For people who have attended Western Washington University, it’s almost a definite fact that you’ve seen the famous statue of a man and animal in an awkward embrace. There are theories that have been passed around from student to student, like a legend, about the “Man Humping Bear”. This landmark is an essential part of Western’s campus for new students to giggle at or find their way around without a map.

This particular sculpture is by Richard Beyer, who was born in Washington D.C. in 1925, and later died in 2012. Beyer is a world-renowned sculptor who in his lifetime created over 90 works. Beyer was a WW2 veteran, his works can show influence of the reflection on the history that he took apart of. His best known works include “Waiting for the Interurban” which depicts people waiting for transportation from Seattle to Everett, “Ivar Haglund”, and a statue of Christopher Columbus. And of course, the sculpture which this post is about.

When it comes to the sculpture, the first thing that strikes you about it is its general lack of detail and color. It stands out against the area surrounding it, mostly because it occupies a decent amount of space. At times you have to look for it to notice it. To some, the sculpture itself isn’t that inspiring. What is interesting about this sculpture is the title: “The Man Who Used to Hunt Cougars for Bounty”. The title makes you think about the piece more than the visuals do. What made the man change? Why has he become friends with the cougar? What are they doing? Judging by the cultural trend of environmentalism that occurred around the time the sculpture was created, the man could be showing his love towards the cougar to mourn the murder of his friends during the past, or the loss of his habitat.

The sculpture is carved from white granite and sits on the front lawn of the library at Western Washington University. It was created in 1972 and took the help of an assistant to complete the work in three months. In contrast to the conclusions made in the previous paragraph, it is actually based on a local Bellingham legend about a man who used to hunt, but retired and took up whiskey instead. The man and cougar met again in old age and drank whiskey together, reconciling by hugging and singing. The statue has been interpreted as the relationship between the hunter and prey, and the respect that man and nature must have for each other. Thus both the title and actual sculpture play equal roles in developing the identity of the piece.

No matter how you slice it, “The Man Who Used to Hunt Cougars For Bounty” is a conversation piece. And It is an intergal part of Western’s community and history.

Created By:

Hannah Iverson and Taylor Paulson