Thora Birch and Vincent Kartheiser did their own stunts, after a month of intense training sessions with the movie's sports consultants.
The bear cub was found by director Fraser C. Heston and was called Agee. It was born in January 1995 and was raised by a bear expert in his own home. She had to be trained for the role. The bear worked well with the two co-stars.
Fraser C Heston had earlier directed "Needful Things" (1993), which also featured Duncan Fraser and Don S. Davis, who both appear in this film.