G. O. Shields: the bird & animal man

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G. O. Shields (Coquina)
The Bird a Animal Man



ATTENTION!  LEFT DRESS!

Col. G. O. Shields
Author - Editor - Lecturer Explorer - Hunter - Photographer
EARLY in life, Mr. Shields became interested in the study of wild things and has pursued that line of thought and investigation ever since.  He has hunted successfully every kind of game on this Continent, South of the Arctic Circle, with gun and camera, but he quit killing years ago, when game began to grow scarce.  Since that time he has hunted extensively with camera, field glass and note book, and has stored up a great fund of knowledge of the habits of wild animals and birds.  He established Recreation magazine in 1894 and built it to a circulation of 65,000 copies, the largest ever enjoyed by any sportsman's publication in this country.  He organized the League of American Sportsmen in 1898, built it to a membership of over 12,000 and has been president of it from the day of its inception to date.

Mr. Shields evolved the idea of the Camp Fire Club of America in 1897, called together about 50 men of his own kind, held monthly meetings, and for six years did all the work of that organization, which is now one of the greatest and most important game protective organizations in America.

He has written seven books on outdoor subjects, all of which have had large sales, and one of which, Hunting in the Great West has sold over 200,000 copies.

He served in the Civil War, was in 13 hard fought battles and once, on a scouting expedition, narrowly escaped capture by Mosby's guerrillas.

He is a woodsman and a mountaineer of ripe experience and in one case traveled eight months in the Rocky Mountains, by saddle and pack horse, entirely alone.

Forty years ago he began to seek legislation for the preservation of wild life and during the past fifteen years has devoted nearly all his time to this work.  Through Shields' Magazine and the League of American Sportsmen he has wielded a great influence for good and has created a wide spread public sentiment in favor of the preservation of wild animals and birds.  He has visited nearly every State capitol in the country in the interest of game protective legislation, and there is scarcely a State that has not on its statute books laws put there at the instigation of this wonderful worker.

Mr. Shields has also gone to Washington many times in the interest of federal legislation, and it was largely due to his efforts that the Lacey Bird Law was enacted.  He has also been instrumental in securing Congressional action for the creation of forest preserves, game refuges, etc.

Mr. Shields originated the term game hog, and by his vigorous method of dealing with men who slaughter game and fish has made it about as generally dreaded as that of horse thief.

He has been on the lecture platform at intervals for twenty years, and has devoted the greater part of the last three seasons to Lyceum work.  The few notices we have room to reproduce testify to his ability as a platform speaker of power.



Subjects

Wild Animals and Birds
The Blanket Indian of the Wild West
The Beaver
Big Game on Its Native Ranges


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ABOUT FACE—FORWARD MARCH!

What Great Educators Say
Stanford University, California, February 3, 1909.

Mr. G. O. Shields, President,

The League of American Sportsmen,

New York City, N. Y.

Dear Sir:—Permit me to express to you our thanks for your lecture last night on Wild Animals and Snow Slides in the Canadian Rockies.  It was in every way most satisfactory.  Your lantern slides have been chosen with rare skill and judgment; and the discussion with which you made the pictures clear is most interesting—never tedious, always to the point, and with a pleasant vein of humor.  Above all, I wish to commend the work which you have done for the preservation of big game and of birds.  There is scarcely an issue of greater importance before the American people, because if we do not save the birds and the game while they are living, we can never get them back again.  The relation of birds to agriculture and horticulture is almost as vital as the necessity of water.

Again expressing our high appreciation, I am,

Very truly yours,
(Signed) DAVID STARR JORDAN.

University of California,

Office of the President

My Dear Mr. Shields:—I am glad to have given you an opportunity of speaking to our students on your favorite subject.  You gave them many new facts, new arguments, new ideas and new points of view.  You had a good hearing, and did, I am persuaded, a great deal of good in turning the attention of our young people to interest in the rights of wild animals and birds.  The subject matter and the illustrations of your lecture were in every way excellent.

BENJ. IDE WHEELER, Pres. Univ. California.

Caldwell, Idaho.—Mr. G. O. Shields has just given here one of his lectures illustrated by stereopticon views.  Mr. Shields comes with a message.  He is an American seer and prophet.  President of the League of American Sportsmen, a lover of wild life, for 40 years he has been waging battle to save our game from extinction.  Every man, woman and child in the land should hear this great American.  He has some predictions that startle.  He shows how the human race, in its turn, is being imperilled by the disappearance of the birds that once crowded forest and plain.  After listening to Mr. Shields one goes away deeply convicted and convinced with the saneness and liberality of his views.  He is not a crank nor radical: but he does come with a message.  I predict that in 100 years Mr. Shields' name will be found in the histories of our country as the greatest defender of wild life.  The pictures he throws on the screen are fascinating, curious and beautiful: snap shots of beast and bird, taken in the native homes of these wild creatures.—Lawrence H. Gipson, B. A., Oxon Professor of History at the College of Idaho.

Evanston, Ill.—Your talk was filled with facts tersely and intelligently stated.—A. H. Wilde, Principal, Evanston Academy, Northwestern University.

Fargo.—We enjoyed your talk very much.  What you said was of great interest, and I hope we may have the opportunity of hearing you again.—F. L. McVey, President, The University of North Dakota.

Throop Institute, Pasadena, Cal.—It is obvious that you are master of your subject, and that this unselfish work of yours is accomplishing great good in behalf of our dumb friends.—James A. B. Scherer, President.

San Jose, Cal.—Your lecture was one of the most satisfactory we have had.  It is a pleasure to listen to a man who has a message.  All of us would be delighted to hear you again.—M. E. Dailey, President, State Normal School.

West Chester, Pa.—Your lecture is valuable for both old and young.  The necessity of saving the insectivorous birds in America and protecting the game is a condition of vital importance which confronts us.—Christine F. Bye, Principal, Darlington Seminary.

Cambridge, Mass.—Everyone who heard your lecture and saw your valuable lantern slides had a most interesting and enjoyable evening.  All were made to see what a noble cause you are working for in the preservation of our wild animals and birds.—G. P. Gardner, Jr., Vice-Pres., Harvard Union.

Seattle, Wash.—Mr. Shields aroused a great deal of interest in the subject of birds and game, by reason of the instructive and forceful manner in which he dealt with his subject.  He is doing a good work in preventing the needless slaughter of wild animals and birds.—Wm. F. Geiger, Principal, Washington High School.

Spokane, Wash.—The talk you gave before our students was very interesting and instructive, and can not help being of great value to them.  It is a subject on which every American citizen should be informed, and I am sure that the way you have of bringing it home to them is effective and will bear fruit.—P. M. Glasoe, President, Spokane College.

Blairstown, N. J.—I wish to express to you our appreciation of your lecture.  I hope you may be called upon to address many of the schools in this country.  You are giving the boys and girls a real idea of nature, and I am sure everyone who hears you will be helped to a better view of the out-of-doors world, which must have an increasing influence on our civilization.—John C. Sharpe, Principal, Blair Academy.

Notre Dame, Ind.—I have heard many enthusiastic comments on your lecture from students and faculty.  The subject was of great interest and your presentation of it excellent.  Above all, I have heard many compliments to the extraordinary beauty of the pictures.—John Cavanaugh, C. S. C., President, University of Notre Dame.


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Universities, Colleges and Schools Where Mr. Shields Has Lectured

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Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
Brown University, Providence, R. I.
University of California, Berkeley, Cal.
Stanford University, Palo Alto, Cal.
University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.
Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.
Lehigh University, South Bethlehem, Pa.
Pennsylvania State College, State College, Pa.
Princeton University, Princeton, N. J.
Columbia University, New York City.
Barnard College, New York City.
West Point Military Academy, West Point, N. J. (twice).
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N. D.
Girard College, Philadelphia, Pa.
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
Spokane College, Spokane, Wash.
The College of Idaho, Caldwell, Idaho.
State Normal School, San Jose, Cal.
The Ogontz School, Ogontz, Pa. (3 times).
The Pomfret School, Pomfret Center, Conn.
The Birmingham School, Birmingham, Pa.
Culver Military Institute, Culver, Ind.
Lake Forest Academy, Lake Forest, Ill.
The Tewksbury School, Irvington-on-Hudson, N. Y.
The Dwight School, Englewood, N. J.
Ethical Culture School, New York City.
The Merrill-Van Laer School, New York City.
Monticello Seminary, Godfrey, Ill.
Darlington Seminary, West Chester, Pa.
Peddie Institute, Hightstown, N. J.
Throop Institute, Pasadena, Cal.
Maplewood Institute, Concordville, Pa.
Institute of Arts and Sciences, Buffalo, N. Y. (4 times).
Institute of Arts and Sciences, Brooklyn, N. Y. (twice).
Institute of Arts and Sciences, St. Paul, Minn. (3 times).
Friends' Academy, Locust Valley, L. I.
Blair Academy, Blairstown, N. J


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