FOREST SERVICE. 527 



The migration of elk during the winter season into the national 

 forests surrounding the Yellowstone National l*ark, when tlie snow 

 in the park compels them to seek food elsewhere, creates conditions 

 that call for action. Three parties are concerned with the problem: 

 (1) The State, represented by the State game warden; (2) the park 

 authorities, who control the major portion of the ranges used by the 

 elk during the summer season; and (3) the Forest Service, which 

 controls a large part of the range used by the elk during all seasons. 

 A census of the elk in the entire Yellowstone region was taken during 

 the past summer. With this as a basis it is hoped to secure coopera- 

 tion of the three authorities concerned in order that a definite policy 

 for the future handling of this rather interesting problem may be 

 formulated. 



Fish secured from the Bureau of Fisheries have been used to stock 

 streams within a number of the national forests, and this phase of 

 game preservation receives increasing attention. 



WATEB DE\TELOPMENT AND DRIFT-FENCE CONSTRUCTION. 



Full utilization of the range resource requires that much should be 

 done to make water available for stock and to control their move- 

 ments by the construction of fences. Both classes of work constitute 

 permanent improvements of the forests, and are reported on under 

 that head; but occasion may appropriately be taken at this point to 

 present, as a part of the general grazing policy, certain considerations 

 which apply to these classes of improvements. For details, reference 

 is made to page 530. 



Since grazing on the national forests will evidently be permanent, 

 improvements to increase their usefulness for this purpose should 

 be made with this fact in mind. The Government owns thousands 

 of springs, seeps, and watering places which are used by the stock 

 grazed on the forests, and its water supplies should be systematically 

 and methodically developed until every forest watering place needed 

 is in good shape. Money spent in such improvements will be amply 

 repaid in the form of increased range use. 



On many forests permanent drift fences would greatly increase the 

 carrying capacity of the range. Such fences would often quickly 

 pay for themselves through increased receipts. They are so desir- 

 able that stockmen are in many instances ready to build them at 

 their own expense. This, however, experience has proved to be not 

 altogether a satisfactory plan, for the reason that if administrative 

 needs call later for a change or removal of the fence or other im- 

 provement, or for any dimunition of use of the range by the stock- 

 man who built it, friction and discontent follow. A definite amount 

 should be assigned each forest each year for these improvements. 



SPECIAL USES OF LAND. 

 USE FOR WATER-POWER PURPOSES. 



The water powers found witliin the national forests will uKimalely 

 be of great value to the country. It is estimated that there is 

 approximately 12.000,000 horsepower which can be developed from 

 natural stream flow. This amount can be greatly increased through 



