CHAPTER SUMMARY AND NOTES

CHAPTER 46

Summary

Woodward arrives, and he and Tom start moving the sheep from the mountain. Tom steals one last look at Granite Peak and Bald Mountain before moving down to camp, located below -- six miles above Piedra Town. When Tom tells Woodward about the bear, Woodward tells him there are no grizzlies left, for hunters have shot them all. He claims that the one that Tom saw must have been a cinnamon.

After they spend the night in camp, Woodward gives Tom a ride to Piedra the next morning. On foot Tom travels to Pagosa, where he shops at the hardware store. He then takes his pack, waits until no one is around, and journeys back to Horse Mountain.

Notes

This chapter adds an element of suspense to the end of the book. After Woodward arrives and he and Tom herd the sheep from the mountain down to the camp, Tom goes into Pagosa to buy supplies. Instead of heading on to Albuquerque to enter the rodeo, as expected, Tom waits until no one is around and heads back to Horse Mountain on foot.

CHAPTER 47

Summary

Tom returns to the mountain, determined to kill the bear, which he is certain is a grizzly. The next afternoon, he finds claw marks and knows that the bear is still in the area. The following morning, he finds paw prints and follows the trail for several days. When he grows hungry, Tom kills a deer and cooks it. After eating a slice of venison, he feels guilty that he did not first sing the deer chant. It is obvious that his past is coming back to him. That night, TomÂ’s sleep is haunted by bad dreams.

The next morning, Tom finds more claws marks that lead him to the first level of Granite Peak, where he chooses a campsite and rests. As he thinks about his pursuit, he tells himself he must begin to think like a bear. The next morning, he finds many more clues that would have been missed the day before. He is pleased that he is more in tune with nature.

Tom finds a carcass of a doe, which the bear has obviously killed and pulled up the mountain. He is certain that the bear will return to the carcass. As a result, he finds a good hiding place and waits. He is alert and ready with his rifle.

Notes

Tom now reveals why he has returned to the mountain. He is determined to find the bear and kill it, proving that it is a grizzly. He follows the bearÂ’s trail for several days, trying to think like the animal himself. Soon he finds himself on the first level of Granite Peak. Before long, he discovers the carcass of a doe, which the bear has obviously killed. Tom believes that the grizzly will return for the carcass; as a result, he finds a hiding place and readies himself.

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