SECTION III 

 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT IN NATIONAL FORESTS' 



Encouraging Game Management 

 On Public Land in Other Use 



Wildlife in National Forests: The production and 

 management of wildlife is an important objective in 

 the coordinated management of the national forests 

 to produce the liighest economic, scientific, aesthetic, 

 and recreational values. Management contemplates 

 the production of the largest wildlife population con- 

 sistent with: (1) Use and needs of other resources, 

 and (2) permanent food supply of animals, birds, and 

 fish. 



Wildhfe includes all species of game animals (large 

 and small), game birds, fur-bearers (both predatory 

 and herbivorous), nongame birds, and fish. Of all 

 wildhfe, big game animals — deer, elk, bear, mountain 

 sheep, and others — are by far the most spectacular. 

 On some national forests, however, small game animals 

 and birds — squirrel, rabbit, grouse, and turkey- — are 

 at present far more abundant, and consequently of 

 greater importance than big game. 



Although the national forests are the habitat of 

 comparatively large proportions of the total numbers 

 of many of the important wildlife species- — particu- 

 larly in the Western States^ — distribution of wildhfe 

 on the forests is by no means uniform. Some areas 

 are overstocked, others could support larger popula- 

 tions. Each locality presents its own peculiar prob- 

 lems of correlation of uses and interrelation of wildhfe 

 species. 



Scientific Management of Game on Federal and State 

 Refuges: Despite inadequate basic knowledge, lack of 

 sufficient trained personnel, and a question as to the 

 legal control over wildhfe, the Forest Service aided 

 by the Biological Survey has made a start in scientific 

 management. On Federal game refuges, notablj" the 

 Kaibab in Arizona and the Pisgali in North Carolina, 

 the regulation of game populations within reasonable 

 bounds, by means of controlled hunting, is being 

 practiced. The 283 State game refuges, comprising 

 21,000,000 acres on national forests, provide sanctuary 

 and breeding grounds. Forest officers cooperate with 

 the States in the enforcement of game laws. Fire 

 protection alone is of extreme value in the develop- 

 ment and maintenance of adecjuate wildlife popula- 

 tions. Stream surveys in cooperation with the Bureau 

 of Fisheries and the improvements of habitat in 



' Contributed by C. E. Rachrord and L S. Qroas o( the Forest Service, Depart- 

 iiiCDt of Agriculture. 



accordance with prescribed plans are also underway. 

 Wliile wildhfe ranges have long been studied by local 

 forest officers and preliminary management plans 

 developed, this work is being carried further in co- 

 operation with the Biological Survey, whose trained 

 personnel brings to it the expert advice so badly 

 needed. 



Essentials of Management Program: Two tlungs 

 need to be done: (1) Bring abovit adequate stocking 

 of all land and water areas on national forests with 

 suitable species; and (2) initiate satisfactory man- 

 agement. 



A number of obstacles must be overcome in the 

 consummation of this program. Of greatest present 

 concern is the inadequacy of the game laws of most 

 States. Existing game laws, almost without excep- 

 tion, have been directed toward preservation rather 

 than sustained production of wildlife. Results vary 

 with character of the laws and their enforcement. 

 Biological relationships are not changed by legal enact- 

 ments and frequently operate to nullifj' them. Mod- 

 ern hunting, fishing, and trapping laws, based upon 

 control of numbers of game lulled by locahties, are 

 essential to rational management on a sustained 

 production basis. 



Western national forests at present include only 

 about 40 percent of the winter range needed to support 

 big-game populations large enough to utihze available 

 summer range. Despite all possible adjustments of 

 range use between wildlife and domestic livestock, 

 this shortage of winter game range constitutes a serious 

 limitation to increased wildlife populations. 



Control of disease and predators constitute fields 

 wherein increasing activity is needed in research into 

 basic principles and practical methods of application. 



Law enforcement is, and probably always will be, an 

 important part of wildlife management. Close coop- 

 eration with State game officials, encouragement to the 

 States to paj^ greater attention to this phase, and, 

 where necessary, increase in Federal enforcement 

 personnel are indicated. 



Cooperation of Forest Service and States. — In order to 

 redeem its responsibilitj- in wildhfe management, the 

 Forest Service will continue to extend full cooperation 

 to all States willing to join in constructive efforts for 

 sound development and use of tlus resource. In any 

 case where it is not practicable to proceed on this 

 basis, the Forest Service should assume full authority 

 and responsibihty for wildhfe management in the 



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