Predators

I woke to the sound of a large brown bear crackling through the brush near my tent. It was early April and I was guiding a small natural history film crew on an island in Southeast Alaska. At the beginning of three weeks of filming, our primary goal was to capture video of brown bears feeding on a...

Almost exactly one year ago, a video of a black bear and feral hog fighting to the death in Great Smoky Mountains National Park went viral. To no one’s surprise, the winner of that battle was the black bear. The ending of that video seemed like it was written by Nature Is Metal. This video has more...

We’ve given a lot of coverage lately to how destructive wolves are. From Idaho passing a bill that aims to knock back up to 90% of the state’s pack, to mountain lion populations in Wyoming dropping 48% thanks to unprecedented predation by wolves, to Wisconsin accidentally killing twice their wolf...

Carl Mock was enjoying a day of spring fishing on the Madison River north of West Yellowstone, Montana, on Thursday, April 15 when he was mauled by a big, boar grizzly bear. The 40-year-old resident of West Yellowstone managed to call 911 despite suffering significant scalp and facial wounds...

Imagine a proud new dog owner bragging up their new pup—a hound like Mingus or a retriever like Snort. “My dog has a better nose than a grizzly bear,” he or she boasts. Should you believe them? After all, from the outside, a dog’s and a bear’s noses look very similar. Humans have bred dog...

Some hunters might find it hard to believe that a saucer-shaped depression in a fresh layer of snow can arouse just as much excitement as the sudden appearance of a bugling bull elk—unless they were experienced mountain lion hunters. Then, they’d know the drill. The abrupt transformation inside the...

James Young successfully raised his first flock of domestic turkeys last year at his home in Los Gatos, California. Earlier this April, he started the journey towards rearing flock number two. His plan was to butcher the first bird in October—it would be their Thanksgiving meal. But the night before...

Myths, lies, and old wives’ tales loom large in the outdoor pursuits. Here at MeatEater, we’re dedicated to separating facts from bullsh*t, so we created this series to examine suspect yarns. If there’s a belief, rumor, or long-held assumption you’d like us to fact check, drop us a note at...

This jogger proved bear spray isn’t just for bears. Donny Stone, an Alberta resident, was on a run in 2015 when he encountered two cougars on the trail. The excitement of spotting his first mountain lions quickly turned to fear as the big cats approached from behind. “I was expecting quite honestly...

Myths, lies and old wives’ tales loom large in the outdoor pursuits. Here at MeatEater, we’re dedicated to separating facts from bullsh*t, so we created this series to examine suspect yarns. If there’s a belief, rumor, or long-held assumption you’d like us to fact check, drop us a note at...

South Dakota drew all sorts of larger-than-life Old West characters prior to statehood. A relatively lawless territory prior to 1889, the Black Hills attracted the type of folks looking for quick money, slow justice, and open space, especially during a short-lived gold rush.

The Good Lord works in mysterious ways, but one mystery caught my eye lately. When God wishes to smite sinners with a bear attack, what sort of bear will he deploy?