The Kadiak Bear and his Home 



ever, before green grass begins to sprout along the 

 MTiall streams, low down, and grass and the roots 

 of the salmon berry bushes carry the bear along 

 until the fish run. 



The running of the salmon varies, and the bears 

 make frequent prospecting trips down the streams 

 in order to be sure to be on hand for the first run, 

 which usually occurs during the latter part of 

 May. During the salmon season the bears have 

 opportunity to fill themselves full every night, and 

 put on a tremendous weight of fat in the late 

 fall, when they become saucy and lazy, and more 

 inclined to show fight. Berries — especially the 

 salmon berry — help out the fish diet in summer 

 time. As soon as salmon becomes their food the 

 pelts deteriorate, but unless living near a red 

 salmon stream, with shallow reaches, the bears do 

 not get much fish diet until the second run early in 

 July, so that fair skins are sometimes obtained even 

 up to June 15, although by this time the hair is 

 usually much faded in color. 



The bear makes a zigzag course down the 

 salmon stream from one shallow rapid to another, 

 standing immovable while fishing, and throwing 

 out his catch with the left paw. The numerous 

 fishing beds give a false idea of the number of bear 

 present in a district, as it takes but a few days for 



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