The inherent fear most black bears typically hold for baying hounds was notably absent recently in Arizona's Rimrock country, where a renegade bruin presented a significant threat to a local houndsman's pack. According to a report by www.outdoorlife.com, hunter Jes Burke and his dogs initially encountered this formidable black bear, which aggressively fought off the pack and inflicted a serious bite wound on a valuable hound named Queen. This incident underscored the renegade's dangerous disposition, prompting Burke to declare, “Once a bear learns he can kill a dog with ease, he’ll waylay ’em and kill ’em every chance he gets!”—a stark assessment of the immediate risk posed to his working dogs.
With a clear objective, Burke mounted a second expedition to confront the renegade, focusing on its known pattern of seeking the defensive advantage of the “rimrocks” when pressed by dogs. The pursuit began near the Mogollon Rim, where the pack, including seasoned hounds Trailer and Lonse, quickly picked up a promising track. Burke, with his intimate knowledge of local wildlife, soon identified the distinct impression as belonging to the renegade bear, noting a unique identifier: “looks like he’s lost all the toes on one foot!”
The chase escalated rapidly, with the hounds pushing hard. A sudden clamor signaled the pack had likely cornered their quarry. However, the subsequent silence, punctuated only by scattered “treed cries” from some dogs while others continued the chase, created initial confusion. It soon became apparent that the pack had split. Trailer and Lonse had successfully treed a large, though surprisingly docile, black bear. Concurrently, farther up the slope, the younger hounds had cornered another animal. Burke astutely realized, “I should have known there were two bears all along!” — the renegade had been cornered by the less experienced dogs.
Burke moved swiftly to address the primary threat, leaving the narrator to observe the treed, docile bear. A shot rang out, confirming the renegade's removal. However, the situation with the treed bear quickly turned critical. With the primary hounds, Trailer and Lonse, having moved to join Burke, the narrator was left alone as the large black bear began descending the tree, eyeing its unexpected audience. Faced with a rapidly evolving scenario, and in an attempt to get a photograph, the narrator employed a ruse, “squalling like a baying hound.” This unexpected vocalization startled the bear, causing it to lose its grip and descend abruptly, bristling with a displeased “Grrr-woof!” upon impact. This firsthand account, originally reported by www.outdoorlife.com, highlights the unpredictable nature of working dangerous game and the critical importance of a well-trained pack.
