Dr. Ted D. McKinney PhD.

I am at a loss for words and am profoundly saddened to learn, just today, that Ted has passed. I have known Ted for nearly 40 years, and though for many years our paths diverged I take solace today that we had the opportunity to reconnect in recent years. Time had changed Ted - he was more mellow than in his hard-charging more youthful years. More tolerant. He had become ever so much more focused on his true love, wildlife management, and dismissive of most everything else, save family...

I can't be thankful enough for my time shared with Ted. He showed me a way to meld my outdoor experiences with my teachings in school to form a basis of a language he was so fluent in. He backed my play over the last nine years as partners do. We succeeded together and we failed together, and were better for it. He offered advice freely about everything in his universe.

Ted was a man of simplicity, an ore of choice developed from the alloys of experience and wisdom. Tested...

I just found out about Teds passing. Although I didn't work directly with Ted in the Research Branch, we had several converstions from wildlife to life in general. He was a brillant man and I'm going to miss the ol' cowboy!

A cowboy's prayer......

I've been a long time coming, Lord,
But now, I'm riding in.
I see those gates just shining,
Where no pain is felt within.

I heard the angels singing, Lord,
When they came to escort me.
They let me ride my favorite horse
On in to eternity.

I'm thankful for my days on earth,
And my friends & family there below.
They knew quite well my time had come,
But they grieved to see me go.

I ask that you give them...

Ted was one of those unique individuals that you meet and within 5 minutes you know he's the kind of person you want to be around. He had a charismatic personality and was extremely knowledgeable about a myriad of subjects…..but he never forced his knowledge on you…..he had a quiet, meaningful way about him in that aspect. It wasn’t until you worked with him, or you conversed with him on a topic that he lit up and you realized just how intelligent he was. He was the kind of scientist and...

I met Ted through the cougar working group over the last couple years. I was quite impressed with this old codger who had incredible insight and knowledge of cougars, who was articulate, and who was fully engaged as a partner on the working group. I spent some time talking with Ted one- on- one and realized how much this work was part of him and how excited he was to be back in it. He was the first author to finish his chapter for the WAFWA guidelines book and I was amazed at his...

Ted was a consummate professional, truly dedicated to his work and at home both behind a desk submitting publications as he was in the field, though I suspect that like any good self-respecting wildlife biologist, he preferred his time out in the vast reaches of our beautiful state and places beyond. Ted will be remembered for both his incredible dedication and generosity of spirit. He was driven to do the work that he did by an internal fire that burned so bright that it would awaken him...

Ted, got a call from Mark Zornes. He said he was burning some sage on Bannock medicine wheel up in Wyoming, and hoped there would be some cats to chase in the hereafter. It is quite a feat to be respected by such a wide range of biologists, ecologists, ranchers, and people who care about wild places and wild critters. You did it. You did it because you respected others and listened to what they had to say. That is what made you a great scientist and teacher. Thanks for how you spent...

Ted was an extraordinary human being and one of the VERY best scientists I have ever met. The wildlife profession is better because of his work and I am a better person for knowing him. I am eternally grateful.