BEAE AND LYNX HUNTING, ETC. 181 



been extracted from official sources (a copy of which, for 

 the last fifteen years, is subjoined), will prove beyond a 

 doubt. And the only reason, and I think it is the true 

 one, that I can assign for so much disappointment 

 having been experienced, is simply owing to the fact 

 that "would-be bear-hunters" do not come out early 

 enough to Norway, or devote enough time to it. 



That by far the greater number of bears are killed 

 either in the winter, or early spring, I am fully 

 convinced from the experiences of old hunters ; and the 

 way it is managed is as follows : The peasants track 

 them to their caves (hie) in the beginning of the 

 winter, and either shoot them as they are lying asleep, 

 looking for all the world like babies, with their fore-paw 

 in their mouth ; or if that be impracticable, get a 

 comrade to stir Bruin up with a long pple, and shoot 

 him as he attempts to bolt. But to be able to do this 

 it is necessary to be expert in the use of the skie, or 

 snow-shoe an accomplishment not so readily learjit. 



For the spring shooting a different method is adopted. 

 During the whiter the Bonder put out the carcase of a 

 horse or cow in the neighbourhood of a bear's whiter 

 quarters, piling up heavy stones upon it. About the 

 middle of April, when Bruin wakes up from his 

 long sleep, the hunter frequently visits it ; and as soon 

 as ever he perceives that a bear has been attracted to it, 

 he watches it carefully day and night, and seldom fails 



