This title is part of BHA's Jim Posewitz Digital Library: Required Reading for Conservationists
Days after finishing V.K. Arseniev’s Dersu the Trapper, I found myself walking a mostly forgotten trail in the woods of Montana with an axe in one hand, and an over and under in the other. It was not my intention to recreate the imagery of the book, but it happened organically out of inspiration. The shotgun was for grouse, and the axe was for cleaning trail. It was the clearest and best I had felt in some time.
In this Russian classic, the naturalist and geographer Arseniev describes three exploratory expeditions, in which he meets, befriends and explores the Russian Far East with a native of that land, Dersu Uzala.
Dersu spent the entirety of his long life not only surviving but thriving in one of the most difficult environs on earth. He did this by having an intimate relationship with the landscape and wildlife around him. The book describes empty lands, dangerous river crossings and exhilarating hunts. Any sportsman or women, naturalist or lover of wilderness will be captivated by the story and life captured in this book.
-COREY J. ELLIS, Montana Chapter Board Member
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About Brandon Ellis
Montana Chapter Leader, Stewardship Coordinator