J JO 



RECREATION 



There is nothing about which hunters 

 of both the genuine and office-chair 

 kind differ so much as the grizzly's 

 ability to carry o{( lead. You will be 

 told on the one hand that their tenacity 

 of life is almost supernatural, an in- 

 cident will he related where one has 

 been shot through the brain, heart and 

 lungs, through every vital spot in fact, 

 and still retained enough vitality to 

 make a vicious and dangerous charge, 

 and perhaps to travel long distances be- 

 fore death. On the other hand you will 

 be told that they can be killed as easily 

 as a pig and are in fact no more dan- 

 gerous. The truth, no doubt, lies be- 

 tween the two extremes. Where one 

 can fire with great rapidity shots from 

 the high power rifle of the present day 

 I do not doubt that the animal would 

 be promptly stopped. They are capable 

 of doing great injury to their assailant 

 after receiving a mortal wound. Where 

 one has a choice, perhaps a well directed 

 shot through the shoulders, well back, 

 would be the most effective. Theoreti- 

 cally, the self-loading rifle recently put 

 on the market, if of sufficient power, 

 would be a most efficient weapon. One 

 expecting to find a grizzly now would 

 be compelled to go well back in the 

 Sierras. I think there are practically 

 none in the coast ranges. At least one 

 writer claims that the coast range was 

 the original habitat of these animals. 

 The silver-tip is probably a cross be- 

 tween the grizzly and the cinnamon. 

 As to the circumstances under which 

 a bear of any kind will charge, there 

 is more difference of opinion. I am in- 

 clined to think the distance the animal 

 is from his assailant is the greatest 



factor in the matter, although I do not 

 doubt that other factors enter into it. 



The common black bear is smaller 

 than either of the others mentioned, 

 weighing from two hundred and fifty 

 to as high as four hundred pounds ; 

 they are as compared to the others 

 comparatively harmless, although they 

 are able and sometimes willing to put 

 up a good fight. They must not be 

 mistaken for the little black bear of 

 the southern States, as they are much 

 larger and altogether more of a bear ; 

 they seem to be pretty well distributed 

 through the mountainous parts of the 

 State. 



A word about out-fitting. Too many 

 men go into the mountains utterly un- 

 prepared — which means always discom- 

 fort, to say the least, and may mean 

 sickness and trouble. Men who the 

 year round are housed in offices, with 

 little or no training, suddenly attempt 

 the most violent exercise. Remember 

 you cannot stand all that the old 

 hunter and mountain climber can. On 

 coming here from the East first make 

 up your mind to what point you wish 

 to go. Then go to some town some- 

 where near and put in a few days in 

 getting ready and obtaining all infor- 

 mation possible about the place. Don't 

 think every minute lost that is spent 

 between the time of your arrival in the 

 State and at the hunting ground. In 

 many of the towns of the State a cook- 

 house with teams can be hired to take 

 one into the mountains as far as teams 

 can go, from there you can branch 

 out and not be far from your base of 

 supplies and also a perfect shelter in 

 case of a storm or sudden illness. 



THE HORNED TOAD 



