ALCES VOL. 34 (1), (1998)    - 

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Harold Cumming, longtime Ontario wildlife 
biologist, Lakehead University Professor, and first 
editor of Alces (originally published as the Proceed-
ings of the North American Moose Conference and 
Workshop) died Aug. 18, 2011 at the age of 82.  
Harold was educated at the University of Toronto, 
Michigan State University, and received his PhD in 
1966 from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.  
Harold was a deeply respected wildlife biologist 
and professor described by a former employee as 
a mentor who made biologists and students better 
observers, thinkers, and managers. 

Harold was employed initially with the On-
tario Department of Lands & Forests as a District 
Biologist in Geraldton in 1953-58.  He then took a 
paid leave to undertake PhD studies on the ecology 
of roe deer at Aberdeen University in Scotland in 
1959-1963.  Returning to Ontario, he became a 
Provincial Big Game Biologist - Game Manage-
ment Section, Wildlife Branch, Lands & Forests, 
Ministry of Natural Resources - in Maple, Ontario 
from 1963-1971.  His primary responsibilities 
included moose, deer, and caribou management.  
Among his many accomplishments in moose man-
agement were coordination of the Provincial moose 
inventory (aerial surveys), centralizing the harvest 

IN MEMORIAM
Harold Greenfield Cumming 

assessment program in 1968, making recommenda-
tions for annual hunting seasons, and coordinating 
browse surveys.  Harold understood the value of 
obtaining hunter cooperation to increase biological 
data, wisely starting the highly successful “moose 
hunter crest” program in 1967 to boost voluntary 
submission of lower moose jaws.  Harold also set 
deer seasons and helped to establish the Provincial 
deer range management program. 

In 1972 Harold moved to Thunder Bay and 
began a second career as Professor in the School of 
Forestry at Lakehead University where he taught 
Wildlife Management to Forestry students for more 
than 20 years (1972-1993).  He also maintained a 
strong research program with much focus on the 
effect of moose browsing on forests and the impact 
of herbicides on moose habitat.  Several related 
publications by him and his students serve as the 
foundation for continued research today.  During his 
latter tenure he concentrated on woodland caribou 
studies in the Lake Nipigon area of Northwestern 
Ontario.  Several of his students completed MS 
degrees in moose and caribou habitat-related 
research.

Harold was instrumental in developing Alces 
into a respected, peer-reviewed international sci-



 -  ALCES VOL. 34 (1), (1998)

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entific journal by serving as the first Chief Editor 
of the annual Proceedings of the North American 
Moose Conference and Workshop 1978-82.  He 
formed the first editorial committee to help ar-
range the timely publication and distribution of 
the annual Proceedings and the successor journal 
Alces by Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, 
Ontario.  Previously, each hosting jurisdiction 
was responsible for editing and publishing the 
annual issue and most took several years to fund 
and complete this task. Thus, through Harold’s 
leadership, hosting jurisdictions were no longer 
expected to produce the annual proceedings as 
production costs, page charges, and distribution 
arrangements were established at Lakehead Uni-
versity and Alces became financially independent.  

In an arrangement that continues to this day, Harold 
had the Lakehead University Bookstore print and 
distribute Alces through a special fiscal account.  
Further, he wisely distributed sets of previous is-
sues to three abstracting services to help advertise 
the availability of Alces publications beyond the 
North American Moose Working Group.

Harold’s efforts were instrumental at a pivotal 
time in establishing the long-term commitment at 
Lakehead University to advance Alces, A Journal 
Devoted to the Biology and Management of 
Moose.  His professional colleagues and students, 
and the current editorial board at Alces recognize 
the outstanding contributions of Harold Cumming 
to the moose world and are deeply saddened by 
his passing.