ECHO MOUNTAIN GRIZZLY 239 



matted, low-growing trees with open spaces be- 

 tween. Closely pressed, the bears made a stand. 

 Unfamiliar with timberline trees, two of the 

 dogs in dodging the bears leaped into the matted 

 growths. With feet half entangled they were 

 caught by the bears before they could make the 

 second quick move. The mother bear killed one 

 dog with a single stroke of her forepaw and the 

 cubs wrecked the other. The mother and cubs 

 then charged so furiously that the remaining 

 dogs retreated a short distance. Mother and 

 cubs turned and again fled up the slope. 



The hounds were encouraged by the near- 

 coming men again to take up pursuit. It was 

 nearly night when the bears made another stand 

 on the summit, where they beat off the dogs 

 before the hunters came up. They then made 

 their way down ledges so rocky and precipitous 

 that the dogs hesitated to follow. Descending 

 two thousand feet into the forest of Wild Basin 

 on the other side of the range, they escaped. 

 Evidently the mother grizzly had planned this 

 line of retreat in advance. 



About a month later I saw the Echo Mountain 

 grizzly on the western side of the range, in her 

 home territory. She was ever alert stopping, 

 looking, listening, and scenting frequently. Often 

 she stood up the better to catch the wireless 

 scent messages. Though vigilant, she was not 



