One minute it was a wonder of a large powerful animal. The next minute it was death and tears. While we were part of the problem, the death of this bear was inevitable once it missed the ice and started foraging around the perimeter of town.

Polar bears go north with the ice in the summer. Those that are left behind have trouble surviving away from their typical food of seals. This one was old and in trouble. Polar bears do not hunt well from land and are sea and ice based creatures.

The bear carcass was taken to the Inuit Elders group at the Bearing Straits Native Center in Nome, where they used the bear to make traditional crafts. Inuits are allowed to hunt traditional prey, and polar bear trousers are the ultimate in winter gear. The polar bear is unique in that it often is hunting you while you are hunting it.

The polar bear was attracted to Nome in part due to the gold panning miner camps up and down the beach where miners camp for the summer and pan gold. The bear was also attracted by the smell of food, including the food represented by the many dog teams tied up around the perimeter of the town.

While we lived in Nome, a camp cook was killed by a polar bear about 150 miles north of town. The cook was washing dished in the hard shelled cabin kitchen with the typical windows over the sink. The polar bear popped the window out, grabbed the cook and ran off with him. They cut his remains out of the bear a few days later.

While living in Nome, we took guns on family outings.