become a great bear-hunter, and when you do go out to hunt alone, don't
do as I do, but do as I say, for I am growing old and am sometimes
careless about the way I approach game." Puffing away at his pipe, he
presently continued: "In trailing bear, the hunter's method of
approach, of course, depends entirely upon the information he has
gained from the tracks he has discovered. If the hunter sees the bear
without being seen, he will approach to within about twenty paces or
even ten of the brute before he fires; being, however, always careful
to keep some object between him and his quarry. And when he does fire,
he should not wait to see the effect, but should immediately run aside
for a distance of fifteen or twenty paces, as the first thing a bear
does when it is shot is to bite the wound on account of the pain, next
it tries to discover who hit it, and remembering from which direction
the sound came, it looks up, and seeing the smoke, rushes for it. Then
the hunter has his opportunity, for on seeing the beast pass broadside,
he fires, and thus stands a good chance of hitting a vital spot.

"At a critical moment a good hunter's movements are not only swift but
always premeditated. Nor does he ever treat a bear with contempt: from
first to last, he is always on guard. He never takes a chance. Even
if the bear drops when the hunter fires, he will immediately re-load
and advance very slowly lest the brute be feigning death. The hunter
advances, with his gun cocked and in readiness, to within perhaps five
paces, and then waits to see if his quarry is really dead. If the bear
is not dead and sees that the hunter is off his guard, the chances are
it will rush at him. But an experienced hunter is not easily fooled,
for he knows that if an animal makes a choking sound in its throat,
caused by internal bleeding, it is mortally wounded; but if it makes no
such sound--watch out!"