HERDS AND HUMANS 157 



crease beyond the capacity of available ranges, and to starve to death in 

 alarming numbers. The deer herd of the Kaibab Plateau in Arizona, the 

 Northern Yellowstone elk herd, and the South Fork herd in the Flathead 

 National Forest in Montana are notable examples of uncontrolled increase 

 in herds which, even after exclusion of livestock from large areas, resulted 

 in destruction of the forage resource and decimation of the animals by 

 starvation. 



The other side of the picture is more encouraging. Because the feeding 

 habits of the different animals are often such that vegetation left untouched 

 by one is eaten by another, there is almost always room for a rather large 

 population of big-game animals on most properly stocked livestock ranges. 

 Moreover, more than half of the national-forest area is not used by domestic 

 stock, and these lands provide much feed for wildlife. Included within this 

 total are some 3,000,000 acres of national-forest lands which might be used 

 by domestic stock but which have been closed to such use. These special 

 areas include the more important of the few winter ranges on western 

 national forests, and some summer ranges that are especially needed by 

 wildlife. 



On the whole, competition between domestic stock and big game for 

 forage on the national forests is not great. Where such competition does 

 occur there is only one sensible solution, and that lies in joint action by the 

 responsible agencies. The Forest Service is responsible for administration 

 and protection of the land and its resources, while the State game commis- 

 sions are actively engaged in the administration of the State game laws. 

 These agencies, acting jointly, and in cooperation with stockmen and 

 sportsmen, should be able to work out sensible adjustments. 



