I Guided Teddy Roosevelt and Zane Grey, But This Grizzly Hunt Was One I’ll Never Forget

This story, “Deadhead,” appeared within the August 1953 problem of Outside Life. You will discover extra stories by Jack Tooker here.

My job was driving a locomotive for the Santa Fe however my passion was big-game looking and guiding. The guiding was extra a labor of affection than the rest; I simply wished to be with individuals who preferred looking as a lot as I did. I took out such famous males as Theodore Roosevelt, Zane Gray, Rex Seashore, and Fred Stone. To do it I’d typically should get 30 days’ go away, however the railroad didn’t thoughts; it was good publicity. Different instances I went out with railroaders, ranchmen, {and professional} hunters.

It was with knowledgeable hunter that I undertook one of many queerest chases I’ve ever run into. The person was Cyrus (Bear) Johnson, an outdated good friend and looking companion, and one of many biggest of the bear males. Johnson hunted and trapped inventory killers for 2 northern-Arizona cattle corporations, the D.Ok. and the Bar X. He accounted for about 20 grizzlies all instructed, and I used to be in on about 12 killings myself.

This explicit hunt I’m speaking about came about in 1922. That summer time I went out with Johnson to assist run down a giant male grizzly that had been destroying cattle. We had been out every week, making units that we hoped would take the massive fellow. However he was as good as a coyote. He killed a cow at Kelsey Spring, on the fringe of the sycamores, and we made a set on the carcass. However he didn’t come again to it. His subsequent kill was at Barney Spring and by the point we discovered it, it had been stripped clear by different animals — black bears, lions, wolves, and the like. Then a 3rd kill — a fats steer — was discovered on the head of Bear Canyon close to Turkey Butte, and the cowboys mentioned the massive grizzly had carried out it.

Nicely, by this time I made a decision that the grizzly lived in Bear Canyon, a aspect canyon nearly as tough because the famed Sycamore, though not so deep. It was an ideal place for bears — with numerous berries and swimming swimming pools, and loads of recreation. At one time or one other virtually each grizzly in northern Arizona made his residence in Bear Canyon.

I helped Johnson transfer his stuff down off the mountain to his winter cabin, which was about within the heart of the realm the bear was working. After that, Johnson made blind path units and each different form he may consider. A number of instances he nearly bought the outdated boy. however not fairly. The grizzly was simply too good to fall for something he had.

After a number of considering, Johnson lastly doped out a set he thought would possibly work. I went out with him to position it. We killed a deer down within the Barney Spring space, hung half of it in a small oak tree, and smeared honey from a bee tree on the within of the carcass. If there’s something a bear likes even higher than venison, it’s honey. Then we positioned a entice that we’d soaked all night time in a spring, utilizing new gloves in dealing with it. We rubbed the contemporary deer conceal all around the entice, and its chain too. It appeared unlikely {that a} wild animal may detect human scent on it.

Our bear confirmed up, all proper. He walked across the set. That’s all. He should have sensed that it was simply too good to be true. We caught two black bears and a mountain lion. The blackies weren’t inventory killers however we needed to destroy them to get them out of the entice.

It was a month after that earlier than I may be part of Johnson once more. He had discovered a brand new place the place the grizzly was kill-ing inventory. This time we tried mendacity in look forward to him with flashlights. a harmful enterprise in opposition to a giant grizzly, for the vary of the flashlights was solely about 50 yards. However we needed to do one thing. By now the cowboys had been kidding us as the 2 males being hunted by a bear.

We had been nearly fortunate with the flash-light trick. Our grizzly was simply com-ing in, one night time, when the wind out of the blue modified. The monster gave a snort like an elephant and we bought our flashlights entering into time to see his big rear finish disappearing into the undergrowth.

When fall got here, Bear Johnson was nonetheless on the path. The nights started get-ting colder. We had been determined, as a result of time was working brief earlier than the massive bear would den up for the winter. John-son hunted on a regular basis and I helped each time I used to be off responsibility.

However we had no luck and at last misplaced all hint of the grizzly. Then phrase got here {that a} massive bear was killing inventory on the vary round Flagstaff. Johnson rode over there with some gentle equip-ment and wasn’t stunned to search out that the killer was our outdated enemy from Bear Canyon. It appeared doubtless that the bear usually holed up someplace within the mountains,’ and from his signal and the situation of the kills we figured his den should be someplace east of the Kindrich vary. He gave the impression to be transferring towards it.

When the snow got here, the grizzly bought deeper into the mountains. Johnson fol-lowed his tracks till they crammed up with snow, then he had to surrender. He turned south to Bellem.ont, one of many coldest locations within the West. There he picked up some provides and left phrase for me that he was heading again to the winter cabin.

It snowed an incredible deal in December and we needed to hold the plows out so the ti·ains may transfer. In January a thaw came-just sufficient to begin water working earlier than one other freeze-up. Then extra snow fell-plenty of it. I’ll always remember the night time I ended my prepare, the Williams and Flagstaff native, at Belle-mont after a tough run. We had fought snow all the best way.

We wished to drop off some freight at Bellemont however the agent had barricaded all of the doorways of the station. When he lastly bought one open and stepped out he seemed as if he’d seen a ghost. “What ails you?” I requested.  “Are the Apaches on the warpath?”

“It’s no joking matter.” the agent grumbled. “A bear tried to get in at me some time ago-a massive grizzly. I believed he’d bust a door down.”

“What model of rotgut have you ever been consuming? The grizzlies are all holed up in this sort of climate.”

“Nicely, this one isn’t. And I haven’t been consuming something stronger than espresso. Come over right here!”

My fireman, Phil Kenney, and I plowed via the snow to the plat-form, the place the agent confirmed us contemporary grizzly tracks exterior the freight-room window. He pointed to a spherical glazed spot on the window itself, the place the bear had pressed his nostril and melted a few of the frost and snow. “Have a look at that,” the agent mentioned. “Was that bear holed up?”

I used to be analyzing the signal with appreciable astonishment when the power-house attendant got here working up, all out of breath. The bear had been making an attempt to get in at him, too, he reported. The prepare crew, together with me. had been drained and moist, and wished nothing higher than to complete up the run at Williams and get into dry clothes.

I noticed {that a} grizzly had been in Bellemont, nevertheless it appeared like a fluke that may by no means occur once more. Anyway, I couldn’t waste a lot time enthusiastic about it. for I had a schedule to fulfill. As I oiled my engine I observed that snow had piled up on the plow nearly to the headlight.

After pulling out of Bellemont we picked up extra snow right here and there. Lastly we reached a curved stretch in a lower between snow-covered fields. I poked my head out the aspect window of the cab and was watching rigorously forward when the massive gentle picked up one thing that seemed like a cow on the monitor. I set the air however the brake footwear had been ice-coated and didn’t take maintain shortly. As we rolled on, my hackles rose, for what I noticed on the monitor was nothing kind of than a giant grizzly, standing erect and together with his face turned to the glare of the head-light. I bought just one clear have a look at him earlier than a snow flurry blotted him out.

“Hey, Phil,” I yelled, “did you see something?”

“Did I!” Kenney shouted. “I don’t know what it was, as a result of it was 10 ft above the stack once I noticed it.”

“The place did it go?” 

“Sailed out over the lower.”

Nicely, that might have occurred at this level, for the banks of the lower had been not more than eight ft excessive. The massive plow that might elevate tons of snow had carried out the identical for the grizzly.

Since we weren’t far forward of No. 3, the restricted passenger prepare, I didn’t dare cease. Earlier than we reached Williams I had issues form of found out. A deep snow, coming early within the winter, had compelled the grizzly to gap up earlier than he reached his residence den. Beneath such circumstances, bears typically take to the primary gap they arrive to. Then the thaw had come alongside and drowned him out, and the lights of Bellemont had attracted him.

hTe railroad proper of method, having been saved clear, provided the trail of least resistance to him via the fields of snow. Lord is aware of the place he was heading when the Mikado caught up with him. It should have been the primary time he ever owned as much as defeat. A locomotive was just a little an excessive amount of for even a grizzly.

If the plow hadn’t scooped him up, he would by no means have lived to suppose it over.

After all, at that time I didn’t even know whether or not he had  survived. In truth I used to be fairly effectively  satisfied that we’d discover a useless grizzly on the highest of the lower. If it fitted the outline of the bear that Johnson had been after, I’d snowshoe out to the winter cabin and inform him, so he may declare the reward. I took 15 days’ go away and rode the native out to the lower subsequent morning. I dropped off, carrying a rifle and sufficient provides to final me every week, and donned my snowshoes. Then I climbed to the highest of the lower.

There was no bear there _ nothing however marks within the snow displaying the place it had landed. The piled-up snow on the plow should have softened the impression of the collision, for I couldn’t even discover a spot of blood.

However the grizzly had left a plain path southward from the lower. I guessed he was heading for D.Ok. nation and the canyon, so I adopted. By subsequent morning the snow had crusted and I used to be capable of make good time, reaching John-son’s cabin by midday. The outdated man was glad to see me, and once I instructed him what had occurred he bought as excited as I’d ever seen him. We had been each desperate to get on the path, nevertheless it was too late to begin out that day.

We reached the drop-off on the head of Sycamore Canyon subsequent morning about 11 o’clock, following the distinct path of the grizzly till it out of the blue petered out. He had gone down a degree so steep {that a} monkey might need discovered it robust, his physique plowing via the snow for 1 / 4 mile. Then the path ended. From the place we stood  amongst  rocks  and  cliffs  we couldn’t spot a den anyplace, and solely a den may clarify the abrupt ending of the path.

I walked out on a degree of rocks, noticed one thing, and signaled Johnson to return up. “Do you see what I see?” I requested when he arrived.

“Certain,” he chuckled. “That’s the outdated boy himself sleeping there within the solar, plumb fagged out from staying up the entire winter’s night time.”

“I wished to make sure I wasn’t seeing issues.”

“Jack, we bought to make use of our heads,” Johnson mentioned.  “If we shoot now and don’t kill him stone useless he’ll attempt to get to us, and perhaps fall to the underside of the canyon. Then we’d by no means discover him., not until the spring thaw anyway.” We talked it over and determined to shoot collectively on the depend of three, then duck out of sight. Johnson was utilizing a .33 Winchester rifle and I an 8 mm. Mauser. and we figured the 2 highly effective cartridges ought to nail him down. I began to intention and heard Johnson swear aloud. The following instantaneous I under-stood why; there was no grizzly in my sights, and by the identical token there was none in his.

The crafty outdated warrior had sensed our presence and ducked simply within the nick of time. It was arduous to imagine, however he had disappeared. We concluded that there should be a cave opening someplace behind the snow, one we couldn’t see.

“You keep right here,” mentioned Johnson. “I’ll attempt to work round and cross to the opposite aspect. Then perhaps I can see one thing.”

“That’s a good suggestion, besides that you simply’d higher let me do the climbing when you rise up on that massive rock and watch.”

Johnson agreed, since he was none too spry in winter. “Make sure you keep above him,” he warned. “And don’t overlook the crevices and pits.”

The roundabout journey, perhaps 300 yards, took me an hour, however I used to be lastly rewarded by a glimpse of the bear among the many rocks. I used to be 50 yards above him and will make out what I believed was his head. I felt protected sufficient so I aimed and fired. The grizzly got here charging out of what seemed like a shallow despair within the rocks, and he was roaring like a complete herd of mad bulls. I heard Johnson’s rifle crack, and the grizzly staggered. Nevertheless it recovered and noticed Johnson. Because it charged towards him I shot quick. Each bullet hit the mark however none was deadly. I’d as effectively have been throwing snowballs.

Then one in every of Johnson’s bullets knocked the massive bear down. Nevertheless it was up instantly and charging him once more. To succeed in Johnson, it must climb the rock on which he was standing.

Because the bear began up the rock my probability got here. I fired on the backbone and noticed the grizzly drop to the foot of the rock. Then it was up once more. I had evidently missed the vertebrae by an inch or so. I raised the Mauser to fireside the la;;t shot in its journal, and I used to be starting to really feel sick as I noticed my companion’s peril.

Then Johnson took cautious intention from his perch on the rock, and fired as coolly as if he had been beheading a turkey. The grizzly misplaced its grip and slid off the boulder, this time for retains. Johnson had damaged its neck with that final cautious shot.

The within of that outdated grizzly had been actually shot to items, and there was a bullet gap in his nostril, in all probability made by me once I mistook his muzzle for his entire head. Any of the physique pictures would have killed him ultimately. And once we skinned him out we discovered one hind leg was an enormous, black bruise, testimony to his collision with the plow.

Learn Subsequent: We Tracked Down a Killer Grizzly — and It Almost Ended in Tragedy

We roped collectively a sled of tree limbs and dragged the conceal again to Johnson’s cabin. Contemplating the bounty, it was a useful piece of deadhead freight. And for a very long time after that my hackles would rise each time I’d run via the curving lower the place the sport outdated griizzly had reared up, able to sort out a locomotive.