James H Cook

[Stephen Borud]

I found this to be an interesting little story from James H Cooks book ( Fifty Years on the Old Frontier)

James was hunting in the Shirley Basin southwest of Casper Wyoming with his partner Bill in 1880. They had killed 4 elk out of the same herd a couple days before the snow hit. So James and Bill headed back to where they had hung there meat up and as they got close they cut a set of large bear tracks leading to there elk meat. I have killed 4 elk off the Shirley Mountains and have hunted antelope there as well so this story caught my attention.

We cut across this bend in the trail and followed cautiously along perhaps another hundred yards. Finally I saw where the bear had climbed over a big pine log. Mounting the log, I was startled to note that the trail had come to an end! Within six feet of me grew a cluster of young pines. Looking closely into them, I could see a big bunch of hair. Old Bruin was taking a nap! Probably the feast of which he has so recently partaken made him sleep more soundly then usual.

The bears awakening was a rude one. My partner Billy was behind but a step or two as I mounted the log over which the bears trail led. The instant I saw that things would soon happen, I made a sign to Billy to look out for squalls. Then I took aim for the center of that big ball of hair and pulled the trigger of my 40-90 Sharps rifle, immediately jumping back off the log.

The next instant I both saw and heard something. The great head and a large portion of the front end of a huge grizzly loomed up in very plain sight from the opposite side of that log. I was aware that a bear could, on occasions, utter fearsome screams, but that old fellow, as he rose up out of his bed in the pines to see what had dared sting, smoke, and so rudely distrub his slumbers, gave vent to the most awful sounds I had ever heard. At that short range he looked very tall and very wide to me, and the expression on his face was far from pleasant.

Things were now happening rapidly. No sooner had the bear exposed his head and body, with his forelegs all set for smashing an enemy, Billy sent a bullet through his heart. This was too much lead, and down went Bruin. The man with the pack animals heard the shots and came back to us. We took our bear to camp. When we dressed him, we found that our bullets had both passed through him, not half an inch apart. Billy had shot to kill. I, however, could not see what part of the bear I was shooting at. As I now look back to that affair, I can see where I might have really started a roughhouse with that bear.

Stephen Borud

[Stephen Borud]

I should have mentioned that my dad and Orville told me a long time ago to read this book. Dad finally borrowed the book to me and I highly recommend it.

Stephen

[Dan O]

Thanks for the info sounds like a great book.

[mdeland]

I love those kinds of stories Stephen, thanks! Shooting any kind of bear just any where is bad business, even the lowly black which tears more people up each year than browns or grizzlies.
I remember one of the blacks I shot took five hits with my .338 before he was down for good. I was punching holes through his thorax but the 275 Speer hot core I was using was to much bullet for him as it would not open up but just punch a little pencil size hole through him. Every shot was complete penetration but he just would not stay down. I don't think he would have gone much over a hundred and twenty five pounds but was haired up nice. He'd been in the rotten salmon and man what a stink bomb. MD

[Stephen Borud]

Yes Dan and Mdeland I enjoy the history of the Sharps rifle and the men who used them. These first hand account books are a wealth of information. James and Billy knew the risks of killing this Silvertip Grizzly. They knew if they killed this big bear they would get top dollar for the hide. When they hauled the hide back to Cheyenne they received 50 dollars for it,that was good money.


Stephen

[mdeland]

I think that it takes a lot of sand to shoot a grizzly or brown with a single shot no matter how big the hole in the end is. I've seen a brown go down with one shot and I saw another one tear up a hill side with two good hits through the chest before expiring. Both were well hit with good bullets.
Many a heart shot grizzle or brown has killed his antagonist before dieing. I'd say James was very fortunate to have his steady handed pardner along on that deal. MD

[Stephen Borud]

I think that it takes a lot of sand to shoot a grizzly or brown with a single shot no matter how big the hole in the end is. I've seen a brown go down with one shot and I saw another one tear up a hill side with two good hits through the chest before expiring. Both were well hit with good bullets.
Many a heart shot grizzle or brown has killed his antagonist before dieing. I'd say James was very fortunate to have his steady handed pardner along on that deal. MD

Absolutely!

[Marathonman]

It's facinating to me how fearless people from that time period were. I'm guessing Cook's attituded towards the bear was similar to what a park ranger told me about Custer's attituded at Little Big Horn. "Don't let em get away!"

I shot a ball of fur with a .22 at close range like that when I was a boy. Turned out to be a badger who nearly got me in the few seconds of life he had left.

My Alaskan Brown Bear took 3 shots with a .338 all of which were lethal hits. He lived more than long enough to have killed my guide and me had he not been 206 yards away. He was trying to close the distance too and seemingly unintersted in getting away. If I was to try a big Grizz with my Sharps today I would think before I pulled the trigger and may not pull it at all unless the set up was good. Think of the video of Fred Bear shooting his Alaskan brownie with a bow and arrow. The bear ran in the direction he was pointed lucky for Fred.

Thanks for the lead on a great book Stehpen. I'm looking for it now!

[Dan O]

It's facinating to me how fearless people from that time period were. I'm guessing Cook's attituded towards the bear was similar to what a park ranger told me about Custer's attituded at Little Big Horn. "Don't let em get away!"

I shot a ball of fur with a .22 at close range like that when I was a boy. Turned out to be a badger who nearly got me in the few seconds of life he had left.

My Alaskan Brown Bear took 3 shots with a .338 all of which were lethal hits. He lived more than long enough to have killed my guide and me had he not been 206 yards away. He was trying to close the distance too and seemingly unintersted in getting away. If I was to try a big Grizz with my Sharps today I would think before I pulled the trigger and may not pull it at all unless the set up was good. Think of the video of Fred Bear shooting his Alaskan brownie with a bow and arrow. The bear ran in the direction he was pointed lucky for Fred.

Thanks for the lead on a great book Stehpen. I'm looking for it now!

I've watched the Fred Bear video a number of times. I don't think that Brownie even knew Fred or his guide were even in the area. Just one arrow from his recurve did the job about as fast as a 338 would have....alot quieter to Things like that are not for the timid or unsure, without the proper mind set your going to make a mistake at the worst time. Fred must have had nerves of steel or was just crazy or maybe both lol. Either way he was a heck of a hunter.

[Stephen Borud]

I have read so many books like this one and your right MM they were tuff as nails and took great risk in there every day lives. These weren't city folks these were men looking for adventure and a way to make some money. James talks about hunting around Cheyenne for several months supplying a major hotel along the train route meat and also restaurants out east. He said the game was plentiful in those days. Thanks for the comments guys when you get the book you wont be disappointed.
Stephen

[Don McDowell]

They have a lot of Cooks stuff in the museum at the Agate Fossil Beds National monument , so of Harrison Ne about 30 miles. That national park is located on most of what was his ranch, and the old ranch buildings are still on the other side of the highway, but they're on private land .

[Orville]

When I was with the National Park Service I examined and handled all of Cooks guns, they were being stored at Scotts Bluff at that time, also he had many articles of indian clothing, etc. which the indians had given him. Red Cloud used to come and camp in Cooks yard.

[Don McDowell]

One of the locals told me when he was a kid in school, they used to go out there for school field trips. Red Clouds lodgepoles were still standing right beside the bridge on the northside of the creek where the road turns to go down to the visitor center.

[Stephen Borud]

Thanks Don and Orville for the additional information on James Cook.


Stephen

[Don McDowell]

Stephen you could almost make a field trip with the boys out of Cooks ranch and the fur trade museum in Chadron....