American Big Game in its Haunts 



These carry him along until the salmon arrive, 

 when he becomes exclusively a fish eater until the 

 berries are ripe. I have been told by the natives 

 that just before he goes into his den he eats berries 

 only, and his stomach is now so filled with fat that 

 he really eats but little. 



The time when the bears go into their winter 

 quarters depends upon the severity of the season. 

 Generally it is in early November, shortly after 

 the cold weather has set in. Most bears sleep un- 

 interruptedly until spring, but they are occasionally 

 found wandering about in mid-winter. My natives 

 seemed to think that only those bears are restless 

 which have found uncomfortable quarters, and 

 that they leave their dens at this time of year solely 

 for the purpose of finding better ones. They gen- 

 erally choose for their dens caves high up on the 

 mountain sides among the rocks and in remote 

 places where they are not likely to be discovered. 

 The same winter quarters are believed to be used 

 year after year. 



The male, or bull bear, is the first to come out 

 in the spring. As soon as he recovers the use of 

 his muscles he leaves his den for good and wanders 

 aimlessly about until he comes upon the track of 

 some female. He now persistently follows her, 

 and it is at this time that the rutting season of the 



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