Don Rusch - wildlife biologist, teacher and friend

don rusch

Don will be sadly missed by the entire wildlife community and especially by the members of the Hudson Bay Project. For those working at the La Pérouse Bay Research Station, his annual presence on the radio from the "other camp" was a source of advice, reassurance and mirth. Don was always quick with just the right quip - delivered in his distinctive style and accent - that would remind us that the daily routine is anything but boring, that there is always something new to learn and that having fun is in great part what it is all about.

If you would like to add your thoughts or favorite story about Don to this tribute page, please email them to me. photo provided by by steve wendt.

Friends, family, former students and colleagues are raising money for a scholarship in Don's name to support graduate students studying aspects of game bird biology and conservation in North America. Contributions can be sent to the: Donald H. Rusch Memorial Fund, Wildlife Management Institute, 1101 14th Street NW, Suite 801, Washington, D.C. 20005.

Tributes

For those of you who are not goose biologists, we need to explain that telling stories on each other is, in our view, the highest form of tribute. We'd also add that stories need not imitate reality too closely.

The wildlife management community was deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Don Rusch of the Wisconsin Co-operative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit on September 12, 1999. Rusch passed away while hunting sharp-tailed grouse with his wife, Doris, and Britanny spaniels near Dickinson, North Dakota.

Rusch, 60, was a world's authority on both waterfowl and upland game birds. His leadership and that of his university and public agency colleagues, refined Canada goose management in the Mississippi Flyway to a state where it is an example for all flyway biologists and administrators to follow.

Rusch was a great friend of Ducks Unlimited and wildlife conservation in general. In 1995, he was the recipient of Duck's Unlimited prestigious annual award that recognizes singular contributions to the field by a university scientist. He was also a key member of the Arctic Goose Habitat Working Group, which brought the plight of the snow goose to the fore. He will be remembered for his multitude of scientific contributions, and his love of outdoors, which he enjoyed right to the last moment of his life. - from by Ducks Unlimited (November/December 1999)


It was a fairly typical Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl Technical Section meeting. Several projects were requested by the Flyway Council for evaluation. Don was presenting his; an adaptation of historic harvest derivations using legband information into a more dynamic, up-to-date technique utilizing neckband information as well as legband recoveries. As usual, the technique was complicated, and to those hearing of it for the first time, multiple questions and confusion reigned after the presentation. Don was asked to re-state some of the formulas. Later Don related to me his thought process followed along these lines (all this is happening in Don's head):

"Well, I'll need to simplify the technique, so I'll say 'OK, lets follow the KISS theory - Keep It Simple Stupid'. No that's not right, I shouldn't say 'Stupid' because this stuff is all new and these people aren't stupid. Too derogatory. I'll just say that I'm going to 'Keep It Simple'. Yeah, that's it, that's what I'll say. Keep It Simple." What Don actually said: "OK, I'll try this again and this time I'll Keep It Stupid."

Twenty minutes later, after the laughter subsided, the meeting continued with Don giving a simplified version. - contributed by Art Smith


A few years ago, I wrote an apocryphal story about how the Wisconsin Black Duck Militia were behind the decline of American Black ducks in eastern North America. Therein, I referred to Don as "the Dean of Wisconsin Waterfowlers, Ron Douche" and thought I'd come up with a clever spoonerism.

Several months later, Jim Leafloor and I were on the balcony of a second-story room we were sharing at the Wildlife Society Conference in Snowmass, CO. We spotted Don coming out of the walkway below and Jim yelled out: "Here comes the famous Ron Douche!" Whereupon, Don immediately retorted: "Oh, that Ankney thinks he is so damn smart, but that is what my buddies called me in High School. - contributed by Dave Ankney

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comments - revised 01/25/00