Ecosystem Evangelist

By Bob Marshall

A few years ago, Gary Alt, a top wildlife biologist in Pennsylvania, had this idea: if the state managed its deer herd for the benefit of the entire ecosystem, everyone would win--bird watchers, grouse hunters, hikers, fishermen, land owners--but especially deer hunters, the state's most fervid outdoorspeople by a long shot.

Alt didn't invent ecosystem management, but for many state wildlife agencies it remains a revolutionary, poisonous treatise. What hunters want--deer, deer everywhere--isn't good for the ecosystem or even the quarry they pursue. Pennsylvania is a leading example of that conundrum. For decades, its hunters resisted efforts to reduce the deer herd. As a result, overpopulation led to a declining herd as well as to the destruction of forest habitat critical to other critters.

Sensing disaster, Alt moved into the hot seat. "This is no longer just about hunting--it's a social and environmental issue that is 100 times larger than our sport," he says. A native Pennsylvanian and dedicated deer hunter, he previously had heroically re-established the state's bear population. He promptly persuaded the game commission to increase the doe hunt dramatically. "If we can't act responsibly, society will find another way of dealing with this," he says. "As a trained wildlife biologist, I could see what the lack of science-based management was doing to the sport and its future. If I had to sacrifice my career, it would be worth it."

He did. Pressure from hunting groups forced the commission to backpedal, and Alt resigned in disgust. Today he is a wildlife-management consultant and public speaker with plenty of work. It seems his ideas are welcomed by many hunters, at least outside Pennsylvania. --By Bob Marshall