A Cold Trail 343 



disappearance of our big game. Yet, despite the 

 fierce excitement and triumph of facing and slay- 

 ing dangerous cat or plantigrade, it is questionable 

 if there is not more genuine sport to be found in the 

 chase of such animals as the greater cervidce, which 

 seldom inflict any serious injury upon their pursuer. 



Possessing the strength of two horses and the 

 malevolence of two devils, grizzly old Ephraim is 

 a dangerous antagonist, ready to maul all intruders 

 at the shortest notice; but his pursuit seldom or 

 never calls forth the exercise of the finer principles 

 of huntercraft. While an encounter with him may 

 thoroughly test human courage and nerve, he does 

 not fear man sufficiently to demand either practised 

 trailing or perfected woodcraft in the man who desires 

 a close view of his rusty hide. Though he generally 

 avoids the encounter, and not infrequently actually 

 flees from it, he does not possess that instinctive 

 dread of man which characterizes the whole deer 

 tribe ; nor does he, as the latter do, use any art to 

 conceal his trail or himself. Should he run, 'twill 

 not be far; rather will he go shambling off to his 

 stronghold in a defiant sort of style, as though his 

 discretion and his valor were engaged in a doubtful 

 struggle for supremacy. 



A rash move on the part of his enemy, one touch 

 of lead, or the ping of a harmless ball past him, may 

 rouse the lightly shackled devil in him and then 

 for war ! 



But when a moose, elk, caribou, or even deer or 

 turkey is the object of the sportsman's quest, how 

 different are the conditions and how much more 

 vague the possibilities ! Keen eyes, and keener 



