1086 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



SPRING Countless Bears have been seen and slain in their winter 



dens, but I know of only one man who had the good luck to 

 see an old Bear at the time when first it emerged in the spring. 

 That man was Bert A. Dobson, my Adirondack guide. 



It was in mid-April of 1906; he and his partner were log 

 driving on Fish Creek, Lewis County, N. Y. As they sat on 

 the bank waiting for the drive, an enormous Blackbear ap- 

 peared on the opposite side of the stream. It gazed stupidly 

 at them, sniffed, walked to the water, within 30 yards of the 

 loggers, and drank long and greedily, so long that its front legs 

 seemed tired of stooping. Presently it straightened up, sniffed, 

 gazed, and again drank heavily. Three times it did this, till it 

 seemed distended with water. Then it crossed the stream, 

 still sniffing and gazing in a dazed fashion, and walked past the 

 men. They noticed that it was an enormous Bear and that its 

 cheeks were grizzled. 



After it was gone they followed its back track in the snow, 

 and 250 yards away came to a small pine tree that was deeply 

 scored by the teeth of a Bear at 5 or 6 feet from the ground. 

 Pieces had been torn out recently and to such an extent that 

 the trunk was nearly cut through. On following the trail 100 

 yards farther, it led to an enormous hollow pine tree and there 

 ended. This proved to be the winter den. Evidently they 

 had seen the Bear taking its first drink. 



This Bear, known by its size and its gray cheeks, was 

 killed a year later at a place 2| miles from the den, and is said 

 to have weighed 400 pounds. 



MEAT There is the widest range of opinion on the fitness of the 



Bear for human food, and circumstances seem to justify all 

 extremes. If a young but full-grown Bear, recently fattened 

 on grains, roots, and berries, be quickly and mercifully killed 

 and the carcass properly cleaned, skinned and prepared, the 

 meat is excellent. But if an old Bear, tough, lean, or carrion- 

 fed, or finally killed after a long pursuit in warm weather, the 

 meat is little better than poison. The very dogs will pass it 

 -by in disgust; it has attractions for nothing but flies. 



