The case histories put together by those examinations convinced the opposing group that Severinghaus and Tanck knew exactly what they were talking about. The scientific information that Severinghaus had presented all those years to an often distrustful and hostile audience wasn't just a pack of lies after all!

"MOOSE RIVER MASSACRE"
In February 1964, Severinghaus supervised a project involving the effects of deer population reduction in high-density areas in the Adirondacks. The study took place in a remote wilderness area called the Moose River Plains. However, what started out as a timely research project on the effects of the overcrowding of winter deer yards turned into a media feeding frenzy.

As part of the study, Severinghaus and conservation aides killed 54 bucks, does and yearlings in an effort to determine the health of the deer population in the crowded deer yard and heavy snow conditions of late winter. Reproductive organs and leg samples were taken from each deer to examine the herd's overall health.

A few days later the headlines read, "Unwarranted Slaughter: The slayings carried out by what were termed State Conservation department biologists during the last week of February have drawn the wrath of at least 76 newspapers throughout the state and as far away as Chicago."

Pictures of the dissected deer graced the pages. The lack of any understanding of deer biology for the benefit of the entire herd was glaringly apparent. Severinghaus was vehemently condemned for what became known by many as the "Moose Creek Massacre."

AN IMPORTANT LEGACY
Despite the heavy criticism, Severinghaus always stood his ground, and he always backed up his management philosophies with hard facts. If you go to a search engine like Google on your computer, you'll discover over 800 separate references involving the works and documents of C.W. (Bill) Severinghaus during his long career, which began shortly after he graduated from Cornell University in 1939.

Severinghaus and his research staff had the opportunity to study whitetails in the largest forest preserve in North America, the 2.8-million-acre Adirondack Park. In many ways, he introduced an entire generation to the fascinating biological world of white-tailed deer. Many of the management principles he and his staff developed years ago are still applied today wherever whitetails roam the woods. From Lawrence Koller's 1948 classic, Shots At Whitetails, to Rob Wegner's three-book Deer & Deer Hunting collection, published in the 1980s, to Leonard Lee Rue's numerous volumes on whitetails published over the last 35 years, the knowledge gained through Severinghaus' vast research and his many contributions show up time and again.

Bill Severinghaus passed away on July 6, 2007, at the age of 90. In a recent interview with Dr. Leonard Lee Rue III, the most published whitetail photographer and author in North America, Dr. Rue stated, "Bill Severinghaus was a pioneer in the forefront of educating people and getting whitetail research to the general public." Truly, every deer hunter who goes to the woods in the 21st century can thank New York's "Mr. Deer" for the countless contributions he made to whitetail hunting and management!

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