For most of the 20th century, breeding wolves did not exist in the continental United States. More than 100 years ago, the United States Department of Agriculture sent Vernon Bailey (1864-1942) to study extermination methods being used to kill wolves on the northern and southern borders of the country. Working as chief field naturalist with the Bureau of Biological Survey, Bailey kept both a journal and a field notebook to cover the many aspects of ecosystems in those areas. This set of field notes document primarily plants and animals, listed with nearby place names and is a companion to his loose leaf journal from the same trip.
Dig into this project and help us bring out the full record of Bailey's observations, including a special note about wolf cubs near Jackson Hole.
For most of the 20th century, breeding wolves did not exist in the continental United States. More than 100 years ago, the United States Department of Agriculture sent Vernon Bailey (1864-1942) to study extermination methods being used to kill wolves on the northern and southern borders of the country. Working as chief field naturalist with the Bureau of Biological Survey, Bailey kept both a journal and a field notebook to cover the many aspects of ecosystems in those areas. This set of field notes document primarily plants and animals, listed with nearby place names and is a companion to his loose leaf journal from the same trip.
Dig into this project and help us bring out the full record of Bailey's observations, including a special note about wolf cubs near Jackson Hole.
Vernon Orlando Bailey (1864-1942) was born in Manchester, Michigan. At an early age his family moved to Elk River, Minnesota, where he developed an interest in natural history. Around 1885, Bailey began sending collections of birds and mammals to Clinton Hart Merriam, Chief of the newly created Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy of the United States Department of Agriculture (in 1896 the name was changed to the Bureau of Biological Survey). In 1887, Bailey was appointed Special Field Agent for the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy. His title was changed to Chief Field Naturalist in 1890, and he remained with the Biological Survey until his retirement in 1933. Bailey's chief biological interest was the study of the life history and distribution of mammals. During his career with the Biological Survey, he made field investigations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including intensive biological surveys of Texas, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oregon. His bibliography numbered 244 titles and included scientific monographs, as well as publications for the general reader.
