Black bears are a native animal to the state of Mississippi. In fact, back in the 1800s all the way to the early 1900s, Mississippi was a sought out destination for black bear hunting. However, due to multiple factors, they were almost pushed to extirpation. In this episode, we are going to learn through hands on experience and a discussion with Mississippi black bear program leader, Anthony Ballard, the conservation history of this particular charismatic megafauna, and dive into why their natural population rebound is stirring up so much controversy among Mississippi residents. Check out the Bear Grease Merch! https://store.themeateater.com/collections/bear-grease-podcast/?lang=en_US --------------- If you have comments on the show, send us a note to beargrease@themeateater.com Listen to the Bear Grease Podcast here: https://www.themeateater.com/listen/bear-grease #beargrease #meateater #fueledbynature ------------- Follow Clay Newcomb on IG: https://www.instagram.com/clay_newcomb/?hl=en Shop Bear Grease Merch: https://store.themeateater.com/search?q=bear+grease&search-button=&lang=en_US Shop First Lite's hunting apparel: https://www.firstlite.com/ Shop FHF Gear: https://www.fhfgear.com/