HUNTING ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS 



175 



The Jemez National Forest, New Mexico, 

 showing the kind of country in which game is plentiful and also the rough going which faces the 



HUNTER. 



animals were to be found in abundance; 

 but their killing called for powers of 

 swiftness, strength, or cunning which in- 

 exorably demanded fitness for the hunt 

 as the condition of survival. When the 

 stockman began to use the range the 

 wild game perforce gave place, but 

 left in their stead a relatively defense- 

 less and eventually a more abundant 

 prey. Life became so easy that or- 

 ganized effort was necessary to keep 

 the hunting animals from multiplying 

 beyond all bounds. Where wild game 

 is left the effect of the organized fight 

 on predatory animals has been much 

 in ^ its favor, and sportsmen are the 

 gainers. 



Bears of all kinds kill much less 

 domestic stock and wild game on the 

 National Forests than do the smaller 



animals; in fact, agitation has developed 

 recently in favor of protecting black 

 and cinnamon bears as game, on the 

 ground that they commit no serious 

 depredations. They are very fond of 

 berries and other wild fruits, though if 

 these are scarce they eat almost any- 

 thing, including sheep and calves. 

 Thus, for example, the unusually heavy 

 losses suffered by stockmen last year 

 in certain parts of Oregon and Washing- 

 ton have been ascribed to the shortage 

 of the wild huckleberry crop in those 

 regions. 



Elk, deer, and Rocky Mountain 

 sheep, or bighorn, are increasing on 

 many of the National Forests, thanks 

 to the enforcement of the various State 

 game laws by Federal as well as local 

 officials, and to the establishment of 



