Grizzly Bear

When European colonists first touched American shores, the grizzly bear ranged throughout western North America, from Mexico to the Arctic Circle. He was one of the largest and fiercest animals on the continent, easily entitled to the name he was later given, “Lord of the Wilderness.” But the grizzly bear shared the fate of many other wild animals who lived for centuries side by side with Indians but whose existence was incompatible with the advance of white settlers.

            As the West was settled, the ferocious grizzly began to disappear. Now, Colorado has several, and a few remain in Idaho, Washington, Montana, and Wyoming. In California—the state whose emblem is the Great Golden Bear—no grizzlies have been reported since 1922. Only in the wilderness areas of Canada and Alaska does the grizzly still rule. This fascinating volume collects stories of grizzly encounters with mountain men, settlers, naturalists, scouts, and others.

            With accounts from Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, George Frederick Ruxton, Kit Carson, and Joe Meek, this book will be of interest to sportsmen, naturalists, and all who are concerned with the history of the West.