Wild Country

Canada’s mountain man shares his best wilderness adventure stories

Though Andy Russell has been many things in his life – hunter, trapper, trail guide, wilderness photographer and filmmaker, conservationist, and activist – he is, above all else, a master storyteller. This collection of twenty-four stories, selected and introduced by R. Bruce Morrison, includes Andy’s accounts of growing up on a ranch near the Rocky Mountains; hunting with a rifle, fishing rod, and camera; and encounters with wildlife large and small. He describes the warmth of a campfire shared with loved ones and the feeling of being part of something greater than himself. Andy writes about the animals he has lived and worked with, such as Seppi, his trusty hunting dog; Ace, his courageous trail horse; and Amos, the pack horse with a high I.Q. He also retells the stories of his friends and family, some that will make your hair stand on end, such as the time his father-in-law jumped off a log almost right into a grizzly’s lap or when his son stood eight feet from a grizzly and argued with it until they parted ways… intact. Some of the stories are funny, others are compelling and inspiring. This collection is a testament to over sixty years of living in Canada’s wild places.

Andy Russell (left) grew up on a ranch in the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains. He worked as a trapper, cowboy, and ranch hand before becoming a trail guide. His best-selling books include Grizzly Country, Memoirs of a Mountain Man, The Life of a River, and The Canadian Cowboy.

R. Bruce Morrison (right) is a retired professor of anthropology.