It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of David Trauger on September 20, 2025. David was a long-time friend, colleague, and mentor to many of us. He was inducted into the WBFC in 1981 and served as President from 1987-1990. The message below was sent to by a family friend and was forwarded on for distribution to the Eastern Ecological Science Center (formerly Patuxent Wildlife Research Center):
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Sorry to inform you of this very sad news. I spoke with David’s wife Alice a few minutes ago, and she informs me that David Trauger passed away yesterday, September 20th. He was in an Assisted Living facility in the Park Rapids, MN area, where he had been in residence for a few months.
David was a long-time friend, colleague, and mentor to many of us. He will be remembered as an early, and dedicated advocate for wildlife ecology, in particular waterfowl, and for environmental stewardship. I remember his tremendous enthusiasm in the early days of the Canvasback Projects at Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. As a researcher in the field, he was difficult to keep up with, and as a scientist, he had an enormous curiosity to satisfy the science and applications of it all. During his tenure, he confronted, and chose to tackle some of the most difficult, and pressing issues of our times. He succeeded in his endeavors and made a difference. He touched all of us. He will be missed. May he rest in Peace!