Old Ephraim!
Story goes that a near 10 foot bear terrorized the country side, feasting on livestock. He was a whopping 1,100 pounds!
In 1913, Old Ephraim took a liking to Frank Clark's sheep over a stretch of 10 summers! Frank had found where this grizzly bear wallowed and laid a trap there, however, the bear picked it up and set it aside without setting it off.
Finally, Frank had a lucky break and tricked the bear after a decade of trap-setting. He had set a trap in the bear's newest wallow, and the bear failed to see it. That's when it met it's doom with a terrified Frank who carried his trusty rifle.
Frank regretted ever killing this great bear--it was the last of its kind to ever roam Utah.
Here's Old Ephraim's skull at USU Merrill Library.
I've been to the grave site (top right image), and the estimated place where the grizzle bear was felled. I shiver thinking about what Frank Clark faced those many years and especially the night the bear was killed.
What grizzly animal stories does your state have?
Story of Old Ephraim found here
We used to have bears in the mountains where I live. No more of those, I'm afraid. We had a dedicated bear killer, Mountain Charlie. Here's to the memory of Old Ephraim.
ReplyDeletePoor old Ephraim...
ReplyDeleteBears are so beautiful, but they are scary.
We have them in our woods upstate, and I won't go walking alone in there.
I'm over from A to Z if you want to pop on by.
(Catherine Stine's Idea City)
Poor bear.
ReplyDeleteI could never kill a bear. I'd move away myself instead!