Grizzly Country

by Andy Russell

The grizzly bear has always inspired awe in man, but the animal's true nature and character has long been shrouded in myth. Few people know grizzlies as Andy Russell does, and in Grizzly Country he shares stories from a lifetime of experience observing them, first as hunter, then as cameraman. In wonderfully engaging prose, he reveals the life cycle of this remarkable creature. Like Farley Mowat's Never Cry Wolf, Grizzly Country opened a new way of thinking about an oft-misunderstood predator. It is a book for anyone interested in wild America.

Genres: Nonfiction, Natural History, Nature

302 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 1967

Reviews

[Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mountain Man

Andy was a naturalist who grew up in the southern Canadian Rockies close to the Waterton Lakes - Glacier Peace Park. He started out as a hunting guide but threw that over to photograph the magnificent wildlife all around him instead and write books about them. Great books.

This is one of them. About the powerful and majestic grizzly bear that, like the wolf and mountain lion, is often the recipient of so much bad press and bad moments in the movies. This book tells a more complete story about the grizzly and its life cycle. It’s enthralling.

Andy was a personal friend. I was in his home several times after we met and once brought my collection of his writings for him to autograph. He had to sign his name quite a few times that day. I’d read everything he’d written when I was a teen living far from the mountains. Back then I even wrote him a letter to which he graciously responded. But came the day I was living in the Rockies too and we met and became friends.

All his books are significant, right up there with the works of RD Lawrence and Sigurd Olson. The writing is good, strong, lean - and clear as the water from a mountain brook. You will be in the beautiful Rockies when you read his books and in this one you will learn a lot about the great bear we are awed by out here, as well as respectful and wary, knowing the mountains are their world, remembering the plains used to be their world too.

[Tom Oman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is totally fascinating, I couldn’t put it down and read it cover to cover in just a few sittings. I eventually gave it to my uncle out of the goodness of my own heart.

[Mikey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional book by a once-grizzly hunter turned photographer, writer, and chronicaler. Though it is over 50 years old, it reads like it was written yesterday, but for a few words & phrases that hint at an era from our past. I'll be searching tirelessly for the accompanying documentary.

[Henry Kline · Rating 2 out of 5]

very choppy and poorly edited. The final two chapters were by far the best part of the book but still not better than average

[Craig Schlossin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good hunting book.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want to know all about Grizzly Bears? This is the one. Andy Russell not just a great story teller but a dedicated environmentalist. Awarded Governor General's Award.