Bryce Andrews – People, Predators, and the American West
Bryce Andrews is a Montana-based rancher, conservationist, and author whose unique set of experiences gives him uncommon insights into the relationship between humans and carnivores in the West. Having worked as a ranch hand, ranch manager, and ranch owner, Bryce understands agriculture and the myriad of challenges faced by producers. As Field Director at the non-profit People and Carnivores, he has gained first-hand knowledge of the predicaments facing large predators in the Rockies. And as an author, he has researched and written extensively about all sides of the issue– most notably in his books Badluck Way and his new book Down from the Mountain, which was published earlier this week.
Bryce grew up in Seattle, far removed from ranching, farming, and the arid ruggedness of the Rocky Mountain West. But soon after college, he landed an entry-level job at the 20,000-acre Sun Ranch, located in Montana’s spectacular Upper Madison River Valley. On the Sun Ranch, Bryce received a trial-by-fire education in the sometimes-problematic relationship between agriculture and wild animals, a relationship he has spent much of his professional career exploring. The latest manifestation of this exploration is Down from the Mountain, an educational, entertaining, and sometimes-heartbreaking book that explores specific interactions between grizzly bears and farms in Montana’s Mission Valley. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book and cannot recommend it enough.
If you are familiar with this podcast and the topics that I love to discuss, then you know that Bryce is a perfect guest. He’s smart, funny, insightful, and has a real gift for explaining complex, sometimes controversial topics in an engaging way. We talked a lot about Down from the Mountain, discussing grizzlies, farming, and the unique location and topography of the Mission Valley. We talk about Bryce’s upbringing in Seattle, and what drove him to explore the West after college. We discuss his work with People and Carnivores, and how his background in agriculture helps him to span the divide between his organization and the farming and ranching communities. Bryce also explains his writing and research process and offers some excellent advice for aspiring authors. And as usual, we spend a lot of time discussing books, authors, and his most powerful outdoor experience.
I encourage you to find a copy of Down from the Mountain and give it a read. You will not be disappointed!
Photos courtesy of Bryce Andrews and HMH Publishing
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Episode Notes
Topics Discussed:
- 4:00 – Bryce describes his work
- 5:20 – How Bryce started ranching
- 6:30 – First experiences ranching
- 7:20 – Heading to the Rockies after college
- 9:00 – Getting a hand-hold in ranching
- 10:30 – Culture shock of the West
- 13:50 – First encounter with carnivores
- 16:30 – Primal thrill of wildlife encounters
- 17:30 – Work with People and Carnivores
- 20:00 – Finding common ground in the carnivore controversies
- 25:00 – “Down from the Mountain”
- 29:00 – Mission Valley explained
- 34:00 – Similarities between humans and Grizzlies
- 37:30 – Unexpected tension of bears in a cornfield
- 41:20 – Bryce’s history as a writer
- 42:50 – Favorite/important writers
- 46:30 – Bryce’s relationship with writing
- 50:00 – Writing, the flow state, and fear
- 52:00 – Intense life events versus the boring “real world”
- 56:15 – Advice for aspiring writers
- 59:45 – Favorite books about the West
- 1:01:50 – Most powerful outdoor experience
- 1:03:30 – Request of the listeners
- 1:05:30 – Connect with Bryce
Information Referenced:
- Down from the Mountain: The Life and Death of a Grizzly Bear by Bryce Andrews
- Badluck Way: A Year on the Ragged Edge of the West by Bryce Andrews
- People and Carnivores
- Sun Ranch
- Madison River
- A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
- The Meadow by James Galvin
- David James Duncan
- Chris Dombrowski
- Chris Dombrowski podcast
- Coming Home to the Pleistocene by Paul Shepard
- Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
- Perma Red by Debra Magpie Earling
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these as well:
- Chris Dombrowski – Words, Water & the West
- Dan Flores – Chronicling the West’s Rich Natural History
- Melissa DiNino – Building a Unique Life in Big Sky Country
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