150 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



close enough to make certain, is another deadly point ; 

 but the size of this delicate and mortal place is small, 

 and should never he chosen beyond thirty yards. The 

 head shot can, with conical bullets, easily be performed ; 

 but a spherical bullet, especially from a small-bore 

 rifle, from the wedge-shape of the cranium, is very 

 apt to glance off without injuring more than the skin. 



In hunting bears with dogs, the commonest cur that 

 has pluck enough to snap at his heels is the best 

 animal for the purpose. The bear gets worried, then 

 cross, and ultimately ascends the first tree that his 

 judgment tells him is suitable, resting most frequently 

 on the soonest reached branch, unless the hunter be 

 seen or heard ; if so, then the highest foot of timber 

 sufficiently strong to support him will be selected. On 

 such occasions it has been known for him to ascend 

 too high for the strength of the limb, when, the bough 

 breaking, both come tumbling to the earth. Although 

 such a rapid and lofty descent would certainly destroy 

 a man, Bruin will arise uninjured, shake himself, and 

 trot off as if nothing had happened. 



The vitality of the bear is immense. His powers of 

 destruction when wounded are equally so. So, gentle 

 reader, if it should be your fortune to go bear hunting, 

 pray be careful in your approach to them when wounded. 

 A sportsman's maxim, that should never be forgotten, 

 is, " always load your gun before you move from where 

 it was discharged, and never let the excitement of the 

 moment permit you to hurry when performing this 

 useful duty." 



A great many bears have been killed with the knife 

 only, but the person who performs so dangerous a feat 

 must truly be fool-hardy and reckless of consequences, 



