Theodore Roosevelt The Conservationist

[Sytes]

Interesting read for those who hold an interest in Theodore Roosevelt - the conservationist.

Theodore Roosevelt and the riddle of the 'trigger-happy' conservationist

Douglas Brinkley, author of "The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America," is the inaugural historian in residence for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, N.D. He is making public appearances this summer in Medora.

www.inforum.com

"Collecting specimens, in fact, was central to a naturalist’s success in Roosevelt’s day, Brinkley said. And that meant shooting birds and other animals — lots of them — to collect variations in beaks and other distinguishing characteristics.

“That’s how you made your notoriety in the science museums of the day,” he said. “Today that’s very gauche. It’s ghoulish.”

Never really thought of this as it's not the method of modern times though it certainly squashes the anti hunting, eco extremisists frequent bash of TR for his thirst for the hunt.

Had it not been for the likes of these leaders of past conservation times, our conservation efforts would be the last off the running blocks.

His ethic minded selection of the aged Bison, the condemnation for a rigged bear hunt, etc.

Anyhow, for those interested.

 

[406LIFE]

Wilderness Warrior is a good, but long read. It's also densely packed and if you are prone to chase rabbits from literature you read, there is plenty here. Certainly should be on the shelf of anyone TR, conservation, and ecostudies interested.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Dang it! Subscription required

 

[Oak]

"Collecting specimens, in fact, was central to a naturalist’s success in Roosevelt’s day, Brinkley said. And that meant shooting birds and other animals — lots of them — to collect variations in beaks and other distinguishing characteristics.

“That’s how you made your notoriety in the science museums of the day,” he said. “Today that’s very gauche. It’s ghoulish.”

I remember reading about Carl Akeley when I was a wee lad, and just thinking that I wanted to be Carl Akeley when I grew up. Still haven't grown up.

 

[Sytes]

Dang it! Subscription required

Bummer... I didn't run into that. Hopefully, it remains minimal for others interested to read it. I didn't run into this on my cell though one option around those restrictions - if via android, use the "Simplified View" option. Seems to bypass the restrictions.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Wilderness Warrior is a good, but long read. It's also densely packed and if you are prone to chase rabbits from literature you read, there is plenty here. Certainly should be on the shelf of anyone TR, conservation, and ecostudies interested.

I requested and received it as a xmas present 2 or 3 years back. Haven't had a block of time where I felt I could appropriately start reading it yet

 

[Gellar]

James Audubon did the same thing, shooting every bird he came across. The Audubon society is mostly cherished by environmentalists today.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Pos had the best talk on Roosevelt's time in ND & MT and how it really shaped his thinking relative to wildlife conservation in it's totality. As @Gellar notes as well JJA was a killing machine (#10 shot as it preserves the birds best). It was a far different time. Roosevelt at one point said something to the effect that he hoped as hunters became older, they'd put down the gun & pick up the camera but that was after he filled the museums of Washington DC of dead animals.

I would wager that if Audubon, William, Clark, etc had the kind of cameras we have today, the amount of dead specimens would have been significantly lower. But, as TR was fond of saying, do what you can with what you have, where you are.

 

[Gellar]

Pos had the best talk on Roosevelt's time in ND & MT and how it really shaped his thinking relative to wildlife conservation in it's totality. As @Gellar notes as well JJA was a killing machine (#10 shot as it preserves the birds best). It was a far different time. Roosevelt at one point said something to the effect that he hoped as hunters became older, they'd put down the gun & pick up the camera but that was after he filled the museums of Washington DC of dead animals.

I would wager that if Audubon, William, Clark, etc had the kind of cameras we have today, the amount of dead specimens would have been significantly lower. But, as TR was fond of saying, do what you can with what you have, where you are.

A lot of the early naturalists were on assignment for the Smithsonian or other museums. They would not waste the specimen but they would have it preserved and shipped back to the museum for display.

 

[Ben Lamb]

A lot of the early naturalists were on assignment for the Smithsonian or other museums. They would not waste the specimen but they would have it preserved and shipped back to the museum for display.

Yep, and in the case of L&C, some live ones!

 

[Sytes]

A lot of the early naturalists were on assignment for the Smithsonian or other museums. They would not waste the specimen but they would have it preserved and shipped back to the museum for display.

Curious how long those actual "specimens" were available. Current museums use taxi foam bodied type presentations of animals, etc.

TR recorded some 420 animals killed in Africa on one trip. I think the museum preservation / naturalist was a nice support (excuse) for the value we hold for the hunt. As much as he loved nature, I believe the camera would be used for his love of the birds though the animals we consider for "big game" the camera would be second to the hunt. Then again, who knows...

 

[Ben Lamb]

Curious how long those actual "specimens" were available. Current museums use taxi foam bodied type presentations of animals, etc.

TR recorded some 420 animals killed in Africa on one trip. I think the museum preservation / naturalist was a nice support (excuse) for the value we hold for the hunt. As much as he loved nature, I believe the camera would be used for his love of the birds though the animals we consider for "big game" the camera would be second to the hunt. Then again, who knows...

You can still see some of the collected species from Lewis & Clark expedition at various museums: https://ansp.org/exhibits/online-exhibits/stories/lewis-and-clark-herbarium/