A GRIZZLY AT CLOSE RANGE. 



FRED C. HOWE. 



We were camped on the North fork of 

 Shoshone river, about 25 or 30 miles from 

 its head water. We had reached that spot 

 after a tiresome trip through the Yellow- 

 stone Park, by crossing that fragment of 

 the Inferno known as Sunlight Divide, and 

 pushing down the river. At that point it 

 runs nearly West to East, and is re- 

 inforced at intervals by creeks flowing into 

 it on either side, from the high mountain 

 ranges which bound the valley on the North 

 and South. 



This is one of the most promising sec- 

 tions in the United States for big game 

 of all kinds. 



Our party consisted of Sam, myself, old 

 Charles (our guide), and 6 horses. It had 

 been my desire from boyhood to try my 

 hand at big game shooting, and after hav- 

 ing been disappointed in all my previous 

 plans for such an excursion as we were 

 then enjoying, my enthusiasm may be im- 

 agined when at last I had a good prospect 

 of gratifying my ambition. 



We spent several days in camp, and 

 filled our stomachs with venison, elk meat, 

 grouse and mountain trout. Our allotted 

 time was fast drawing to a close, yet I had 

 not had the pleasure of trying my gun on 

 a bear. My hopes in that direction were 

 rapidly sinking when one evening, while 

 sitting around our camp fire, old Charlie 

 told me I still had one more fairly good 

 chance of at least getting sight of old 

 Bruin. 



In pursuance of his suggestion he and I 

 turned out earlier than usual next morning, 

 and started up the river on horseback to a 

 spot where he had killed an elk some days 

 before and had left that part of the carcass 

 which we did not wish for food. This spot 

 was some 15 miles up the river and 4 or 5 

 miles South, on one of the creeks which 

 flowed into the main stream from that di- 

 rection. 



Our trail was rough, and we had to ford 

 the river several times. It must have been 

 nearly noon when we reached the location 

 sought, and came out on a small park, or 

 open space, in the timber. This little park 

 was covered with excellent feed for the 

 horses, and had a small mountain stream 

 running through it. It was not more than 

 a mile from the scene of the killing of the 

 elk some days before. 



We decided to leave our horses there and 

 proceed on foot to the spot where we ex- 

 pected to find a bear lunching from the re- 

 mains of the elk. I followed old Charlie's 

 instructions to go due West about a mile, 



while he followed a rambling trail of blazed 

 trees which he had made while packing out 

 the meat of the elk. 



After making my way through the tim- 

 ber for some distance in the direction indi- 

 cated, I began to get the odor of the putrid 

 meat, and this odor became stronger as I 

 proceeded. 



In my excitement all thought of Charlie 

 and our plan to come together on the scene 

 of battle vanished from my mind. Making 

 sure that the magazine of my rifle wa°. 

 properly filled with ammunition I proceed- 

 ed as cautiously as possible, in the direc- 

 tion of the odor, which was by that time 

 very strong. Suddenly, at my left, Mr. 

 Grizzly appeared. He was enjoying his 

 noonday lunch, bear fashion, with the 

 shank bone of the elk between his paws. 



Evidently he became aware of my pres- 

 ence at the same instant I saw him, for he 

 dropped the bone, and rising on his 

 haunches, cast an inquiring look in my di- 

 rection. I was on one knee in a second, 

 and much to my surprise, when I think of 

 it now, all my nervousness and excitement 

 of a few moments before had left me. I 

 was as calm as though I had met a friend 

 by appointment. 



Neither of us moved for a second. Then 

 I fired and the bear, dropping to all fours, 

 walked leisurely around to the opposite side 

 of the carcass. 



I never knew whether that first shot took 

 effect. As he came around the carcass and 

 emerged from behind a huge tree I fired 

 again. He srave a hideous grunt, or growl, 

 and bit with his teeth at his shoulder as 

 though stung by a bee. Then he started in 

 my direction with that peculiar gait which 

 is apparently so slow, and yet covers the 

 ground with such astonishing speed. 



I remained in my previous position, 

 working the lever of my rifle with a rapid- 

 ity I had never before been able to attain, 

 and threw the bullets into his neck and 

 breast, never taking the gun from my 

 shoulder. This had no apparent effect on 

 the bear, for on he came, seeming to 

 grow larger and larger at every jump, till 

 he assumed the proportions of an elephant 

 in my eyes, making a target it would have 

 been hard to miss. His ears were laid back 

 close to his head, his mouth was open, and 

 his Vvhite teeth glistening in the sunlight, 

 as he growled and snarled at every jump. 

 My sensations during those few seconds 

 were entirely new, and not altogether pleas- 

 ant. To my supreme relief, when within 

 30 feet of me, the bear began to stagger 



424 



