HAMPSTEAD - Hampstead native Ben Simpson is a self-described "outdoor guy," probably an understatement considering the wildlife career he is building that, so far, has included tracking migration patterns of birds and bats, collecting bear DNA samples, and researching metabolic rates of white-tailed deer.

The 25-year-old graduate of Pinkerton Academy and the University of New Hampshire said his interest in wildlife was influenced by his father, Don, who took him and his younger brother, Adam, fishing, hunting, and camping in northern New Hampshire. Also of influence was his mother, Colleen, who took them to the Stone Zoo every summer where Simpson says he "liked it all, especially the snakes."

Simpson’s family always had a dog and at least one cat. He also had a lizard, mice and a rat. He also watched a lot of the Discovery Channe* documentaries, factual stuff that is boring to most people," he joked.

Simpson started as a zoology major at UNH, but earned his bachelor’s degree in wildlife management. He said UNH prepared him well for his chosen career, mentioning four-hour wildlife labs, practical projects that directly applied what he was learning, and teachers’ help.

"The professors are amazing. Their contracts are largely research-based. They are published and known around the country," Simpson said.

Simpson said he owes a lot to his adviser Peter Pekins, Ph.D, who taught courses in wildlife ecology and wildlife policy and management as well as a seminar on endangered species. He also credits Kim Babbitt and John Litvaitis, both Ph.Ds, who taught core courses.

While still a student, Simpson worked with UNH and N.H. Fish and Game biologists on a bear genetics project that studied the state’s black bear population using traditional observation and DNA research. The project was featured in a "Wildlife Journal" episode that aired this month on New Hampshire public television.

For the past several months, Ben Simpson has been studying migration patterns of birds, bats, and "whatever shows up," even insects, using specialized radar at night. Ben Simpon courtesy photo

Simpson was also involved with a UNH project in the White Mountains that utilized telemetry to track moose and, for two summers, Simpson was a wildlife caretaker at a facility, operated by UNH and N.H. Fish and Game, that raises white-tailed deer for noninvasive research on metabolic rate and its connection to winter survival.

This summer, Simpson was one of 188 biological technicians for a bear DNA project with the U.S. Forest Service, "one of the largest carnivore projects ever." The study area included 8 million acres in Montana, the size of Maryland and Delaware combined. Based out of Whitefish - "grizzly country" - techs hiked seven to 18 miles into the woods to GPS-designated spots. They set up data collection traps by placing rings of barbed wire around circles of trees, piling logs, and pouring "a rancid scent of things like cow blood and fish," which Simpson admits made him gag. Two weeks later, they collected hair off the barbs and moved the "traps" to other sites in the general area.

For the past several months, Simpson has been a research technician in northern New England for an environmental consulting firm, studying "avian migration patterns" utilizing specialized radar at night to track birds, bats, and "whatever shows up," even insects.

He said the work "basically involved sitting in a shed in the woods from sunset to sunrise by myself for two months," with a small propane space heater, a generator, a computer and a radio. He passed the time playing computer solitaire, talking to a co-worker by radio, and listening to National Public Radio and country music. He is now in the process of analyzing the collected data.

When his current project ends in January, he plans to visit a friend in the Peace Corps in Jamaica and then return to St. John, Virgin Islands, where he will again volunteer with the Virgin Islands Ecological Research Station (VIERS) and "snorkel with the turtles."

"Then I’ll come back and find another job," Simpson said, acknowledging that, "you don’t make a lot of money doing what I do."

Simpson, who considers himself more of a naturalist than environmentalist or conservationist, is considering pursuing a master’s degree in wildlife management.

When asked if he would recommend his field to young people, he said enthusiastically, "Yes, you get to be outside all day!"