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four or five bounds； and struck it a tremendous blow on the flank with
one paw； knocking several ribs clear away from the spine； and killing
the animal outright by the shock。
Horses no less than horned cattle at times fall victims to this great
bear； which usually spring on them from the edge of a clearing as they
graze in some mountain pasture； or among the foot…hills； and there is
no other animal of which horses seem so much afraid。 Generally the
bear； whether successful or unsuccessful in its raids on cattle and
horses； comes off unscathed from the struggle； but this is not always
the case； and it has much respect for the hoofs or horns of its
should…be prey。 Some horses do not seem to know how to fight at all；
but others are both quick and vicious； and prove themselves very
formidable foes； lashing out behind； and striking with their fore…
hoofs。 I have elsewhere given an instance of a stallion which beat off
a bear； breaking its jaw。
Quite near my ranch； once； a cowboy in my employ found unmistakable
evidence of the discomfiture of a bear by a long…horned range cow。 It
was in the early spring； and the cow with her new…born calf was in a
brush…bordered valley。 The footprints in the damp soil were very
plain； and showed all that had happened。 The bear had evidently come
out of the bushes with a rush； probably bent merely on seizing the
calf； and had slowed up when the cow instead of flying faced him。 He
had then begun to walk round his expected dinner in a circle； the cow
fronting him and moving nervously back and forth； so that her sharp
hoofs cut and trampled the ground。 Finally she had charged savagely；
whereupon the bear had bolted； and； whether frightened at the charge；
or at the approach of some one； he had not returned。
The grisly is even fonder of sheep and pigs than is its smaller black
brother。 Lurking round the settler's house until after nightfall； it
will vault into the fold or sty； grasp a helpless； bleating fleece…
bearer； or a shrieking； struggling member of the bristly brotherhood；
and bundle it out over the fence to its death。 In carrying its prey a
bear sometimes holds the body in its teeth； walking along on all…fours
and dragging it as a wolf does。 Sometimes； however； it seizes an
animal in its forearms or in one of them； and walks awkwardly on three
legs or two； adopting this method in lifting and pushing the body over
rocks and down timber。
When a grisly can get at domestic animals it rarely seeks to molest
game； the former being far less wary and more helpless。 Its heaviness
and clumsiness do not fit it well for a life of rapine against shy
woodland creatures。 Its vast strength and determined temper； however；
more than make amends for lack of agility in the actual struggle with
the stricken prey； its difficulty lies in seizing； not in killing； the
game。 Hence； when a grisly does take to game…killing； it is likely to
attack bison； moose； and elk； it is rarely able to catch deer； still
less sheep or antelope。 In fact these smaller game animals often show
but little dread of its neighborhood； and； though careful not to let
it come too near； go on grazing when a bear is in full sight。
Whitetail deer are frequently found at home in the same thicket in
which a bear has its den； while they immediately desert the temporary
abiding place of a wolf or cougar。 Nevertheless； they sometimes
presume too much on this confidence。 A couple of years before the
occurrence of the feats of cattle…killing mentioned above as happening
near my ranch； either the same bear that figured in them； or another
of similar tastes； took to game…hunting。 The beast lived in the same
succession of huge thickets which cover for two or three miles the
river bottoms and the mouths of the inflowing creeks； and he suddenly
made a raid on the whitetail deer which were plentiful in the dense
cover。 The shaggy； clumsy monster was cunning enough to kill several
of these knowing creatures。 The exact course of procedure I never
could find out； but apparently the bear laid in wait beside the game
trails； along which the deer wandered。
In the old days when the innumerable bison grazed free on the prairie；
the grisly sometimes harassed their bands as it now does the herds of
the ranchman。 The bison was the most easily approached of all game；
and the great bear could often get near some outlying straggler； in
its quest after stray cows； yearlings； or calves。 In default of a
favorable chance to make a prey of one of these weaker members of the
herds； it did not hesitate to attack the mighty bulls themselves； and
perhaps the grandest sights which it was ever the good fortune of the
early hunters to witness was one of these rare battles between a
hungry grisly and a powerful buffalo bull。 Nowadays； however； the few
last survivors of the bison are vanishing even from the inaccessible
mountain fastnesses in which they sought a final refuge from their
destroyers。
At present the wapiti is of all wild game that which is most likely to
fall a victim to the grisly； when the big bear is in the mood to turn
hunter。 Wapiti are found in the same places as the grisly； and in some
spots they are yet very plentiful； they are less shy and active than
deer； while not powerful enough to beat off so ponderous a foe； and
they live in cover where there is always a good chance either to stalk
or to stumble on them。 At almost any season bear will come and feast
on an elk carcass； and if the food supply runs short； in early spring；
or in a fall when the berry crop fails； they sometimes have to do
their own killing。 Twice I have come across the remains of elk； which
had seemingly been slain and devoured by bears。 I have never heard of
elk making a fight against a bear； yet； at close quarters and at bay；
a bull elk in the rutting season is an ugly foe。
A bull moose is even more formidable； being able to strike the most
lightning…like blows with his terrible forefeet； his true weapons of
defense。 I doubt if any beast of prey would rush in on one of these
woodland giants； when his horns were grown； and if he was on his guard
and bent on fight。 Nevertheless； the moose sometimes fall victims to
the uncouth prowess of the grisly； in the thick wet forests of the
high northern Rockies； where both beasts dwell。 An old hunter who a
dozen years ago wintered at Jackson Lake； in northwestern Wyoming；
told me that when the snows got deep on the mountains the moose came
down and took up their abode near the lake； on its western side。
Nothing molested them during the winter。 Early in the spring a grisly
came out of its den； and he found its tracks in many places； as it
roamed restlessly about； evidently very hungry。 Finding little to eat
in the bleak； snow…drifted woods； it soon began to depredate on the
moose； and killed two or three； generally by lying in wait and dashing
out on them as they passed near its lurking…place。 Even the bulls were
at that season weak； and of course hornless； with small desire to
fight； and in each case the rush of the great beardoubtless made
with the ferocity and speed which so often belie the seeming
awkwardness of the animalbore down the startled victim； taken
utterly unawares before it had a chance to defend itself。 In one case
the bear had missed its spring； the moose going off； for a few rods；
with huge jumps； and then settling down into its characteristic trot。
The old hunter who followed the tracks said he would never have deemed
it possible for any animal to make such strides while in a trot。
Nevertheless； the grisly is only occasionally； not normally； a
formidable predatory beast； a killer of cattle and of large game。
Although capable of far swifter movement than is promised by his frame
of seemingly clumsy strength； and in spite of his power of charging
with astonishing suddenness and speed； he yet lacks altogether the
supple agility of such finished destroyers as the cougar and the wolf；
and for the absence of this agility no amount of mere huge muscle can
atone。 He is more apt to feast on animals which have met their death
by accident； or which have been killed by other beasts or by man； than
to do his own killing。 He is a very foul feeder； with a strong relish
for carrion； and possesses a grewsome and cannibal fondness for the
flesh of his own kind； a bear carcass will toll a brother bear to the
ambushed hunter better than almost any other bait； unless it is the
carcass of a horse。
Nor do these big bears always content themselves merely with the
carcasses of their brethren。 A black bear would have a poor chance if
in the clutches of a large； hungry grisly； and an old male will kill
and eat a cub； especially if he finds it at a disadvantage。 A rather
remarkable instance of this occurred in the Yellowstone National Park；
in the spring of 1891。 The incident is related in the following letter
written to Mr。 William Hallett Phillips； of Washington； by another
friend； Mr。 Elwood Hofer。 Hofer is an old mountain…man； I have hunted
with him myself； and know his statements to be trustworthy。 He was； at
the time； at work in the Park getting animals for the National Museum
at Washington； and was staying at Yancey's 〃hotel〃