Dr. Buckley T. Foster will discuss his new book\, \;So Great Was the Slaughter: Market Hunters\, Spo rtsmen and Conservation in Arkansas.
\nSo Great Wa s the Slaughter reveals the untold story of Arkansas conservation pio neers who saved the state&rsquo\;s game and fish populations. As Arkansas entered the twentieth century\, the national demand for meat and the abili ty to ship millions of animals to hungry cities like New Orleans\, Memphis \, and Chicago had driven many species\, including bison and passenger pig eons\, to extinction in Arkansas. Many others\, including deer\, bear\, tu rkey\, quail\, and fish\, were in danger of disappearing.
\nIn respo nse\, an unlikely coalition of Arkansas sportsmen\, hunters\, and conserva tionists created a vision for conservation legislation\, game laws\, and t he establishment of fish hatcheries and wildlife refuges. With support fro m influential outsiders like E. A. McIlhenny and the United States Biologi cal Survey\, they waged a long battle against entrenched political and com mercial interests.
\nBuckley \;Foster&rsquo\;s meticulous resear ch reveals how these pioneers fought to save the state&rsquo\;s wildlife r esources from destruction and laid the foundations for sustainable\, moder n wildlife management in Arkansas. So Great Was the Slaughter wil l fascinate hunters\, conservationists\, historians\, and those interested in the history of wildlife conservation and conflicts between market hunt ers and sportsmen in the United States and the American South. \;
\ nBooks will be available for purchase and signing after the presentatio n. \;This program is free and open to the public. No registration requ ired. \;
\nDr. Foste r holds a Ph.D. in 19th-century Southern History from Mississippi State Un iversity\, with subfields in environmental history and the application of science and technology to the study of history. He earned both his B.A. an d M.A. in History from the University of Arkansas\, Fayetteville. His rese arch explores Civil War military campaigns\, rural life in Arkansas\, and the history of hunting and conservation. His latest book (Chosen as an Ark ansas Gem for 2025)\, \;So Great Was the Slaughter\, \;ad ds to his growing body of scholarship that includes Sherman&rsquo\;s M ississippi Campaign \;(2006) and an edited Civil War diary of one of Stonewall Jackson&rsquo\;s colonels\, scheduled for release in 2026.\n
Dr. Buckley T. Foster is an accomplished historian and professor wi th over twenty-five years of experience teaching American\, Southern\, Mil itary\, and Arkansas history at both two-year and four-year institutions a cross the South and Midwest. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Arkansas History at the University of Central Arkansas. His service recor d includes appointments to the Prairie Grove Battlefield Commission\, the Arkansas Historical Association Board\, and the Arkansas Humanities Counci l. He also created the James L. Foster and Billy W. Beason Award to promot e graduate research in Arkansas history. His commitment to public history\ , teaching excellence\, and regional scholarship defines his academic care er.
\nHe is an advocate for sporting ethics and a lifelong practitio ner of the art of waterfowl hunting. Winter break will find him in the slo ughs\, swamps\, and waterways in pursuit of whistling wings.
\nAll abilities are welcome. For disability accommodations\, call 479.856.7250 or email \;questio ns@faylib.org \;2-3 weekdays before a program. Plan your visit by viewing our building map \;and details on accessibility services.
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