Blame it on Ted that I am late with these announcements, but online registration is now open for the July and August 2023 Bear Courses. For Give to the Max Day, which is November 17, early donations can now be made online (more on that below).
Bears playing at the WRI
It’s exciting for me to think about the Bear Courses because each course (Monday to Thursday) offers the satisfaction of meeting like-minded people and sharing excitement as we immerse ourselves in wild bears that are teaching us directly. As I’ve said before, the courses are life-changing for people who fear bears, unforgettable for people who appreciate them, and essential for wildlife professionals. We see and hear their vocalizations, their body language, and how they relate to each other and to people. On walks to old dens, leaders point out bear sign and wild foods. Attendees ask questions during walks, over dinner, during lectures about what black bears are like and how they live, or whenever is convenient. Our leaders have more experience with wild bears than anyone we know in the world, but the best teachers are the bears you meet. What they teach you directly no ‘expert’ can tell you is wrong. Most people never have this kind of exposure to bears.
Click to read the brochure
About 30 spaces are still open. For more information about the courses, travel, special diets, local points of interest, etc., contact Judy Thon at
For Give to the Max Day:
Click to learn more!
Early giving is underway for Give to the Max Day and runs until November 16. One $500 Early Giving Golden Ticket will be awarded daily from all early donations made now through November 16.
This year’s Give to the Max Day donations for the North American Bear Center will be used toward the labor costs and additional materials needed to complete our bear enclosure enhancement project. Your generosity in the past three Give to the Max Days provided the funds to purchase the fencing. The next phase, planned for spring, will be installing the fencing and making additional improvements to the bear enclosure. This includes new dens for each of the bears and upgrading the infrastructure. We are extremely thankful for your generosity over the past several years and look forward to your continuing support. Click here to learn more.
Scott and team will be Live tomorrow, Nov.7 at 11 am CST to talk more about Give to the Max Day. Join them on the Special Events cam or on Facebook Live https://bear.org/special-events.
Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center