Dayton Ogden Hyde (March 25, 1925 – December 22, 2018) was an American expository author and proponent of nature conservation.
Most of his books take place in rural, agricultural settings where he spent the majority of his life.
For example, he encourages the use of wild coyotes, rather than toxic chemicals, to control mouse populations.
At age 13, he began working on his uncle's ranch in Oregon, then moving on to the Cate School in Carpinteria, California, graduating with the class of 1943.
In 1990, he moved to the Black Hills of South Dakota, where, in addition to writing, he operated an 11,000-acre (4,500 ha) sanctuary for wild horses.