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Human–Wildlife Interactions
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Confessions of a Wildlifer: If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now!
Date of this Version
Winter 2017
Document Type
Article
Citation
Human–Wildlife Interactions (Winter 2017) 11(3): article 13
doi: 10.26077/c2t9-9574
Special topic: Community-based conservation
Abstract
This past January, I retired from a career as a wildlife professional after 43 years working with wildlife management agencies in 2 states. I look back on my career with great satisfaction and cannot imagine having a job that would be more enjoyable or rewarding. I left not because I was sick and tired of the job but because I wanted to try some new things and let the wonderful new group of professionals move into leadership positions and take programs beyond what I could ever accomplish. Unfortunately, I see fellow professionals retiring with bitterness and frustration over their agency, their treatment, or their future in retirement. I can remember advice from my mentors, including John Hunt, Ken Anderson, Lee Perry, and Fred Hurley at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and I know that their taking time with me was a major reason I was able to retire happy. So, in continuing this tradition, I want to share some of the things I learned from these individuals and other great professionals I worked with over the years. I readily admit that my view is biased from a career working for and with state wildlife agencies.
. . .
This is as close as I am going to get to writing my memoirs, so I hope you can find a few helpful ideas as I share my thoughts with you on the Back Page.