272 The Wilderness Hunter. 



Before the cold weather sets in the bear begins to grow 

 restless, and to roam about seeking for a good place in 

 which to hole up. One will often try and abandon several 

 caves or partially dug-out burrows in succession before 

 finding a place to its taste. It always endeavors to choose 

 a spot where there is little chance of discovery or molesta- 

 tion, taking great care to avoid leaving too evident trace 

 of its work. Hence it is not often that the dens are found. 



Once in its den the bear passes the cold months 

 in lethargic sleep ; yet, in all but the coldest weather, 

 and sometimes even then, its slumber is but light, and if 

 disturbed it will promptly leave its den, prepared for 

 fight or flight as the occasion may require. Many times 

 when a hunter has stumbled on the winter resting-place of 

 a bear and has left it, as he thought, without his presence 

 being discovered, he has returned only to find that the 

 crafty old fellow was aware of the danger all the time, and 

 sneaked off as soon as the coast was clear. But in veiy 

 cold weather hibernating bears can hardly be wakened 

 from their torpid lethargy. 



The length of time a bear stays in its den depends of 

 course upon the severity of the season and the latitude and 

 altitude of the country. In the northernmost and coldest 

 regions all the bears hole up, and spend half the year in a 

 state of lethargy ; whereas in the south only the she's with 

 young and the fat he-bears retire for the sleep, and these 

 but for a few weeks, and only if the season is severe. 



When the bear first leaves its den the fur is in very fine 

 order, but it speedily becomes thin and poor, and does not 

 recover its condition until the fall. Sometimes the bear 



