Hunting the Grisly 119 



taken life. If the claws are long and fairly 

 sharp (as in early spring, or even in the fall, 

 if the animal has been working over soft 

 ground) they add immensely to the effect of 

 the blow, for they cut like blunt axes. Often, 

 however, late in the season, and if the ground 

 has been dry and hard, or rocky, the claws are 

 worn down nearly to the quick, and the blow 

 is then given mainly with the under side of 

 the paw; although even under this disadvan 

 tage a thump from a big bear will down a 

 horse or smash in a man s breast. The hunter 

 Hofer once lost a horse in this manner. He 

 shot at and wounded a bear which rushed 

 off, as ill luck would have it, past the place 

 where his horse was picketed ; probably more 

 in fright than in anger it struck the poor 

 beast a blow which, in the end, proved mortal. 

 If a bear means mischief and charges not to 

 escape but to do damage, its aim is to grapple 

 with or throw down its foe and bite him to 

 death. The charge is made at a gallop, the 

 animal sometimes coming on silently, with 

 the mouth shut, and sometimes with the jaws 

 open, the lips drawn back and teeth showing, 

 uttering at the same time a succession of roars 

 or of savage rasping snarls. Certain bears 

 charge without any bluster and perfectly 



