284 The Wilderness Hunter. 



sun is above the horizon. If the moon is full, however, 

 they may feed all night long, and then wander but little 

 in the daytime. 



Aside from man, the full-grown grisly has hardly any foe 

 to fear. Nevertheless, in the early spring, when weakened 

 by the hunger that succeeds the winter sleep, it behooves 

 even the grisly, if he dwells in the mountain fastnesses of 

 the far northwest, to beware of a famished troop of great 

 timber wolves. These northern Rocky Mountain wolves 

 are most formidable beasts, and when many of them band 

 together in time of famine they do not hesitate to pounce 

 on the black bear and cougar ; and even a full-grown 

 grisly is not safe from theinattacks, unless he can back up 

 against some rock which will prevent them from assailing 

 him from behind. A small ranchman whom I knew well, 

 who lived near Flathead Lake, once in April found where 

 a troop of these wolves had killed a good-sized yearling 

 grisly. Either cougar or wolf will make a prey of a grisly 

 which is but a few months old ; while any fox, lynx, 

 wolverine, or fisher will seize the very young cubs. The 

 old story about wolves fearing to feast on game killed by 

 a grisly is all nonsense. Wolves are canny beasts, and 

 they will not approach a carcass if they think a bear is 

 hidden nearby and likely to rush out at them ; but under 

 ordinary circumstances they will feast not only on the 

 carcasses of the grisly's victims, but on the carcass of the 

 grisly himself after he has been slain and left by the 

 hunter. Of course wolves would only attack a grisly if in 

 the most desperate straits for food, as even a victory over 

 such an antagonist must be purchased with heavy loss of 



