This book starts with a look back into the fossil record of wildlife in what is now called Idaho and progresses through the archaeological window of human habitation. The wildlife devistation caused by man from first arrival up through Euro-American discovery and settlement is documented and chronicled. A pivotal period began after statehood in 1890 that lasted for five decades with Idaho's wildlife resources suffering from haphazard negative political influences. The storyline changed in 1938 when dedicated sportsmen spearheaded a ballot initiative that wrested wildlife administration from politicians and placed into the hands of a nonpartisan fish and commission. From that point forward, ignorance and missteps took a toll but eventually strong scientific and professional influences shaped a story of success and redemption in the struggle for conserving and managing Idaho's varied and important wildlife resources. The narrative also details the support extended to the state of Idaho by the federal government for conservation measures and details the plight of big game animals under unrelenting pressure from hunters and ecological deterioration.