Pre PASSING 
from the Siskiyous to the Calapooias. 
Though a black bear, he was of im- 
mense size and fully as powerful as a 
grizzly. He ventured down into the 
settlements when feed was short on 
the ranges, and devastated entire gar- 
dens ; not satisfied with a vegetable diet 
alone, he entered the sties and the sheep 
corrals, carrying off full grown pigs 
and lambs. He was frequently “seen 
running away on his hind legs, hugging 
a sheep under one fore paw, and a pig 
under the other!” Many times Reel- 
Paw had been “shot after,” as Billy 
expressed it, but the big bear always 
got away with the lead. “B’ar dogs” 
only attacked him once. If they sur- 
vived that first merciless cuff, they were 
wise enough in the future to leave the 
monster alone. 
And now we learned that Reel-Paw 
was in Bear Camp. Others older and 
wiser than we might have shuddered 
at the thought, but Dan and I were 
heartily glad. We were out for bears; 
a grizzly would be preferable, but since 
ae was impossible Reel-Paw would 
oO. 
Billy shook his head very soberly 
when we told him we wanted to meet 
the big bear. When we asked him if 
he would take us to Reel-Paw’s feeding 
grounds he was silent. We insisted, 
and he finally agreed to guide us there. 
Before attacking Reel-Paw we first 
spent four days stalking the more timid 
bears that came to feed in the sweet 
acorn patches near Billy’s cabin. If 
the sportsman gets out early enough, 
it is as easy to hunt and kill bears by 
this method as it is to creep upon and 
shoot ducks in a mill pond. We would 
locate a sweet acorn gulch, and learn 
by signs whether bears came there to 
feed. We would then take a stand on 
the nearest ridge, and get Mr. Bruin 
when he came out to breakfast. The 
“nearest ridge,” however, would be a 
full quarter-mile away. Hence this 
method of taking a stand, like that of 
stalking upon a drove, requires the 
‘hunter’s aim to be sure. 
Out of twelve shots we got five 
OF REEL-PAW 
aoA 
bears—two blacks, two browns and a 
cinnamon. ‘Trails of blood left by five 
others convinced us that they carried 
away our lead. Unless a bear is hit 
very near the fatal spot, just behind 
and beneath the shoulder, he will get 
away with half a dozen bullets. But 
a .25-35 is big enough for the biggest 
bear, as is likewise a .30-30, provided 
he is hit in the right spot. We saw a 
small brown bear scamper away with a 
broadside from Billy’s cannon-like .44- 
40, with no more concern than if he had 
been peppered by a .22. 
We skinned the five, soused the meat, 
and made off early one morning for 
Reel-Paw’s feeding grounds. We rode 
the ponies to the left prong of Cow 
Horn, where we tethered them, and 
pushed on toward Mule mountain 
afoot. It had been a cloudy night and 
morning revealed two inches of snow. 
The sun came up warm and bright, and 
the white carpet soon had dark 
splotches here and there which, by con- 
trast, were as black as if a big bottle 
of ink had been spilled over the moun- 
tains. 
Ten miles from Billy’s shanty, and 
while tramping the unmelted snow on 
the bottom of a cafion, we came upon 
a bear track ‘that set our hearts. a- 
thumping. The imprint of the right 
front foot was broader and deeper than 
that of the left, as if caused by some 
strange deformity. Dan and I stooped 
and examined them critically. 
Billy only gave them casual notice. 
He had seen them many times before. 
“They are Reel-Paw’s tracks,” said he. 
“T ’d know ’em if I came a-crossed ’em 
on the Sahary desert.” 
Then we stood up and listened to the 
old hunter’s plan of attack. About a 
mile farther down the canon was a 
sweet acorn patch, toward which the 
big bear was heading. Since Billy 
knew the location of the patch, he 
deemed it best that we divide forces, 
and stalk. Dan and I were to wait an 
hour, while the old trapper climbed up 
and around, and approached the patch 
from the other way. When the hour 
