In 2006, I first encountered Grizzly 399 and her 3 cubs of the year, in Grand Teton National Park. Resident grizzly bears had been extirpated from the park for more than 50 years by mostly hunting and poaching. It was a great surprise for me to see 399 and her 3 cubs only 25 miles from my home. The following spring, she returned to the park and I spent a considerable amount of time documenting her family through my lens.
I had been living at the edge of Teton Park since 1978 and had never seen a grizzly even walk through the park, let alone one living in the park. There were a few black bears but no grizzlies.
After several years, as her popularity grew, my good friend, author and journalist, Todd Wilkinson, suggested we collaborate on a story for Jackson Hole Magazine about this family of bears. Todd was finishing up Ted Turner’s biography, “Last Stand: Ted Turner’s Quest to Save a Troubled Planet.” After spending seven years following Ted around, Todd was ready for a story about something different. We had collaborated on the book, “The Last Great Wild Places” and our publisher at Rizzoli was excited about publishing a book about 399. Todd’s timing was perfect, his knowledge and writing style fit right in with stories about 399. He had written an environmental column for the Jackson Hole News and Guide for many years and his was my go to column to read.
The following year Todd wrote and I photographed more of her story which became the coffee table book, “Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek”. Being a still photographer and filmmaker we started talking about how remarkable her story is and how her life deserved a documentary film. Todd and I traveled around the Rocky Mountain States, San Francisco and The Explorer’s Club in NYC, to do lectures about not only her, but saving grizzlies. 399 was becoming the poster child for grizzlies everywhere and Todd was writing stories about her in National Geo, Washington Post and the Guardian. But first, there was so much good new material we decided to do another book “Grizzly 399: The World’s Most Famous Mother Bear”. Having quadruplets at 24 years old launched her into the stratosphere. She was setting records in the Greater Yellowstone and her story went viral.
We had struggled to get a film made until two years ago when I met Kim Woodard and Elizabeth Leiter at the Jackson Wild film festival. The two producers had just finished the film “Jane Goodall: Hope” which had just been nominated for an Emmy. Jane had asked me to take them out to see 399. We went out into the field searching for 399, they were intrigued and we bonded over her story.
It’s been a seventeen year journey. One that will never be repeated. I feel blessed to have known her and to share with the world her incredible and fascinating legacy. It brings me immense joy to have shared the feature-length film titled “399: Queen of the Tetons” which chronicles her life, on opening night to a sold-out Wilma Theatre at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.
This film is a collaboration with Lucky 8. It is a unique combination of my extensive archive of photographs, videos, Todd’s writings and interviews featuring numerous people including myself who share a deep affection for 399.
Thank you for your support of “399: Queen of the Tetons” and grizzly bear conservation. This is only the beginning! The producers of the film have assured me it will be shown at more film festivals and special screenings in the future.
