AMERICAN FOREST CONGRESS 213 



If the number of stock to be driven to the mountains 

 for pasture exceeds the number there is sufficient 

 pasture for, there is often some particular section of 

 the range which one man desires to secure ahead of 

 his competitors, and in the struggle to get there first 

 the stock are driven along as fast as possible and 

 destroys as much feed by tramping as they consume 

 in feeding. In some sections this competition for 

 range continues during the entire season, and, of 

 course, results in great destruction of forage as well 

 as damage to the forest and water supply. 



Immediately upon a range coming under forest 

 reserve control, the damage from this cause is checked 

 and a better use of the forage results. Under this 

 system of management the dates upon which stock 

 will be allowed to enter and on which the season will 

 close are designated, and the ranges are divided in 

 the manner which appears most practicable, so that 

 each stockman who is granted a permit, knows just 

 what portion of the range he will be allowed to use, 

 and when he can drive his stock in. Furthermore, 

 he knows that on arriving there he will not find the 

 range already occupied by someone else, consequently, 

 there is no need for any haste in driving, and the 

 stock are grazed along in a way that causes little 

 damage. 



It has been found in some cases that ranges which 

 apparently were greatly overstocked have shown a 

 marked improvement in condition by the application 

 of the grazing regulations without any reduction in 

 the number of stock, other than the exclusion of tran- 

 sient herds, showing clearly that the damage was due 

 largely to the manner in which the stock has been 

 handled. 



In the competition for free range, controversies have 



