#PrescottAZHistory: Gigantic Cinnamon Bears Used to Roam These Parts

“A continuation of our present practice will result in the absolute extermination of all bear in Arizona within less than five years,” the 1926 editorial declared. “Get in touch with some of Arizona's old timers and have them tell you of the former, very plentiful, supply of bear. The only ones of this class of game considered as dangerous are the Silver Tip and the Grizzly bear—both of which are practically entirely exterminated in Arizona.”

The editorial cried out for these bears be protected from hunting, but for the Silver Tip, the Grizzly, and the Cinnamon bear, the warning went unheeded and these creatures no longer exist here.

Cinnamon bears are a subspecies of the American Black bear which still does roam these parts; (in fact, one was recently seen in a Prescott Valley subdivision!) Cinnamons can live up to 30 years and according to Wikipedia, they can grow to 600 pounds. However, newspaper accounts of bears killed around the Prescott and Coconino National Forests describe several that were much larger than that.

Cinnamon bears still reside in other parts of the Rockies and are majestic, powerful, and often temperamental. They are extremely quick for their size whether running, swimming, or climbing a tree.

It can be highly dangerous to even shoot one. Unless the aim was perfect, a mere bullet or two would only enrage the creature to attack like an unstoppable B-movie monster. One account in 1911 illustrates this: Two cowboys were bear hunting and managed to chase a Cinnamon bear into a clearing where one lassoed it. For several minutes he had to make his horse dance to keep the bear in tow, while maintaining a safe distance.

When the cowboy’s partner finally arrived, he fired his Winchester over and over again. But “every shot fired into the bear only intensified its rage,” the paper related, and both men started to fear for their lives. Finally, the cowboy with the rope encircled a tree and took up the slack, pinning the bear, before his partner was able to take deadly aim. The bruin had been shot 15 times before he passed away. When the carcass was put on a scale in camp, it weighed a whopping 775 pounds—about one third larger than full-grown Cinnamons today.

The largest recorded Cinnamon bear in Arizona was killed by Joseph H Drew in 1897 and was estimated to weigh a colossal 1500 pounds—an incredible two and a half times bigger than the largest Cinnamon bears of today! Drew also bagged two Grizzly bears on the same trip. While the size of the Cinnamon might seem impossible, this account proves two things: First, bears must have been highly prevalent back then for a hunter on horseback to bag 3 bruins in one trip. Second, Grizzlies and Cinnamons were residing in proximity. Perhaps the extraordinary size of the Cinnamon was the by-product of Grizzlies and Cinnamons interbreeding; an idea that science has not yet fully embraced.

In 1912, George Cox escaped death when a last second shot struck an 850 pound Cinnamon in the heart. The bullet stopped the charging bear and caused him to fall only a few paces shy of the hunter.

Arizona’s giant Cinnamons were becoming renowned among bear hunters and Cox invited ex-President Teddy Roosevelt to come hunt this big game. However, “in a letter (Roosevelt) stated that his political duties at (the) time compelled him to decline with reluctance,” the paper reported.

In 1919 TG Walter and George Ainsworth shot a Cinnamon bear in the neck only “making him mad.” The bear quickly attacked Ainsworth’s horse, taking down both mount and rider, when Walter fired “a shot that was needed badly, striking Mr. Bear behind the front shoulder and bringing him down,” the paper said. That bear weighed in at 1000 pounds.

The last sighting of a Cinnamon bear in Central Arizona occurred in 1938 “in the Oak Creek district.” It weighed 600 pounds. “The big bear was killed near Pump House wash after the hunters had trailed it with dogs nearly all day,” the paper reported. “Seven shots were necessary to kill the animal,” but the bear did not go out alone. He “smashed in the ribs of one dog and crushed the shoulder of another before he was killed.”

The Cinnamon bear is a proud, fierce fighter and the size of some who resided here was phenomenal.

NOW ENJOY: There Were Cars in the Prescott National Forest Before There Were Whitetail Deer

The wet winter of 1915 brought a new resident to the Prescott National Forest: the white-tail deer.

*******************************

Now Available!

Books by Drew Desmond and Brad Courtney:

"Murder & Mayhem in Prescott"

"True Tales of Prescott"

CLICK HERE for information on both of Drew's books!

Follow the blog in one of the following social media to be sure you get the latest article!

Want more Prescott history? Join the "Celebrating Historic Prescott" group.
(Daily pics and featured articles.)
Drew Desmond is on Facebook (For the latest article and posts about Drew's writing.)