180 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Some of these were created without 

 suffiicent consideration of all the interests 

 and practical conditions involved. Ex- 

 perience makes abmidantly clear that 

 to be effective and beneficial a careful 

 study must be made of the local situa- 

 tion and needs. State laws have 

 generally been passed on the initiative 

 of those who are interested in sport 

 either for sport's sake or on business 

 grounds. The enactment of such laws 

 is often opjDosed by livestock interests 

 because the prohibition of grazing in 

 order to provide feed for the game is 

 often a logical accompaniment of the 

 preserve. One or two of the State 

 preserves are of little or no practical 

 effect. It is foolish to pass laws against 

 hunting if they are not to be enforced; 

 and the enforcement of game laws is 

 exceedingly difficult if it is attempted 

 in the face of strongly adverse local 

 sentiment. In some of the preserves an 

 attempt is probably being made to 

 provide for game where adequate winter 



feed is not available. In still others the 

 desirability of making room for the 

 game by displacing the necessary 

 amount of livestock is at least open to 

 question. In short, the most appro- 

 priate location for preserves is not 

 always chosen by State legislatures. 

 In any case it is plain that the best 

 results are not likely to follow a method 

 by which the partisans of one side 

 bring pressure to bear on a legislature to 

 get what they want and those whose 

 interests would be interfered with try 

 to bring pressure to bear on the other 

 side in an effort to head the law off. A 

 method is needed which will permit 

 action to be based on a careful, impartial 

 study of the situation that will bring 

 to light all the essential facts. 



Just as Maine benefits largely by 

 the expenditures of those who seek its 

 wilds to fish, hunt, and enjoy the woods, 

 so the Rocky Mountain and far Western 

 States will increasingly realize returns 

 from the power of the National Forests 



Pelts at .\ Ranger's C.\mp. 



ALL OF THESE ARE FROM ANIMALS SHOT IN THE WHITE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST, COLORADO. THE WOLF IN THE 

 FOREGROUND WAS SHOT ONLY A FEW HOURS BEFORE THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN. 



