70 The Grizzly Bear 



stream beds are successions of small rapids and broken 

 riffles; the mad, unreasoning longing of the salmon to 

 reach the uttermost head of salmon navigation drives them 

 to struggle over places where there is scarcely enough 

 water to float them when swimming on their sides, and 

 the grizzlies gather to the feast. 



These dog salmon grow to a very large size. They 

 run from two to four feet in length, and would, if fat, 

 weigh fifty or sixty pounds. But by the time they reach 

 the upper waters of the small streams they are very poor 

 and thin (good, indeed, only for bear bait), and fall easy 

 victims to the bear and other animals and large birds that 

 prey on them. 



The grizzly has his own calendar and never gets mixed 

 up on it. About two weeks before the salmon are due he 

 leaves the higher hills and ridges and gathers near the 

 streams, to be on hand when the fish appear. One can 

 easily tell where to lie in wait for them. They always 

 have their favorite fishing ground, usually at some shal- 

 low riffle, and the creek bank is worn smooth by the many 

 trails leading away into the dense thickets, where they lie 

 up when not fishing. After locating one of these fishing 

 grounds, one has only to select a good hiding place, being 

 careful not to make noise enough to frighten away the 

 bears, and then wait until they come down to fish. In 

 localities where they have been little hunted, I have seen 

 them out fishing at all hours of the day, and to see a griz- 

 zly catching salmon is worth one's while. 



The grizzly usually sits on the bank of the stream and 

 watches the riffles over which the salmon try to force their 

 way. H will wait quietly enough until the salmon is 



