Memories of a Bear Hunter 



fat. The best parts of the bull were hung up. 

 Corey trapped a little and caught several coyotes 

 and foxes at this bait. About ten days later an- 

 other bull was killed just across Willow Creek, a 

 quarter of a mile from camp. His flesh was not 

 good. Early in September we had snowstorms 

 with fierce westerly winds, and soon the snow ac- 

 cumulated and began to form drifts. Meantime 

 we were without news of the outside world. At 

 this time there were only four cattlemen in the Big 

 Horn Basin, but during this summer we united and 

 employed Josh Dean still living at $50 a month 

 to bring out our mail once a month from the near- 

 est post-office. Mine at this time was delivered at 

 Otto Franc's ranch, ten or twelve miles distant, and 

 one of the men used to go for it, taking with him 

 all outgoing letters. 



Sept. 22 Corey set out with the mail. That 

 night an animal was heard squalling at the elk bait 

 across Willow Creek. At breakfast I suggested to 

 Heyford that he take his rifle, go out and get the 

 fox and bring the skin to camp and tack it down 

 to dry. After breakfast, the fox still keeping at 

 this noise, Heyford started off with the rifle and a 

 skinning knife. He had newly come into the West, 

 had never seen a bear and had no desire to do so. 

 He soon returned to the camp somewhat excited, 



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