James A Swan Ph.D

I grew up on an island in Lake Erie, downwind and downstream from Detroit when it was running full bore. The American side of the river was declared a public health hazard, and there was 8 times the national average for chronic respiratory diseases. So, when it came to go to college, I chose the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources, hoping to do something about the horrific pollution where I grew up. (and play some football) I initially started out as a wildlife mgt. major, but after reading Aldo Leopold's SAND COUNTY ALMANAC, where he said that conservation problems are not political, they are ultimately from people's minds, that rang a bell, so I switched majors first to conservation education and then psychology, for a Ph.D. Since then I've taught ecology and psychology at U. Michigan, W. WA State U., U. Oregon and U Washington as well as four psychology grad. schools. Along the way I evolved to being a writer, producer of TV and films, and an actor. My books IN DEFENSE OF HUNTING and THE SACRED ART OF HUNTING, which show how hunting is natural and normal for us, even in the Information Age, have sold over 100,000 copies. I've worked as a writer for Bushnell's Secrets of the Wild, Sports Afield TV, New American Sportsman, and Engel's Outdoor Experience -- winning one Golden Moose and begin nominated for six others -- and appeared in three hunting shows, as well as mainstream films and TV. I recently co-wrote with Olympian Eddie Brochin, Falconer; The Sport of Kings, see website. Its won awards in US and Europe.
In 2007 California game wardens asked my son and I to produce a documentary about them and the shortage of wardens in CA -- then 38 million people, and only 192 wardens. It took two years of riding along with wardens in air, on water, in snow and on the ground to finish the documentary. It then inspired the "Wild Justice" show in Nat. Geo. One result has been that there are now 360 game wardens in the field in CA.
If you want to more about what I am up to these days, see this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLZUoJCTqZ4

More details at: www.jamesswan.com

Shooting sports, especially traditional archery. Waterfowl hunting. Fly fishing. making duck decoys.