FOREST RECREATION THE MIGHTY ROCKY 



MOUNTAIN TROUT 



BY S. E. DOERING 



At the end of the season it is right that stock should be taken of resources which go to make up any activity. In the field of recreation 

 the most active time of outdoor play is in the summer and fall. Especially in the fall of the year the fact is brought home to people closely 

 in touch with recreation out of doors that we are fast losing some of the recreation values found in the wild life of the forests. Open seasons 

 are depleting ranges that are now under-stocked with game and a terrific demand for fishing is reducing the fish population in certain streams 

 to a point where years will be needed to bring back the former conditions. It is proper then that this number of "American Forestry" have 

 in the Department of Forest Recreation a discussion of these problems when they are still fresh in the minds of all recreation users of forest lands. 

 Game and fish play a very important part in all recreational use of our forest lands and the Nation today is facing a big problem in 

 preservation and propagation so wild life of forest areas may continue to be one of the attractions which lure people to the woods, 

 lakes, peaks and canons. Arthur H. Carhart, Editor, Recreation Department. 



??T ESS go campin'." 



"Pa" spoke the magic words which set Billie's 

 heart a-flutter and brought a glad smile to the 

 wan, tired features of Mother. Pa needed a new suit 

 everybody knew that but he "guessed the money would 

 go for gas and a new tire" for that ever dependable 

 family'servant "Tin Lizzie." 



That night, well toward 

 wee hours, the kitchen table 

 was cluttered with poles, 

 "flies," and much tangled 

 line while Pa and Billie, be- 

 tween tasks, waxed enthusi- 

 astic and caught bigger and 

 bigger ones, bringing to 

 silent mother a waft of air 

 from cool, cloudless, azure 

 skies ; projecting on the 

 screen of her memory a 

 delicate picture of flowers 

 growing amidst rocks where 

 haughty pines stood constant 

 guard ; of rippling waters 

 and golden sunshine ; songs 

 of twittering birds, and 

 timid, wondering wood- 

 dwellers. Best of all there 

 was Peace a harbor of rest 

 far removed from the turbu- 

 lent sea of humanity. 



Where away? That was 

 a mighty question, one 

 which they debated far into 

 the night for, "whoever, any- 

 way, ever heard tell of go- 

 ing camping where there was 

 no fishing?" 



It was a problem because, 

 today, there are so many places depleted of stream and 

 forest life that it is difficult indeed to find the "heart's 

 mecca." 



Fifteen years ago the streams and lakes of the Rocky 

 Mountains abounded with leaping, black-spotted trout. 

 While in their native state they are not overly prolific, 

 there were many, very many, in those days. Today, the 



FIFTKKN YEARS AGO THE STREAMS AND LAKES OF THE 

 ROCKY MOUNTAINS ABOUNDED WITH LEAPING, BLACK- 

 SPOTTED TROUT, BUT WHILE THIS STREAM IS CAPABLE OF 

 SUPPORTING MANY FISH, IT IS BARREN NOW 



fisherman faces a far different problem a serious one. 

 The streams and lakes are being depleted at a rate that 

 not only astounds the native mountaineer, but places 

 him in a situation which may be met only by herculean 

 efforts on his part if the former status of nature is to 

 be maintained. It is up to him to solve this problem: 



The stocking of all lakes 

 and streams with young fish 

 in such manner as will in- 

 sure a constant supply with- 

 out exceeding the capacity 

 of the waters. In this, he 

 will meet the enormous de- 

 mand of our continental 

 public that the "Tin Lizzie" 

 (with due respect to all oth- 

 er utility claimants) has 

 placed within reach of the 

 mountains. This scope, you 

 will doubtless agree, includes 

 all of the United States. 



Fifteen, short years have 

 brought changes here that 

 are staggering in their mag- 

 nitude. The Federal Govern- 

 ment, the Forest Service and 

 co-operative citizenry have 

 built thousands upon thou- 

 sands of miles of auto road 

 into the farthest reaches of 

 forest and mountain. Then, 

 there was only the bounding 

 deer and crag-loving Big 

 Horn in a wilderness of soli- 

 tude. Now, there is a con- 

 stant stream of travel in 

 luxurious autos ; people a- 

 foot ; people on horse. Every- 

 where it is people, people. Where there was nothing 

 before but solid rock walls and impenetrable forests, 

 the Forest Service has built hundreds of miles of beau- 

 tifully engineered trails that the most timid may travel 

 in safety. Today, fishermen are tangling lines and quib- 

 bling over a small trout in waters that, ten years ago, 

 seldom felt the twirl of a line. There are tent-pins, 



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