A Trip to Pilawin, the Deer-park of Count Joseph Potocki in Volhynia, Russia

In the early 1900s a Polish count set out to turn a stretch of Volhynian forest into a living laboratory—a private deer‑park where elk, bison and exotic antelope could roam as if in the wild. His journal records the excitement of the first introductions, the careful planning inspired by England’s famed Woburn estate, and the hopeful ambition to let these animals thrive without the restraints of a zoo. Readers are invited to wander the forest trails, hear the rustle of leaves and sense the quiet pride of a man determined to blend sport, science, and nature.

The book reads like a vivid field guide, filled with detailed observations of elk calves in snow, American bison trudging through frozen meadows, and rare Asian wapiti navigating the pine groves. Accompanied by striking black‑and‑white plates, each scene captures the interplay of animal behavior and the surrounding landscape, offering both naturalists and casual listeners a window into a unique conservation experiment. As the count chronicles successes and setbacks, the narrative remains a celebration of the wild spirit that still thrives within a carefully tended forest.