DEN BEARS. 267 



When the bear has taken up his quarters 

 far back in a crevice of the rocks where a pole 

 from the surface can find no opening to be intro- 

 duced, then the plan of smoking him out has to 

 be resorted to. It is done in this way. The 

 stuff to be used, some birch bark to ignite it on 

 top of which is placed rotten wood or broken up 

 punk if procurable, is rammed back a distance 

 into the hole. At the end of the withdrawn pole 

 a lighted twist of bark is pushed back and 'the 

 doorway quickly blocked as nearly tight as pos- 

 sible. 



The hunter retires at once to a safe distance 

 with his gun ready for action and awaits events. 

 He does not, as a rule, have to wait long, for 

 when that smoke becomes unbearable, Mr. Bear 

 comes out in a hurry and a pretty mad bear at 

 that. It is not advisable to introduce too much 

 inflammable substance, for it is apt to spoil the 

 fur when the bear comes thru the fiery ordeal. 

 Rotten popple is next to punk to make a pung- 

 ent and unbearable smoke. When such pene- 

 trates the bear's nostrils he is bound to wake up 

 and his one desire is to get fresh air imme- 

 diately. 



The tracking of a bear even in pretty deep 

 snow takes time, for unless he knows some one 

 is after him he circles and zigzags about, which 

 trail requires attention to under run success- 



