In the Sierra 



tricacies of the topography and vegetation 

 leisurely scanned to catch a glimpse of the 

 shaggy wanderer, or to at least determine 

 where he was most likely to be. 



"Whenever," said the hunter, "I saw a 

 bear before it saw me I had no trouble in 

 killing it. I just studied the lay of the land 

 and got to leeward of it no matter how far 

 around I had to go, and then worked up to 

 within a few hundred yards or so, at the foot 

 of a tree that I could easily climb, but too 

 small for the bear to climb. Then I looked 

 well to the condition of my rifle, took off 

 my boots so as to climb well if necessary, 

 and waited until the bear turned its side in 

 clear view when I could make a sure or at 

 least a good shot. In case it showed fight I 

 climbed out of reach. But bears are slow 

 and awkward with their eyes, and being to 

 leeward of them they could not scent me, 

 and I often got in a second shot before they 

 noticed the smoke. Usually, however, they 

 run when wounded and hide in the brush. 

 [ 39 ] 



