Bear Traits 



back at us. I think she did this partly from 

 curiosity, but partly also from bad temper, for 

 once or twice she grinned and roared at us. 

 The upshot of it was that I got within range 

 and put a bullet in the old she, who afterwards 

 charged my companion and was killed, and 

 we also got the yearling. 



Another young grizzly which I killed 

 dropped to the first bullet, which entered its 

 stomach. It then let myself and my com- 

 panion approach closely, looking up at us 

 with alert curiosity, but making no effort to 

 escape. It was really not crippled at all, but 

 we thought from its actions that its back was 

 broken, and my companion foolishly advanced 

 to kill it with his pistol. The pistol, however, 

 did not inflict a mortal wound, and the only 

 effect was to make the young bear jump to 

 its feet as if unhurt, and race off at full speed 

 through the timber ; for though not full-grown 

 it was beyond cubhood, being probably about 

 eighteen months old. By desperate running 

 I succeeded in getting another shot, and more 

 by luck than anything else knocked it over, 

 this time permanently. 



Black bear are not, under normal condi- 

 tions, formidable brutes. They are not nearly 



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