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size and strength； its victims including a large bull and a beef
steer； as well as cows； yearlings； and gaunt； weak trail 〃doughgies；〃
which had been brought in very late by a Texas cow…outfitfor that
year several herds were driven up from the overstocked； eaten…out； and
drought…stricken ranges of the far south。 Judging from the signs； the
crafty old grisly； as cunning as he was ferocious； usually lay in wait
for the cattle when they came down to water； choosing some thicket of
dense underbrush and twisted cottonwoods； through which they had to
pass before reaching the sand banks on the river's brink。 Sometimes he
pounced on them as they fed through the thick； low cover of the
bottoms； where an assailant could either lie in ambush by one of the
numerous cattle trails； or else creep unobserved towards some browsing
beast。 When within a few feet a quick rush carried him fairly on the
terrified quarry； and though but a clumsy animal compared to the great
cats； the grisly is far quicker than one would imagine from viewing
his ordinary lumbering gait。 In one or two instances the bear had
apparently grappled with his victim by seizing it near the loins and
striking a disabling blow over the small of the back； in at least one
instance he had jumped on the animal's head； grasping it with his
fore…paws； while with his fangs he tore open the throat or crunched
the neck bone。 Some of his victims were slain far from the river； in
winding； brushy coulies of the Bad Lands； where the broken nature of
the ground rendered stalking easy。 Several of the ranchmen； angered at
their losses； hunted their foe eagerly； but always with ill success；
until one of them put poison in a carcass； and thus at last； in
ignoble fashion； slew the cattle…killer。
Mr。 Clarence King informs me that he was once eye…witness to a bear's
killing a steer； in California。 The steer was in a small pasture； and
the bear climbed over； partly breaking down； the rails which barred
the gateway。 The steer started to run； but the grisly overtook it in
four or five bounds； and struck it a tremendous blow on the flank with
one paw； knocking several ribs clear away from the spine； and killing
the animal outright by the shock。
Horses no less than horned cattle at times fall victims to this great
bear； which usually spring on them from the edge of a clearing as they
graze in some mountain pasture； or among the foot…hills； and there is
no other animal of which horses seem so much afraid。 Generally the
bear； whether successful or unsuccessful in its raids on cattle and
horses； comes off unscathed from the struggle； but this is not always
the case； and it has much respect for the hoofs or horns of its
should…be prey。 Some horses do not seem to know how to fight at all；
but others are both quick and vicious； and prove themselves very
formidable foes； lashing out behind； and striking with their fore…
hoofs。 I have elsewhere given an instance of a stallion which beat off
a bear； breaking its jaw。
Quite near my ranch； once； a cowboy in my employ found unmistakable
evidence of the discomfiture of a bear by a long…horned range cow。 It
was in the early spring； and the cow with her new…born calf was in a
brush…bordered valley。 The footprints in the damp soil were very
plain； and showed all that had happened。 The bear had evidently come
out of the bushes with a rush； probably bent merely on seizing the
calf； and had slowed up when the cow instead of flying faced him。 He
had then begun to walk round his expected dinner in a circle； the cow
fronting him and moving nervously back and forth； so that her sharp
hoofs cut and trampled the ground。 Finally she had charged savagely；
whereupon the bear had bolted； and； whether frightened at the charge；
or at the approach of some one； he had not returned。
The grisly is even fonder of sheep and pigs than is its smaller black
brother。 Lurking round the settler's house until after nightfall； it
will vault into the fold or sty； grasp a helpless； bleating fleece…
bearer； or a shrieking； struggling member of the bristly brotherhood；
and bundle it out over the fence to its death。 In carrying its prey a
bear sometimes holds the body in its teeth； walking along on all…fours
and dragging it as a wolf does。 Sometimes； however； it seizes an
animal in its forearms or in one of them； and walks awkwardly on three
legs or two； adopting this method in lifting and pushing the body over
rocks and down timber。
When a grisly can get at domestic animals it rarely seeks to molest
game； the former being far less wary and more helpless。 Its heaviness
and clumsiness do not fit it well for a life of rapine against shy
woodland creatures。 Its vast strength and determined temper； however；
more than make amends for lack of agility in the actual struggle with
the stricken prey； its difficulty lies in seizing； not in killing； the
game。 Hence； when a grisly does take to game…killing； it is likely to
attack bison； moose； and elk； it is rarely able to catch deer； still
less sheep or antelope。 In fact these smaller game animals often show
but little dread of its neighborhood； and； though careful not to let
it come too near； go on grazing when a bear is in full sight。
Whitetail deer are frequently found at home in the same thicket in
which a bear has its den； while they immediately desert the temporary
abiding place of a wolf or cougar。 Nevertheless； they sometimes
presume too much on this confidence。 A couple of years before the
occurrence of the feats of cattle…killing mentioned above as happening
near my ranch； either the same bear that figured in them； or another
of similar tastes； took to game…hunting。 The beast lived in the same
succession of huge thickets which cover for two or three miles the
river bottoms and the mouths of the inflowing creeks； and he suddenly
made a raid on the whitetail deer which were plentiful in the dense
cover。 The shaggy； clumsy monster was cunning enough to kill several
of these knowing creatures。 The exact course of procedure I never
could find out； but apparently the bear laid in wait beside the game
trails； along which the deer wandered。
In the old days when the innumerable bison grazed free on the prairie；
the grisly sometimes harassed their bands as it now does the herds of
the ranchman。 The bison was the most easily approached of all game；
and the great bear could often get near some outlying straggler； in
its quest after stray cows； yearlings； or calves。 In default of a
favorable chance to make a prey of one of these weaker members of the
herds； it did not hesitate to attack the mighty bulls themselves； and
perhaps the grandest sights which it was ever the good fortune of the
early hunters to witness was one of these rare battles between a
hungry grisly and a powerful buffalo bull。 Nowadays； however； the few
last survivors of the bison are vanishing even from the inaccessible
mountain fastnesses in which they sought a final refuge from their
destroyers。
At present the wapiti is of all wild game that which is most likely to
fall a victim to the grisly； when the big bear is in the mood to turn
hunter。 Wapiti are found in the same places as th