INSTRUCTION IX RANGE MANAGEMENT 539 



enumerating the species of such characteristics and the class of stock 

 exempt from poisoning, should also be brought out. 



The consideration of the predatory animal pest should include an 

 estimate of the annual live-stock losses from this source, the animals 

 of prey chiefly responsible for the losses, and the season when animals 

 of prey are most active. The subject of preventive measures should 

 include methods of handling the stock, with a view to minimizing the 

 losses to the greatest extent possible, and the most approved methods 

 of controlling the predatory animal pest. Accordingly, the course will 

 require consideration of the habits and life history of the chief preda- 

 tory animals. 



4. \Mnter live-stock husbandry, while not strikingly different from 

 that at other seasons, often requires special foresight regarding the 

 types of forage to be grazed or reserved for future use. The short- 

 grass type, for instance, may be most fully utilized when there is little 

 or no snow on the ground ; and while sheep probably do best at all 

 times on an admixture of herb and browse plants, such a combination 

 of feed is not always available. Hence, where the normal snowfall is 

 heavy, it is important that some of the choicer browse range be re- 

 served for use when the shorter feed is hidden by snow. Likewise the 

 value of reserving feed in suitable places for protecting the animals 

 against stormy periods should be shown. Therefore, the student should 

 be made familiar with the more common forage types on the winter 

 range in the different regions and the season of their greatest usefulness. 



V. Range Reconnaissance and Grazing Working Plans 



I. Object, data to be obtained, collection of data, and compilations. 

 2. Analysis of data, leading to the formulation of a definite 

 working plan. (Four credit units.) 



I. Since the object of range reconnaissance is to secure all funda- 

 mental data necessary for the judicious management of the range, 

 reconnaissance affords an exceptional opportunity for the student to 

 become familiar with the general field of range management. The 

 value of reconnaissance — the taking of an inventory of its forage assets 

 and liabilities — and the application of the data to the management of 

 the lands as a whole should be accentuated. 



While a thoroughgoing course in grazing reconnaissance presup- 

 poses considerable field study in map-making, typing, estimating carry- 

 ing capacity, etc., there are certain fundamentals that should be dis- 

 cussed in the class-room preliminary to the field-work. The data to be 

 obtained, the necessity of a reliable topographic map, the importance of 



