Hunting at High Altitudes 



was greatly pleased that he had done so, for the 

 cub would have been a great care and trouble, even 

 if we could have taken it to civilization. I felt no 

 concern for the cub's welfare this winter, for there 

 were three elk carcasses on which it could fatten 

 until the time came for it to "hole up." If these 

 were not enough, there was the old bear on which 

 it might feed, since bears readily eat other bears. 



The bear that I looked for at the mouth of Jack 

 Creek was likely to visit that bait late at night, and 

 I determined to track him to his den in the snow. 

 In this I was unsuccessful. Several places were 

 found where there were fresh signs of his having 

 laid up during the day, but in no case was he at 

 home, and after an ineffectual half day's work 

 endeavoring to find him, I gave it up. 



I was so much discouraged at the outlook here 

 that I determined to close the campaign and at 

 once seek winter quarters. The trail close to the 

 mountains was too deeply covered with snow to be 

 followed, and I chose one lower down. The first 

 camp was made six or seven miles below, close to 

 the river bank. In front was a meadow with a 

 spring at the foot of the bench. On the left, just 

 behind the camp, was a cottonwood grove, backed 

 by a dense willow thicket. Above the thicket was 

 another larger meadow with two bold springs. I 



224 



