Many biologists and Ecological Historians claim that prior to the 1850 Gold Rush, California had the highest density of Grizzly Bears of anywhere in the lower 48 States..............."When Americans began to settle in the area, they would capture Grizzlies for a sporting event that they found fascinating"................. "The vaqueros would haul the bruin into camp to fight a vicious horse-goring snorting bull"............"The resulting gory spectacle delighted the spectators who had come to make money on the battle of the beasts and the betting was high"........... "The bear, which had two of his paws tied, crouched as low as it could, sometimes even digging a hole beneath him so that he might bring the bull down to a position vulnerable to his teeth and claws"..........."The bull would try to get the bear up on its hinds legs so it could spear it with his horns".........."The fight continued until one or both of the animals were dead".........."When the West’s new financial capital in San Francisco opened, the money brokers adopted “bear” and “bull” investment language in that the “bear” speculator would hold off buying until prices fell to his hoped for advantage"................ "On the other hand, the “bull” speculator would buy stock, confident that its price would continue to rise and increase in value"............... "These terms eventually found their way into our modern stock exchanges, "bull makets and bear markets"

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 European encounters with grizzlies in California began in 1769

The first recorded encounters with grizzlies by the Europeans took place on the famed Portola expedition in 1769, the first recorded exploration by land of the present-day state of California. One of the place names that include the Spanish word for bear “oso” is our own Oso Flaco (skinny bear) Lake, which traces its name back to that first expedition.

The early settlers in the Santa Maria Valley had more than their share of problems with these wild beasts that were killing their calves and colts and, in general, causing much fear to the Spanish settlers.

The typical rancho vaquero, who rode a horse as if he grew up on the animal’s back, roped horses and bears as easily as he could don his hat.

Even though roping grizzlies was considered to be a sport, it was dangerous and not recommended for the novice. Since a wounded grizzly fears nothing, the vaquero’s life often depended on his own expertise as well as the speed of the horse he rode.

When Americans began to settle in the area, bull and bear fights became sporting events that proved to be both horrifying and fascinating to the Americanos.

After a grizzly was captured by the vaqueros, it was hauled into camp to fight a vicious horse-goring snorting bull.

The resulting gory spectacle delighted the spectators who had come to make money on the battle of the beasts and the betting was high.

The bear, which had two of his paws tied, crouched as low as it could, sometimes even digging a hole beneath him so that he might bring the bull down to a position vulnerable to his teeth and claws.

In the meantime, the bull tried to get the bear up on his hind legs so that it could spear it with his horns. The fight continued until one or both of the beasts were dead.

Later, when the West’s new financial capital in San Francisco opened, the money brokers adopted “bear” and “bull” investment language in that the “bear” speculator would hold off buying until prices fell to his hoped for advantage. On the other hand, the “bull” speculator would buy stock, confident that its price would continue to rise and increase in value.

These terms eventually found their way back to the American Stock Exchange.

However, grizzlies (urus horriblilis) were dangerous animals, and much feared by the early settlers.

One story that has made the rounds is of Benjamin Foxen having a bear chained to a tree in front of his adobe.

When the stagecoach came through, the passengers were fascinated by it. How the bear happened to be chained to the tree, or who released it and how, are questions no one seemed to know the answer to.

Francis Branch, owner of the Arroyo Grande Rancho, was once infuriated by a grizzly that was killing both cows and calves near his ranch house.

The current Grizzly Bear range in the lower 48 States

One day, when another cow was attacked, he decided to tackle this problem head-on and get rid of the grizzly.

Since bears were known to return to the sight of a kill for one last meal, Branch dug a hole near the dead cow.

After filling the hole with brush and covering it with heavy timbers, he and a friend jumped down into this pit and waited with their rifles, ready to shoot this bothersome cattle killer when it returned.

After crouching in the pit for some hours, the men caught sight of an immense bear and her cub approaching the dead cow.

Carefully poking their guns through the concealed cover of the pit, the hunters fired shots, but instead of hitting the mother bear, they killed the cub.

The pitiful cries of the dying cub so enraged the mother that she ran in circles around her dead cub, looking up into the trees and tearing great chunks of bark and wood from them with her long claws and teeth, trying to destroy whatever it was that had killed her cub.

The two frightened men who were huddled in the pit didn’t dare make a noise. They spent the entire night and half of the next day crouched in their narrow quarters hoping the bear wouldn’t find them.

When the bear finally went away, they made a dash for home.

Years later, when Branch was reminiscing, he said, “Right then and there was when I decided to always hunt bears above the ground. It’s safer.”

Because of the hunting and killing, bull and bear fights and poison-laced animal fat being left outside for the bears to eat, grizzlies became a rarity on the Central Coast in the 1870s.

Reportedly, the last reported grizzly bear was shot in 1922.

However, to this day, occasional reports of bears being sighted appear in the news.

Shirley Contreras lives in Orcutt and writes for the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. She can be contacted at 623-8193 or at shirleycontreras2@yahoo.com. Her book, “The Good Years,” a selection of stories she’s written for the Santa Maria Times since 1991, is on sale at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society, 616 S. Broadway.