Bear Hunting on Kadiak Island 



matter how much the sea breaks and passes over 

 the skin deck. 



I had used the baidarka the year before, having 

 made a trip with my hunters almost around the 

 island of Afognak, and believed it to be an ideal 

 boat to hunt from. It is very speedy, easily pad- 

 dled, floats low in the water, will hold much camp 

 gear, and, when well handled, is most seaworthy. 

 So it was my purpose this year to again use one in 

 skirting the shores of the deep bays, and in look- 

 ing for bears, which show themselves in the early 

 spring upon the mountain sides, or roam the beach 

 in search of kelp. 



The Kadiak bear finds no trouble in getting all 

 the food he wants during the berry season and dur- 

 ing the run of the various kinds of salmon, which 

 lasts from June until October. At this period he 

 fattens up, and upon this fat he lives through his 

 long winter sleep. When he wakes in the spring 

 he is weak and hardly able to move, so his first aim 

 is to recover the use of his legs. This he does by 

 taking short walks when the weather is pleasant, 

 returning to his den every night. This light exer- 

 cise lasts for a week or so, when he sets out to feed 

 upon the beach kelp, which acts as a purge. He 

 now lives upon roots, principally of the salmon- 

 berry bush, and later nibbles the young grass. 



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