Carrying Capacity of Ranges in 

 Western United States 



R. L. HENSBL,, B. S. P. 

 In Charge, Santa Rita Range Reserve. 



Few persons realize the importance, necessity and far reaching 

 results of proper range management. There was a time on the 

 Western ranges when 2 or 3 acres of grass land would support 

 a cow or horse. At the present time, 20 to 30 acres per head are 

 needed on the same area. Had the stockman of those days ap- 

 plied some of the principles his neighboring farmers were ap- 

 plying, perhaps unknowingly, he would have maintained the pro- 

 ductivity of the range and would have benefited the present 

 generation in lower beef prices. However, let it be said in 

 defense of the cattleman of that day, he was only human. Per- 

 haps anyone seeing the wonderful and abundant forage which 

 covered the West, would have been prompted with the same 

 "get-rich-quick" motives and have exploited the range to its ca- 

 pacity and over and then left the future to care for itself. Years 

 after the ranges were overstocked, state legislatures passed 

 various laws concerning the grazing of stock on public ranges 

 and finally, with the creation of National Forests, many ranges 

 came under the more rational systems now being used by the 

 Forest Service. In a way, it is safe to say that the methods 

 of handling stock are still in their infancy and are still ex- 

 tensive although some of them are called "intensive." 



Carrying capacity may be roughly defined as being the number 

 of stock that a range can carry without any depreciation in 

 amount of forage. Indeed, at the present time it goes farther. 

 The aim not only is not to have any depreciation in amount of 

 forage but to try to increase the amount up to the point where 

 it rightfully belongs. To do this there are several factors which 

 enter into the discussion. They ate : 



Accessibility or nearness to water. 



Topography. 



Length of time range can be grazed. 



Character of vegetation. 



Economic conditions nearby. 



Diseases and natural foes. 



Regardless of how abundant the forage is or how palatable, 

 it has no value unless there is water within reasonable distance. 

 This distance varies in different regions and is affected by the 

 humidity of the air to a very large extent. In Oregon cattle 

 will not travel very readily over about 3 miles to water. In 



