804 A CENTURY OF PROGRESS IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES 



These examples serve to indicate the trends in current wildlife research. 

 From this type of work on basic principles of population dynamics will inevit- 

 ably come a better understanding of the critical or limiting factors that regu- 

 late wild populations. Such knowledge in turn will guide future efforts in 

 management. 



So rapid has been the progress in wildlife studies of the past decade that 

 administrative procedures have been unable to keep pace with the changing 

 ideas. Thus programs of predator control, artificial propagation, and close regu- 

 lation of the kill that evolved over the past half-century are not easily aban- 

 doned immediately upon discovery that there are better ways to expend available 

 funds. Considerable investments in game farms and personnel trained in certain 

 activities must be amortized and converted slowly to new undertakings. Like- 

 wise, public opinion, which strongly influences legislation and administrative 

 proceedings, must be reoriented periodically in line with scientific findings. 



Nevertheless, wildlife research in the past twenty years has had a tremendous 

 influence on management policy, and that influence can be expected to grow 

 in the future. 



"Wildlife and Land Use 



American land is being used more and more intensively to feed a nation 

 that still is growing. Agriculture, grazing, forestry, and watershed protection 

 are all primary uses of the land that in most areas will take precedence over 

 wildlife production. If sport hunting is to be maintained as a form of outdoor 

 recreation available to one and all, it will have to be carefully oriented to other 

 forms of land use. 



Fortunately, game often may be produced in quantity on lands that are 

 primarily dedicated to other uses. Thus, forest lands devoted to growing timber 

 may, with only slight modification of management, also grow deer. Grain and 

 pasture lands can produce a side crop of quail and pheasants. Meadows and 

 sloughs can yield both beef and ducks. The task of wildlife research is to achieve 

 an understanding of game populations and habitat relationships that will per- 

 mit such dual planning of land use. The administrative task is to apply this 

 knowledge. 



There are many practical difficulties to overcome in maintaining an optimum 

 habitat for game on dual-use lands. Private landholders, for example, operate 

 their farms and ranches primarily to produce marketable crops, and as yet there is 

 no financial motive to spend time and money on habitat improvement for game. 

 But many land practices that are of profit to the landowners also promote game 

 crops. Fencing and planting gullies to prevent erosion creates coverts for wild- 

 life as well. Many range practices that improve brushlands for cattle also benefit 

 deer. Building farm ponds to conserve water for livestock and for irrigation 

 creates habitat for ducks and some fur-bearers. Wildlife management is best sold 

 to landowners then "via the back door" — as a secondary benefit of some profitable 

 aspect of good farming. 



This places fish and game administrative bureaus in the position of being 

 promoters of game production on lands not under their control. By subsidies 

 and technical assistance they can induce a certain amount of habitat improve- 

 ment on private lands. But the key man in the future of American wildlife will 



