Notes on the Mammals of Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties, Michigan, 1920

In the summer of 1920 two naturalists set out for the remote woods of western Michigan, establishing camps around Cisco Lake, Little Girl’s Point, and the western shore of Lake Gogebic. Their goal was to catalogue the mammals of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, recording where each animal was found, how many were observed, and what the surrounding habitat looked like. The narrative follows their day‑to‑day fieldwork, from early‑morning trap checks to evenings spent cataloguing notes beside the fire.

The authors weave together their own observations with decades‑old insights from experienced trappers, creating a richly detailed picture of the region’s ecosystems. Readers hear vivid descriptions of mixed hardwood forests, black‑spruce bogs, and the altered shorelines caused by a new dam, all set against the backdrop of abundant elk, beaver, and smaller rodents. The result is a lively, science‑driven portrait of a landscape on the cusp of change, inviting listeners to explore the natural history of Michigan’s hidden wilderness.