Dead Moose on Isle Royale: Off Trail with the Citizen Scientists of the Wolf-Moose Project

by Jeffrey M Holden

Overview

Isle Royale in Michigan is one of the most remote and pristine of all the U.S. national parks, and it is the site of the world’s longest-running predator-prey study. Every summer, Jeffrey M. Holden leads groups of citizen scientists on week-long expeditions to search for dead moose. Those intrepid enough to join him backpacking off trail in Isle Royale’s rugged beauty face challenges from treacherous weather conditions, to wildlife, primitive backcountry camping, traveling through swamps and wetlands, and backpacks that grow heavier with bones every time a new dead moose is found. Sometimes the moose they find are long dead, with only a scattering of bones remaining. Sometimes they are freshly departed, rotted, stinking, and covered with thousands of bloodthirsty ticks. Scientists use the bones, photos, and data they collect to reconstruct the moose population through the years, correlating it against other data on wolves, weather, and ticks. This book provides a fascinating look into the day-to-day realities of backpacking in the wilderness, while featuring the extraordinary scientific discoveries of the Wolf-Moose Project itself and highlighting the role and rewards for volunteers in this extraordinary endeavor. This is a must read for anyone who is interested in off-trail hiking, becoming a citizen scientist, or exploring America’s least-visited national park.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611865394
Publisher:	Michigan State University Press
Publication date:	07/01/2025
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Jeffrey M. Holden has been associated with the Wolf-Moose Project since 2002, when he first volunteered to look for dead moose on Isle Royale. He quickly became a group leader, and he has led at least one group every year since 2005. He is the president of the Wolf-Moose Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to advance research and education that promotes the conservation of predators and their prey, especially the wolves and moose of Isle Royale.

Editorial Reviews

"Steeped in science, the Isle Royale wolf-moose study is the most famous carnivore study in the world. There is no loss for written material on this project. Yet, Jeffrey Holden has done just that, given us more and up close and personal view from a non-scientists perspective on what it takes to keep such a study going and offering year-after-year of amazing insights into how nature works. A seasoned hiker and Isle Royale enthusiast, Holden takes us on a rare journey through nature, science, and how we learn about the natural world." - Douglas W. Smith, Senior Wildlife Biologist, Yellowstone National Park (retired)

“Jeff Holden’s account features cooperation, compassion, and awe—characteristics of all good science.”— Carolyn C. Peterson, author of A View from the Wolf’s Eye

“In a wide-ranging book based on a couple of decades of tramping for science in Isle Royale National Park, Jeff Holden’s book is a treasure. With ample wit, humor, and insight, Holden regales the reader with real-world adventures, great stories, and humble recounting of inevitable foibles. It becomes obvious that after a week of ‘in-tents’ togetherness in the bush, a group of strangers can blossom into tight-knit camaraderie, all the while providing valuable contributions as citizen-scientists.” —Rolf O. Peterson, author of The Wolves of Isle Royale: A Broken Balance

“Dead Moose on Isle Royale’s genuine beauty is Jeff Holden’s personal experiences leading teams of ‘regular’ folks through the forest on expeditions to study the remains of moose killed by wolves—working as citizen scientists in service of world-class ecological research.”—John A. Vucetich, distinguished professor, Michigan Technological University, and author of Restoring the Balance: What Wolves Tell Us about Our Relationship with Nature


“Jeff Holden’s account features cooperation, compassion, and awe—characteristics of all good science.”— Carolyn C. Peterson, author of A View from the Wolf’s Eye

“In a wide-ranging book based on a couple of decades of tramping for science in Isle Royale National Park, Jeff Holden’s book is a treasure. With ample wit, humor, and insight, Holden regales the reader with real-world adventures, great stories, and humble recounting of inevitable foibles. It becomes obvious that after a week of ‘in-tents’ togetherness in the bush, a group of strangers can blossom into tight-knit camaraderie, all the while providing valuable contributions as citizen-scientists.” —Rolf O. Peterson, author of The Wolves of Isle Royale: A Broken Balance

“Dead Moose on Isle Royale’s genuine beauty is Jeff Holden’s personal experiences leading teams of ‘regular’ folks through the forest on expeditions to study the remains of moose killed by wolves—working as citizen scientists in service of world-class ecological research.”—John A. Vucetich, distinguished professor, Michigan Technological University, and author of Restoring the Balance: What Wolves Tell Us about Our Relationship with Nature

From the Publisher