What the Bears Know

How I Found Truth and Magic in America's Most Misunderstood Creatures—A Memoir by Animal Planet's "The Bear Whisperer"

Steve Searles, Chris Erskine

• Publisher: Pegasus Books
• Year: 2023
• Edition: 0
• eBook ISBN:
  9781639365029
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Science & Technology Biographies
• Index: Biological Sciences

The incredible story of how one man went from a hired hunter to becoming one of America's top champions for this iconic animal. **A Los Angeles Times and USA Today Bestseller** In this wonderous and eye-opening exploration, Steve Searles, the reknown and respected "Bear Whisperer" of Mammoth Lakes, takes the reader on a journey into the lives of these remarkable creatures and the world we share. In the late 1990s, the town of Mammoth Lakes, California hired Steve Searles as a hunter to cull half its troublesome bear population. But as he began to prepare for the grim task, the bears soon won him over, and Searles realized there had to be a better way. He soon developed non-lethal tactics to control their behavior and overpopulation that heralded a landmark moment in the care and handling of the American black bear. But change was not without its challenges. To some, his success was dismissed due to his lack of formal academic training. Yet Searles never wavered in his commitment, and eventually became not just local folk hero but a nationally recognized expert. This high school dropout saved not just the bears, but, in many ways, his community. In a tradition that runs from John Muir to Bear Grylls, Searles finds a fellowship with nature and a deeper meaning in the world of bears. Do bears understand things we don't? Are they dialed in to some greater natural force? Unlike us, bears waste little time on unreasonable fears. Bears are fully in the moment. They have an inner peace that seems to offset their power and strength. That may explain why no other animal on the planet is as revered as the bear. As Searles shares his remarkable knowledge and we become immersed in the ursine world, you'll never look at bears or nature the same way again. Warm and poignant, and perfect for anyone who has been fascinated by the natural world, What the Bears Know shows that wisdom and fulfillment can come from unexpected places.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Epigraph
• Introduction
• Chapter One: Bears, Bears Everywhere
• Chapter Two: A Gopher in My Glove
• Chapter Three: Finding My Magic Mountain
• Chapter Four: The Things I Don’t Know
• Chapter Five: This Moment Changes Everything
• Chapter Six: My Dear Debs
• Chapter Seven: A Bear Named Hemorrhoid
• Chapter Eight: Why Bears Sleep Upside Down
• Chapter Nine: I Hate Fear
• Chapter Ten: Big Runs for His Life
• Chapter Eleven: Wilderness Jesus
• Chapter Twelve: Spreading the Word
• Chapter Thirteen: New Jersey Needs Help
• Chapter Fourteen: The Super Bowl of Bears
• Chapter Fifteen: Don’t Feed Our Bears
• Chapter Sixteen: Locals vs. Tourists
• Chapter Seventeen: This Bear Changes Everything
• Chapter Eighteen: Dances with Bears
• Chapter Nineteen: No Quick Fixes
• Chapter Twenty: A Wobbly Little Cub
• Chapter Twenty-One: Pizza and the Baby
• Chapter Twenty-Two: “Good Thoughts Are Tiny Prayers”
• Chapter Twenty-Three: Searles, You’re Fired!
• Chapter Twenty-Four: Reality TV and Me
• Chapter Twenty-Five: More Media Magic
• Chapter Twenty-Six: Blondie’s Luckless Life
• Chapter Twenty-Seven: All in a Day’s Work
• Chapter Twenty-Eight: Literally up a Tree
• Chapter Twenty-Nine: Another Bloody Bumper
• Chapter Thirty: So Long, Debs
• Chapter Thirty-One: “I Don’t Do That Anymore”
• Chapter Thirty-Two: The Creek Fire Closes In
• Epilogue
• Photographs
• Black Bear Tip Sheet
• Acknowledgments
• About the Authors
• Copyright