Organ, J.F., T.A. Decker, and T.M. Lama. 2016. The North American model and captive cervid facilities-what is the threat? Wildlife Society Bulletin 40(1):10-13
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John Organ, Ph.D.
John F. Organ is the Chief of the USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units. He was Chief of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration for the Northeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 2005 to 2014, and worked in the FWS’s Ecological Services and National Wildlife Refuge programs during his 35 year career.
Biography
John also is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Michigan State University, and Andres Bello University in Santiago, Chile. He is a certified Wildlife Biologist and Past President and Fellow of The Wildlife Society. He is also a Professional Member of the Boone and Crockett Club and a Senior Specialist in the Fulbright Scholar Program. He is a member of the IUCN Otter Specialist and Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Groups, and an instructor and Advisory Board member of the Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow Program. He is also a consultant to the Peru Forest Sector Initiative where he is assisting the Peruvian government in training biologists and developing wildlife regulations. He advises M.S. and Ph.D. students studying carnivores and human dimensions in Africa, Canada, Chile, and the U.S. and teaches graduate courses in Wildlife Management and Conservation and Human Dimensions of Wildlife Conservation.
Only John's five most recent publications are shown here. For more information about John, including a full publications list, visit his profile page on the Cooperative Research Units Program Headquarters web site.
Education
- Ph D University of Massachusetts Amherst 1989
Research Interests
- Mammal conservation
- Human Dimensions
- Wildlife Policy
Teaching Interests
- Wildlife conservation and management
- Human dimensions
- Wildlife policy
Science and Products
Year Published: 2018
Artelle et al. (2018) miss the science underlying North American wildlife management
Artelle et al. (2018) conclude that “hallmarks of science” are largely missing from North American wildlife management based on a desk review of selected hunting management plans and related documents found through Internet searches and email requests to state and provincial wildlife agencies. We highlight three fundamental problems that...
Mawdsley, Jonathan R.; Organ, John F.; Decker, Daniel J.; Forstchen, Ann; Regan, Ronald J.; Riley, Shawn J.; Boyce, Mark S.; Mcdonald, John E.; Dwyer, Chris; Mahoney, Shane P.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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J. R. Mawdsley, J. F. Organ, D. J. Decker, A. B. Forstchen, R. J. Regan, S. J. Riley, M. S. Boyce, J. E. McDonald Jr., C. Dwyer, S. P. Mahoney, Artelle et al. (2018) miss the science underlying North American wildlife management. Sci. Adv. 4, eaat8281 (2018).
Year Published: 2018
Wildlife management is science based: Myth or reality?
In the January/February issue of The Wildlife Professional, a group of wildlife leaders discussed what they considered "myths" in wildlife management and invited other wildlife professionals to contribute their favorites. Here, five wildlife professionals take up that theme with their discussions of the scientific basis of wildlife management.
Decker, Daniel J.; Organ, John F.; Forstchen, Ann; Schiavone, Michael V.; Fuller, Angela K.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Decker, D.J., J.F. Organ, A.B. Forstchen, M.V. Schiavone, and A.K. Fuller. 2018. Wildlife management is science based: myth or reality? The Wildlife Professional 12(4): 30-32.
Year Published: 2018
Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in prey abundance and vulnerability shapes the foraging tactics of an omnivore
Prey abundance and prey vulnerability vary across space and time, but we know little about how they mediate predator–prey interactions and predator foraging tactics. To evaluate the interplay between prey abundance, prey vulnerability and predator space use, we examined patterns of black bear (Ursus americanus) predation of caribou (Rangifer...
Rayl, Nathaniel D.; Bastille-Rousseau, Guillaume; Organ, John F.; Mumma, Matthew; Mahoney, Shane P.; Soulliere, Colleen; Lewis, Keith; Otto, Robert; Murray, Dennis; Waits, Lisette; Fuller, ToddAttribution: Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK)
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Rayl, N.D., Bastille-Rousseau, G., Organ, J.F., Mumma, M.A., Mahoney, S.P., Soulliere, C.E., Lewis, K.P., Otto, R.D., Murray, D.L., Waits, L.P., & Fuller, T.K. (2018) Data from: Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in prey abundance and vulnerability shapes the foraging tactics of an omnivore. Journal of Animal Ecology.
Year Published: 2018
History of state wildlife management in the United States
No abstract available.
Organ, John F.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Organ, J.F. 2018. History of state wildlife management in the United States. Chapter 1, pages 1 - 23 in T.J. Ryder, editor, State wildlife management and conservation. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Year Published: 2018
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2017 year in review
The Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program was involved in a number of notable events during 2017, many concerning our personnel. Dr. Barry Grand left his position as Leader of the Alabama Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit to become the Cooperative Units Program Supervisor for the South, replacing Dr. Kevin Whalen who took...
Organ, John F.; Thompson, John D.; Dennerline, Donald E.; Childs, Dawn E.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Organ, J.F., Thompson, J.D., Dennerline, D.E., and Childs, D.E., 2018, Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2017 year in review (ver. 2.0, February 28, 2018): U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1438, 68 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/cir1438.
Year Published: 2018
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2017 year in review postcard
This postcard provides details about the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2017 Year in Review, U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1438, now available at https://doi.org/10.3133/cir1438. In this report, you will find details about the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units (CRU) Program relating to its background, fish and...
Organ, John F.; Thompson, John D.; Dennerline, Donald E. ; Childs, Dawn E.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Organ, J.F., Thompson, J.D., Dennerline, D.E., and Childs, D.E., 2018, Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2017 year in review postcard: U.S. Geological Survey General Information Product 184, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/gip184.
Year Published: 2018
Wild-harvested venison yields and sharing by Michigan deer hunters
An increased societal focus on wildlife as food and recent policy deliberations regarding legal markets for wild-harvested meat are encouraging wildlife managers and researchers to examine the amount, use, and distribution of meat yielded through recreational hunting. We used responses to questions on the Michigan Deer Harvest Study to estimate...
Goguen, Amber D.; Riley, Shawn J.; Organ, John F.; Rudolph, Brent A.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Goguen, A.D., S.J. Riley, J.F. Organ, and B.A. Rudolph. 2017. Wild-harvested venison yields and sharing by Michigan deer hunters. Human Dimensions of Wildlife. https://doi.org/10.1080/10871209.2017.1409372
Year Published: 2017
Wildlife governance in the 21st century—Will sustainable use endure?
In light of the trajectory of wildlife governance in the United States, the future of sustainable use of wildlife is a topic of substantial interest in the wildlife conservation community. We examine sustainable-use principles with respect to “good governance” considerations and public trust administration principles to assess how sustainable use...
Decker, Daniel J.; Organ, John F.; Forstchen, Ann; Jacobson, Cynthia A.; Siemer, William F.; Smith, Christian A.; Lederle, Patrick E.; Schiavone, Michael V.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Decker, D.J., J.F. Organ, A.B. Forstchen, C.A. Jacobson, W.F. Siemer, and C.A. Smith, P.E. Lederle, and M.V. Schiavone. 2017. Wildlife Governance in the 21st Century - Will Sustainable-use Endure? Wildlife Society Bulletin
Year Published: 2017
Examining spatial patterns of selection and use for an altered predator guild
Anthropogenic disturbances have altered species’ distributions potentially impacting interspecific interactions. Interference competition is when one species denies a competing species access to a resource. One mechanism of interference competition is aggression, which can result in altered space-use of a subordinate species due to the threat...
Organ, John F.; Mumma, Matthew; Holbrook, Joseph D.; Rayl, Nathaniel D.; Zieminski, Christopher J.; Fuller, Todd K.; Mahoney, Shane P.; Waits, Lisette P.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Mumma, M.A., J.D. Holbrook, N.D. Rayl, C.J. Zieminski, T.K. Fuller, J.F. Organ, S.P. Mahoney, and L.P. Waits. 2017. Examining spatial patterns of selection and use for an altered predator guild. Oecologia DOI 10.1007/s00442-017-3971-8. Published online: 16 October 2017.
Year Published: 2017
The growth of sport shooting participation: What does this trend mean for conservation revenue?
Enacted in 1937, the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act – more commonly known as the Pittman-Robertson Act – is one of the oldest and most reliable sources of funding for wildlife conservation in the United States. The result of organized support form sportsmen, fish and wildlife agencies, firearms manufacturers, conservation organizations,...
Duda, Mark D.; Beppler, Tom; Organ, John F.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Duda, M.D., T. Beppler, and J.F. Organ. 2017. The growth of sport shooting participation: what does this trend mean for conservation revenue? The Wildlife Professional 11(2): 38-41
Year Published: 2017
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2016 year in review
SummaryThe Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units (CRU) Program had a productive year in 2016. Despite vacancies in our scientist ranks exceeding 20 percent, our research, training, and teaching portfolio was full and we graduated 93 students and published 398 manuscripts primarily focused on addressing the real conservation challenges of...
Organ, John F.; Thompson, John D.; Dennerline, Donald E.; Childs, Dawn E.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Organ, J.F., Thompson, J.D., Dennerline, D.E., and Childs, D.E., 2017, Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2016 year in review: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1424, 44 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/cir1424.
Year Published: 2017
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2016 year in review postcard
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2016 Year in Review postcardThis postcard provides details about the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units (CRU) Program—2016 Year in Review, Circular 1424. This Circular provides information relating to fish and wildlife science, students, staffing, vacancies, research funding, outreach...
Organ, John F.; Thompson, John D.; Dennerline, Don E.; Childs, Dawn E.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
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Organ, J.F., Thompson, J.D., Dennerline, D.E., and Childs, D.E., 2017, Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2016 year in review postcard: U.S. Geological Survey General Information Product 170, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/gip170.
Pre-USGS Publications
Organ, J.F. The North American model of wildlife conservation and wild turkey management: the future. Pages 19-23 in D.E. Miller, editor, Proceedings of the eleventh national wild turkey symposium. Allen Press, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
Rayl, N.D., T.K. Fuller, J.F. Organ, J.E. McDonald, Jr., R.D. Otto, G. Bastille-Rousseau, C.E. Soulliere and S.P. Mahoney. 2015. Spatiotemporal variation in the distribution of potential predators of a resource pulse: black bears and caribou calves in Newfoundland. Journal of Wildlife Management 79(7): 1041-1050.
White, H. B., T. Decker, M.J. O’Brien, J.F. Organ and N. M. Roberts. 2015. Trapping and furbearer management in North American wildlife conservation, International Journal of Environmental Studies, DOI: 10.1080/00207233.2015.1019297
Decker, D.J., A.B. Forstchen, E.F. Pomeranz, C.A. Smith, S.J. Riley, C.A. Jacobson, J.F. Organ, and G.R. Batcheller. 2015. Stakeholder engagement in wildlife management: does the public trust doctrine imply limits? J. Wildl. Manage. 79:174-179.