with a shot
gun and a club, at least not in the
same manner this one was killed.
Contributed by L. L. Lake. War
lsnd.)