Bear Hunting on the Alaska Peninsula 



back when I pressed the trigger. The bullet 

 grazed the tree, was deflected, and a patch of hair 

 was all that I had for what promised the surest of 

 shots. 



In the afternoon we made for a place which our 

 hunters declared was a sure find for bear; but un- 

 like most "sure places," we sighted our game even 

 before we reached the ground. There they were, 

 two large grizzled brutes, feeding on the salt marsh 

 grass like two cows. We made a most exciting ap- 

 proach in our baidarkas, winding in and out, across 

 the open, up a small lagoon which cut into the. 

 meadow where the bears were feeding. We got 

 to within two hundred yards when they became 

 suspicious, but could not quite make us out. One 

 now rose on his hind legs to get a better view, and 

 offered a beautiful chance, but I waited for my 

 friend, whose turn it was to have first shot, and 

 he delayed, thinking that I was not ready. The 

 result was that the bears at once made for the 

 woods, and we both missed. 



Stereke again did his part well, catching one of 

 the bears and tackling him in a noble manner, turn- 

 ing him and doing his best to hold him, but this 

 was more than one dog could do, and the bear 

 broke away and soon reached cover. 



I am glad to record that with this day's 

 133 



