Hunting at High Altitudes 



Finding that a bear had been seen near a por- 

 tion of elk killed three miles above camp, I deter- 

 mined to watch for him one evening, and was on 

 hand early. My reconnaissance of the afternoon 

 had led me to believe that the bear slept in a 

 thicket across the river. I chose my position so 

 that I could overlook this thicket as well as com- 

 mand ai view of a probable approach from other 

 directions. The elk bait lay at the foot of a 

 bench about ten or fifteen feet high, and by ap- 

 proaching it from above a shot could be delivered 

 at twenty-five or thirty yards. The wind was blow- 

 ing gently down stream, the proper direction. 



About sundown I saw occasionally a dark spot 

 appear on the edge of the thicket, and after two 

 or three examinations of the surroundings, the 

 bear stepped out confidently and crossed the river 

 toward the bait. From time to time I peeped over 

 the bench, and at length found that he had reached 

 it. I was wearing a pair of Indian moccasins, for 

 when careful work in approaching a bear was 

 needed, the hob-nailed leather hunting shoes I 

 usually wore were taken off. Gradually approach- 

 ing the rim of the bench, I found the bear busy, 

 and looking through my field glasses, saw that he 

 was lying lengthwise on the elk, his head away 

 from me. The position was uncertain for a fatal 



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