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The grisly is now chiefly a beast of the high hills and heavy timber；
but this is merely because he has learned that he must rely on cover
to guard him from man； and has forsaken the open ground accordingly。
In old days； and in one or two very out…of…the…way places almost to
the present time； he wandered at will over the plains。 It is only the
wariness born of fear which nowadays causes him to cling to the thick
brush of the large river…bottoms throughout the plains country。 When
there were no rifle…bearing hunters in the land； to harass him and
make him afraid； he roved thither and thither at will； in burly self…
confidence。 Then he cared little for cover； unless as a weather…break；
or because it happened to contain food he liked。 If the humor seized
him he would roam for days over the rolling or broken prairie；
searching for roots； digging up gophers； or perhaps following the
great buffalo herds either to prey on some unwary straggler which he
was able to catch at a disadvantage in a washout； or else to feast on
the carcasses of those which died by accident。 Old hunters； survivors
of the long…vanished ages when the vast herds thronged the high plains
and were followed by the wild red tribes； and by bands of whites who
were scarcely less savage； have told me that they often met bears
under such circumstances； and these bears were accustomed to sleep in
a patch of rank sage bush； in the niche of a washout； or under the lee
of a boulder； seeking their food abroad even in full daylight。 The
bears of the Upper Missouri basinwhich were so light in color that
the early explorers often alluded to them as gray or even as 〃white〃
were particularly given to this life in the open。 To this day that
close kinsman of the grisly known as the bear of the barren grounds
continues to lead this same kind of life； in the far north。 My friend
Mr。 Rockhill； of Maryland； who was the first white man to explore
eastern Tibet； describes the large； grisly…like bear of those desolate
uplands as having similar habits。
However； the grisly is a shrewd beast and shows the usual bear…like
capacity for adapting himself to changed conditions。 He has in most
places become a cover…haunting animal； sly in his ways； wary to a
degree and clinging to the shelter of the deepest forests in the
mountains and of the most tangled thickets in the plains。 Hence he has
held his own far better than such game as the bison and elk。 He is
much less common than formerly； but he is still to be found throughout
most of his former range； save of course in the immediate neighborhood
of the large towns。
In most places the grisly hibernates； or as old hunters say 〃holes
up；〃 during the cold season； precisely as does the black bear； but as
with the latter species； those animals which live farthest south spend
the whole year abroad in mild seasons。 The grisly rarely chooses that
favorite den of his little black brother； a hollow tree or log； for
his winter sleep； seeking or making some cavernous hole in the ground
instead。 The hole is sometimes in a slight hillock in a river bottom
but more often on a hill…side； and may be either shallow or deep。 In
the mountains it is generally a natural cave in the rock； but among
the foothills and on the plains the bear usually has to take some
hollow or opening； and then fashion it into a burrow to his liking
with his big digging claws。
Before the cold weather sets in the bear begins to grow restless； and
to roam about seeking for a good place in which to hole up。 One will
often try and abandon several caves or partially dug…out burrows in
succession before finding a place to its taste。 It always endeavors to
choose a spot where there is little chance of discovery or
molestation； taking great care to avoid leaving too evident trace of
its work。 Hence it is not often that the dens are found。
Once in its den the bear passes the cold months in lethargic sleep；
yet； in all but the coldest weather； and sometimes even then； its
slumber is but light； and if disturbed it will promptly leave its den；
prepared for fight or flight as the occasion may require。 Many times
when a hunter has stumbled on the winter resting…place of a bear and
has left it； as he thought； without his presence being discovered； he
has returned only to find that the crafty old fellow was aware of the
danger all the time； and sneaked off as soon as the coast was clear。
But in very cold weather hibernating bears can hardly be wakened from
their torpid lethargy。
The length of time a bear stays in its den depends of course upon the
severity of the season and the latitude and altitude of the country。
In the northernmost and coldest regions all the bears hole up； and
spend half the year in a state of lethargy； whereas in the south only
the she's with young and the fat he…bears retire for the sleep； and
these but for a few weeks； and only if the season is severe。
When the bear first leaves its den the fur is in very fine order； but
it speedily becomes thin and poor； and does not recover its condition
until the fall。 Sometimes the bear does not betray any great hunger
for a few days after its appearance； but in a short while it becomes
ravenous。 During the early spring； when the woods are still entirely
barren and lifeless； while the snow yet lies in deep drifts； the bear；
hungry brute； both maddened and weakened by long fasting； is more of a
flesh eater than at any other time。 It is at this period that it is
most apt to turn true beast of prey； and show its prowess either at
the expense of the wild game； or of the flocks of the settler and the
herds of the ranchman。 Bears are very capricious in this respect；
however。 Some are confirmed game； and cattle…killers； others are not；
while yet others either are or are not accordingly as the freak seizes
them； and their ravages vary almost unaccountably； both with the
season and the locality。
Throughout 1889； for instance； no cattle； so far as I heard； were
killed by bears anywhere near my range on the Little Missouri in
western Dakota； yet I happened to know that during that same season
the ravages of the bears among the herds of the cowmen in the Big Hole
Basin； in western Montana； were very destructive。
In the spring and early summer of 1888； the bears killed no cattle
near my ranch； but in the late summer and early fall of that year a
big bear； which we well knew by its tracks； suddenly took to cattle…
killing。 This was a brute which had its headquarters on some very
large brush bottoms a dozen miles below my ranch house； and which
ranged to and fro across the broken country flanking the river on each
side。 It began just before berry time； but continued its career of
destruction long after the wild plums and even buffalo berries had
ripened。 I think that what started it was a feast on a cow which had
mired and died in the bed of the creek； at least it was not until
after we found that it had been feeding at the carcass and had eaten
every scrap； that we discovered traces of its ravages among the
livestock。 It seemed to attack the animals wholly regardless of their
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