Podcast Mentions

Night of the Grizzlies

Name: Night of the Grizzlies
Author: Jack Olsen

Jack Olsen

Describes the circumstances surrounding the only tragedy caused by grizzly bears in American national parks, an incident which resulted in their total loss of freedom

Podcasts 5

Quotes 27

Get on Amazon Listen on Audible

Podcast

Stuff You Should Know

It was described as a fun read detailing the tragic events of 1967 in Glacier National Park, where two women were killed by bears. The book highlights the aftermath and the debate over grizzly bear conservation.

Jack Olson wrote that story, the Sports Illustrated story, which is a really fun read and it's got three parts and three separate issues that you also get the benefit of the ads of 1967 in a magazine,...

— Episode: Night of the Grizzlies

Episode: Night of the Grizzlies

I'm sorry, this was 1969 when it finally came out.

When he wrote the actual book in 1969, he was a disinterested observer. He was a reporter, but he concluded like that was the fate of the grizzlies.

They were goners. The public had turned against them so much that it was all but already done.

Oh, wow. I'm glad they switched it.

Podcast

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

It was used as a source for the podcast episode's retelling of the events of Glacier National Park's 'Night of the Grizzlies'. It detailed the tragic bear attacks that took place in 1967.

the park's animal safety record was vastly better than any zoos in the country.

— Episode: 387 - Cocaine Shark

Episode: 387 - Cocaine Shark

It was used as a source for the podcast episode's retelling of the events of Glacier National Park's 'Night of the Grizzlies'. It detailed the tragic bear attacks that took place in 1967.

the park's animal safety record was vastly better than any zoos in the country.

Podcast

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

The conversation noted that a book titled Night of the Grizzlies had been written about the 1967 doublebear killings in Glacier National Park.

A book was written about it, Night of the Grizzleys.

— Episode: Flightless Bird: Bears

Episode: Flightless Bird: Bears

The conversation noted that a book titled Night of the Grizzlies had been written about the 1967 doublebear killings in Glacier National Park.

A book was written about it, Night of the Grizzleys.

Podcast

The MeatEater Podcast

The hosts referenced the book as a classic, definitive account of the 1967 grizzly attacks in Glacier National Park, noting its origins as a three‑part Sports Illustrated article. Randall Williams highlighted its meticulous research, while Steve Rinella and Ian Frazier mentioned it in trivia and even gifted it to wedding guests, emphasizing its relevance to bear‑human conflict. The discussion conveyed strong respect for the work as an essential source on the tragedy.

Highly Recommended

Episode: Ep. 495 Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia LXXXVI

This book details the fatal maulings of two young women in Glacier National Park and was originally published as a three part article in a popular magazine.

Jack Olson's classic 1969 book, Night of the Grizzlies, which details the fatal maulings of two young women in Glacier National Park, was originally a three part article for what popular magazine?

Olson's painstakingly researched account of the August 1967 killings of Julie Helgeson and Michelle Koons in two separate areas of the park stands as the definitive account of this tragedy, so much so that the event itself is most often referred to by the title of his book.

The Grizzly, Enemy of Man? Must he be exterminated? Question mark.

It is hard to accept the fact that the zoo image is not the real image and that the captive bear conceals his hatred of man only because he has no choice. We hope the menacing grizzly shown on this cover will help reinforce Olson's conclusion that man and bear cannot peacefully coexist in the wild.

I didn't know that was his conclusion.

Episode: Ep. 432: Hit 'Em Where They Ain't with Ian Frazier

The book recounts two grizzly bear attacks that occurred on the same night in Glacier National Park, resulting in two deaths. The speaker mentions gifting the book to wedding guests and discussing the impact on Montana tourism.

Did you ever read that book? Night of the Grizzlies?

Night of the Grizzlies. Yeah, Night of the Grizzlies. Do you remember the story well enough to tell the story?

two bears after there not having been any bear attacks for years on the same night in very different, widely separated parts of the park, uh, killed a camper. Each bear killed a camper.

Episode: Ep. 418: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia XLIX

Steve Rinella mentioned this book, which details a night in Glacier National Park where two women were killed by grizzly bears. He referenced it as the source of his knowledge for a trivia question.

Because there's that famous occurrence that was written about in the book. I think it was Jack.

It was the same guy that wrote the Give a Boy a Gun, I think, about Dallas.

Night of the Grizzlies. There was one night, just a freak occurrence. One night, different ends of the park.

Two women got killed in one night by grizzlies. Totally different grizzlies, different parts of the park.

And it was what set in motion the idea that menstruating women are more likely to be attacked by bears.