Using a .30-30 Winchester, the one-armed hunter would finally slay the Jewett Gap Grizzly, ending its ten-year reign of terror among cattle ranchers in the Old West.
In the 1890s an unusually large and savage grizzly had been marauding the livestock of ranchers in the southwestern New Mexico Territory. The old bear killed cattle and sheep not just for food, but for what seemed like nothing more than bloodlust. Trappers and hunters from all corners of the territory had tried to earn the bounty on its hide.
For more than ten years the clever old bruin had avoided every trap laid and every bullet fired by some of the best hunters. That was until a one-armed English sportsman showed up with his dogs and took care of the bear in remarkable fashion.
The hunter was Montague Stevens, who had made his first visit to America some 16 years earlier as a 21-year-old graduate of Cambridge University. He came to hunt big game and with the help of James H. Cook, an experienced cowboy, hunter and Indian scout, Stevens learned the necessary hunting skills and bushcraft to hold his own.
He spent two autumns in Wyoming Territory, gaining knowledge and nurturing a passion for wild country. After returning to England to complete his education, he came back to make his home in Wyoming.
With a settlement from his mother’s estate, Stevens went into partnership with fellow Brit Harold C. Wilson of Scotland. They bought a spread north of Alma in New Mexico and named it the W.S. Ranch.
Both men were inexperienced at ranching, so they hired a cowboy by the name of Dan Gatlin to show them the ropes.
Stevens and Gatlin rode the open range together as teacher and student until Gatlin developed the skills to run the ranch. The two men eventually became good friends.
Gatlin and Stevens hunted at every opportunity, to put food on the table, for sport or to eradicate predators.
On a hunt in the winter of 1888, Stevens’ life would change forever. The men were hunting geese and Stevens had his shotgun resting across his saddle when his mount spooked and decided to race off in the direction of a thicket. As the horse bolted, Stevens grabbed the barrel of the gun, trying to keep the muzzle pointed away from him. However, the butt and trigger caught in the branches and the gun went off, blowing Steven’s left arm to pieces.
Gatlin rushed to help his boss and friend, but nothing could be done to save the arm.
In just five weeks Stevens felt ready to retrain himself in shooting a rifle. Using a 30-30 lever-action Winchester, he would rest the barrel across the stump of his left arm, then aim and pull the trigger with his right hand. Reloading was the most difficult part. He had to place the muzzle on his left boot, the butt under the stump, and then with his right hand, work the lever.
Obviously, this took a while to accomplish, but soon he was out hunting again. He trained a pack of dogs and schooled his horse to ride along with the hounds in pursuit of a bear, often covering many miles.
As time went by, the reputation of the ranch grew as did Stevens’ prowess as a hunter, particularly when it came to grizzlies. Many notable celebrities hunted with him, including Frederick Remington and Theodore Roosevelt.
Anytime there was a report of a bear attacking livestock in the area, Stevens was there in a flash, along with his trusty dogs. One spring morning in 1896 Stevens was told that a huge bear had killed about 40 sheep at a neighbor’s ranch. First reports indicated that it was probably the elusive Jewett Gap Grizzly.
Stevens wasted no time getting to the site with his hounds. He soon picked up fresh tracks of the giant bear and when the trail led to the carcass of a sheep with a broken neck, Stevens knew he was narrowing the gap on the much-sought-after beast.
Soon the hounds picked up the scent of their quarry and from a distance Stevens could hear them closing in. The bear had left his resting place and charged up a mountainside, heading for thick cover.
The light was fading fast when Stevens caught sight of the massive bear sitting on his haunches atop a steep cliff 30 yards above the pack. Quickly, he dismounted and moved to within shooting range. As he did, he noticed some of his dogs had moved up and were circling behind the bear.
Wasting no time, Stevens fired just as the bear tried to swat one of the hounds. He was sure his shot was fatal and that the bullet had gone through the bruin’s neck. But the beast didn’t fall.
Instead, the bear immediately turned toward Stevens and charged. As he came on fast and furious, Stevens struggled to reload while standing on one foot. He managed to chamber another round, but had no time to bring up the rifle and aim. Stevens reacted by pushing the rifle forward until the muzzle touched the bear between his shoulders and pulled the trigger. The bullet penetrated the animal’s spine, killing it instantly.
As he fired, Stevens jumped to one side and the bruin’s momentum carried it down the hill to its final resting place. The Jewett Gap Grizzly was finally dead, slain by a one-armed hunter.
AVAILABLE THIS FALL:
LEGENDS of the HUNT – CAMPFIRE TALES
This intriguing story will be among more than 60 chapters in John Seerey-Lester’s spectacular new book, Legends of the Hunt – Campfire Tales, scheduled for release this fall. The large-format, 200-page book will feature more than 130 paintings depicting early hunters, explorers and trappers and their harrowing – and often deadly – encounters with wildlife.
Available in four editions:
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• Black Leopard Edition – 100 leather-bound, S&N, with original 8×10-inch painting, $995.
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