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Rating: 
Summary: A must for any animal or hunting enthusiast!
Review: As an avid hunter and traveler, I found this book to be the empitome of nature books for North America. No other book that I have read goes in as much detail as to the behavior of so many different species of mammals. It has helped me to track and handle confrontations that I have encountered in the woods and I would highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. Kays and Wilson have truly done a great justice in educating enthusiasts everywhere with Mammals of North America.
Rating:
Summary: The "Go-To" Mammal Guide !!
Review: I am thrilled to say that I have finally found what will be my "go-to" guide for mammal identification. This book does a fantastic job identifying all 442 mammal species of North America. Some of the more helpful features: a quick guide to point you to the right section of the book, fantastic artwork (not distracting photos) to reference, information on identifying the tracks of some of the larger species, and of course, most helpful to an amateur like me, there are plenty of pictures of scat!! And yet I am pleased to report that this beautiful reference does it all in a classic field guide size! For any interested amateur naturalist, hiker, hunter, etc - it will become the obvious choice to pack up and take along.
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointment
Review: I'd looked forward to this book for a long time, but now that it's here, I'm not so sure I'm going to get rid of my Burt and Grossenheider. My current favorites among the Rodentia--packrats and grasshopper mice--are painted so badly here as to be unrecognizable, as biologically accurate as Du"rer's rhinoceros but without anything like the artistic interest. What's really disappointing, though, is that with this book available, I can't imagine another mammal guide appearing for years to come.
Rating: 
Summary: Title and description are misleading and inaccurate
Review: The last time I checked, North America includes Mexico. The book does not, as advertised, show illustrations of all species of North American mammals; species found only south of the Rio Grande are not included. Just once I would like to see a guide to North Ameican mammals that really covers all of North America.
Rating: 
Summary: A continents answer to mammal identification
Review: The long awaited new field guid is out and I was able to get a copy. The first up to date treatment of all 442 North American mammals lies in front of me. I'm involved in mustelid research for the last ten years and when the pre-announcement came out, saying that all relevant subspecies, geographical and sexual variation to be included it was a must for me to get a copy.
I think in a coloured field guide the painted plates are the most important and hence most discussable part of such a book. My mood after carefully checking the guide is a little bit neutral as I don't know if it is well done or a catastrophy due to unbelivable bad "art" included in parts. Two illustrators made a fantastic job. Both have their own differnt stile and I can't decide if one is the better. Todd Zalewski painted the Opossum, Armadillo, Porcupine, Sewellel, Muskrat, Beaver, Marmots and all the squirrel relatives except the Chipmunks as well as the vole-lemming relatives in a briliant, colourfull and sharp art. The impression of the faces of especially the rodents results in indepth studies of these mammals. Great in a word ! Elizabeth McClelland was responsible for Gophers, Pocket Mice, Kangaroo Rats and the Ungulates. Her paintings are less colourfull and less sharp in contrasts but are brilliant due to her exact way of leading the brush when creating fur structure. When looking into the painted eyes you could think her candidates will jump out of the plates emediately. Brilliant ! Her talent is especially shown by some painting of gophers which were painted from a slight forewart angle.
What is strongly influencing the complete result are plates which show the complete opposite. If you are interested in Hares and Rabbits, Pikas, Jumping Mice, Woodrats, Rats and Grasshopper Mice don't buy this book ! A person called Ron Klingner made them. If you remember the film "Braindead" and the Devilmonkey you have an impression of what I'm talking about. One hardly can imagin if this guy ever had something to do with art or natural painting. Sorry, but words are missing. If shrews and moles are your favourit mammals you also should rethink your amazon order. Nancy Halliday sent her candidates either in a body building studio or fed those tiny animals untill fatt roles are visible through the fur. To me proportions also seem to be questionably. However, her chipmunks are better done.
But back to one of the promisses mentioned above and my particular interest im mustelids. It is a shame that for species with a lot of fur variation like the Long-tailed weasel or the Marten there is not much to get from the new guide. Although Martes americana varies from nearly blackish to light yellowish specimens there is only a tiny 4x3 cm drawing of one specimen in one corner of the relevant plate. Not to mention the more than two dozen subspecies of Mustela frenata to be found in North America. In general the carnivore plates are dissappointing although they are better than the Klingner caricatures. I would have wished that "Fisher-Powel" had discussed the artistric interpretation of the carnivores with his wife. In fact it seemed that he did so only concerning his favoured species which is quite well done.
To come to an end: Two artists have made a spectacular good job but I really asked myselfe who is to be made responsible for the inclusion of these desastrous plates by Mr. Ron Klingner who should get back to his work in painting undercups, vases or animal comics. Kay Fuhrmann
Rating:
Summary: A disappointment
Review: The new guide book by Kays and Wilson is a great resource for identifying the mammals of North America. The old Peterson mammal guide book is badly out of date, both with respect to range and taxonomy. For example, it lists Grizzly Bear and Wolverine as residing in Colorado, when neither species has been sighted in the state in nearly 30 years. The new Kays and Wilson book also places the range map on the same page as the species description, which is MUCH more useful than placing all of the maps collectively in the back of the book (as is done with Peterson). The illustrations are sharp and the descriptions concise; everything that you would want in a field guide. The book also includes supplemental sections on tracks, scat and surface profiles for marine mammals (all of which are missing from the old Peterson mammal book).
Rating:
Summary: Accurate, up-to-date, easy to use guide
Review: The new guide book by Kays and Wilson is a great resource for identifying the mammals of North America. The old Peterson mammal guide book is badly out of date, both with respect to range and taxonomy. For example, it lists Grizzly Bear and Wolverine as residing in Colorado, when neither species has been sighted in the state in nearly 30 years. The new Kays and Wilson book also places the range map on the same page as the species description, which is MUCH more useful than placing all of the maps collectively in the back of the book (as is done with Peterson). The illustrations are sharp and the descriptions concise; everything that you would want in a field guide. The book also includes supplemental sections on tracks, scat and surface profiles for marine mammals (all of which are missing from the old Peterson mammal book).
Rating:
Summary: Peterson Field Guide is stil the standard
Review: This book is a great reference and field guide with beautiful picture and very detailed information. This book is so well written that everyone from scientists to inquisitive children will enjoy and learn from this book. It would make a great gift for any nature loving person. The great pictures and animals descriptions will keep everyone happy. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in nature.
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