You've got the land, you've got the deer, but the season's closing in and your mind's racing

with more questions than answers. I'm Jake Hofer, and this is Back 40, a limited series show

on Wire to Hunt, part of Meat Eaters podcast network. Each episode, I'll be asking eight

wide-tail hunting pros, a focused, thought-provoking question about hunting and land management.

How do I hunt the best part of the farm with less than ideal access?

Should you, that's what the real question is.

Stand without good access is not a good stand.

Search wire to hunt and hit that follow button to listen to Back 40 now.

Welcome to Backwoods University, a place where we focus on wildlife, wild places, and the

people who dedicate their lives to conserving both.

I'm your host, Lake Pickle.

In this episode, we're going to dive deep into the conservation history of Mississippi's

once celebrated,

but now controversial native species, the American Black Bear.

We're going to start this episode off by going back and forth between two historical accounts from the same state of Mississippi, separated by nothing but time.

The first being clips from local Mississippi news networks, dates ranging from 10 years ago to just this past June.

The second being excerpt from a book titled The Bear Hunter by James T. McCafferty,

which looks into the culture of bear hunting in Mississippi from the 1800s to the early 1900s.

As we flip back and forth between these two sources, I want you to pay attention to the heavy contrast between then and now. Keep in mind, both are talking about the

same state, but it sounds like two different worlds. We'll kick off first with recent clips from

local Mississippi news networks.

It's the biggest story on WAPT.com.

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