40 THE SCHOOL BOOK OF FORESTRY 



and have to be fed on hay to keep them from 

 starving, as there is not sufficient winter range 

 in this region to supply food for the thousands 

 of elk. 



Where the elk are protected from hunters 

 they increase rapidly. This means that some of 

 the surplus animals have to be killed, otherwise, 

 the elk would soon be so numerous that they 

 would seriously interfere with the grazing of 

 domestic livestock. In different sections of the 

 elk country, a count is made every few years on 

 the breeding animals in each band. Whenever 

 a surplus accumulates, the state permits hunters 

 to shoot some of the elk. If the breeding herds 

 get too small, no hunting is allowed. In this way, 

 a proper balance is maintained. 



In many states the wild game birds and fur- 

 bearing animals of the forests are protected by 

 closed seasons during which hunting is not per- 

 mitted. It is realized that birds and animals are 

 not only of interest to visitors to the forests, 

 but that they, as well as the trees, are a valuable 

 forest product. 



