Books

Nearly 34 million Americans ages 16 and older head outdoors to hunt and fish every year. Through hunting and fishing license fees and excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment, hunters and anglers are responsible for the majority of fish and wildlife conservation funding in the United States. Fish and wildlife management programs funded by these fees have conserved millions of acres of habitat and have brought back many species, including wild turkey, wood duck, bald eagle, and pronghorn antelope, from unhealthy population levels. Read More

Responsive Management Executive Director Mark Damian Duda is the author of three wildlife viewing books: Watching Wildlife, Virginia Wildlife Viewing Guide, and West Virginia Wildlife Viewing Guide. Mark has traveled extensively to watch and photograph wildlife, from the Everglades in South Florida and Denali National Park in Alaska to the Cinque Terre in Italy. Read More

Find out where and when to look for wildlife from coast to coast. Learn secrets for watching animals without disturbing them, and for identifying a wide range of species. With beautiful illustrations and a fun, easy-to-read style, Watching Wildlife is sure to enrich your appreciation of nature and put you on the path to enjoying one of America’s most popular outdoor activities. Read More

From the world-famous Chesapeake Bay to the Blue Ridge Mountains, bald eagles grace Virginia’s skies, whales migrate along coastal waters, and over 30 species of warblers inhabit the Commonwealth’s forests. The Virginia Wildlife Guide will lead you to 80 premier wildlife viewing areas and will better your chances of seeing wildlife once you arrive. Included are detailed descriptions of each viewing site and its wildlife, maps and access information, helpful viewing tips, and photographs of Virginia’s diverse wildlife and scenic natural areas.  This guide was made possible by the National Watchable Wildlife Program, a unique partnership of state and federal agencies and private organizations dedicated to promoting a wildlife-related recreational, educational, and conservation opportunities.

More than 500 species of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles inhabit the mountains, forests, fields, rivers, and ponds of West Virginia. This book shows the way to 63 locations where you can see a wide variety of wildlife, from black bears in the Dolly Sods Wilderness to river otters in the Guyandotte River, and from cerulean warblers in the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge to hawks and eagles circling Hanging Rock in Jefferson National Forest. The 63 site descriptions in the West Virginia Viewing Guide tell where, when, and how to view wildlife in its natural habitat. Each description includes details of which species you’ll see, the best time of year to encounter them, and the facilities available at the sites. The book also offers tips on how best to watch wildlife, maps to help you find your way, and color photos of many of the Mountain State’s wildlife species.

The last century has seen a multitude of wildlife conservation success stories thanks to the efforts of the professional fish and wildlife management community. The restoration of once depleted species such as the white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bald eagle, wood duck, and Rocky Mountain elk, to name only a few, was no accident, nor was it the result of guesswork or management through blind optimism. Read More

Data suggest that the future of hunting and the shooting sports is precarious. The number of active hunters and sport shooters has decreased in the U.S., and fewer young people are entering these sports. However, while data indicate that participation in the U.S. has been declining, there are strategies that fish and wildlife agencies, non-governmental organizations, and industry can pursue to retain hunters and shooters in these sports. Read More

An understanding of the public often means the difference between the success and failure of fish and wildlife programs. Fish and wildlife agencies use biological and ecological research to better understand and manage fish and wildlife and their habitat. Effective fish and wildlife agencies use the human dimensions research produced by Responsive Management to better understand and work with their constituents. Read More