Wildlife in the United States 



States, the game, notablj' the deer that played an 

 important part in pioneer development, disappeared 

 or were greatly reduced in numbers as they were 

 hunted and killed without stint. With the decline of 

 the deer, the larger predatorj- animals that prej-ed upon 

 them — mountain lions and wolves — became extinct 

 nearl}' throughout the East. 



Much of the forested land, however, was too moun- 

 tainous or rocky for agricultural purposes. The large, 

 mature timber was gradually cut for use in construc- 

 tion of manj' kinds. The logging operations, taking 

 about all the merchantable timber, were extended 

 successiveh' from area to area nearly throughout the 

 forested regions of the East, continuing over a long 

 period down to the present. In the original forest, the 

 older trees, largely hemlock, white pine, and mature 

 hardwoods, heavily shaded the ground. The result of 

 the shading was a thin stand of small trees, berry- 

 producing shrubs and other vegetation, and a limited 

 supply of tender browse for deer and fruit for bears and 

 other wildlife. The removal of the forest canopj" 

 through lumbering operations, however, brought a 

 great change. The dense new growth springing up 

 afforded far more food and cover for game. The larger 

 predatory animals were eliminated as has been men- 

 tioned. In marginal or submarginal territorj^, such as 

 in many sections of the Ozark Mountain section of 

 southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, and the 

 Appalachian Mountain region in half a dozen States, 

 now virtually barren of game, the forest setting has 

 thus been prepared for the restoration of deer, bears, 

 rabbits, grouse, and wild turkeys on a scale far exceed- 

 ing the game populations of the same areas before the 

 coming of the white man. If such areas were restocked 

 and properly administered, the annual game and fish 

 crop that could be taken would go far to reheve the 

 general poverty so prevalent there at the present time. 

 The phenomenal success of forest-game restoration in 

 cut-over areas in Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, 

 and other States where large predatory animals are 

 now absent or scarce is indicative of what could be 

 done in similar sections in many other States. 



Conditions in the West differ materially from those 

 in the East, as the western forests have been cut over 

 only in part, domestic stock grazing is a more important 

 factor to be reckoned with, and large predator}^ animals, 

 especially coyotes, are still numerous. The remarkable 

 increases in game, especially deer and antelope, coinci- 

 dent with predatory animal control undertaken pri- 

 marih- to protect domestic animals, have already- been 

 mentioned. In spite of these differences it is evident 

 that the general principles bearing upon the relation of 

 game to the use of forested lands in the West are the 

 same as in the East. 



Wildlife Refuge Needs: The importance of establish- 

 ing more refuges, Federal, State, numicipal, and private, 

 as a part of a comprehensive program of wildlife man- 



agement, is becoming more generally recognized; but 

 these must be suitably located and properly adminis- 

 tered to achieve their highest usefulness. 



Wildlife refuges of one kind or another are under the 

 jurisdiction of several departments of the Federal Gov- 

 ernment, their varied situations being largely due to 

 expediency, as the control of wildlife tends to run con- 

 currentl.y with that of the land (or water) it inhabits. 

 The national parks under the Interior Department and 

 refuges on the national forests under the Forest Service, 

 Department of Agriculture, have alread}' been men- 

 tioned. Over 100 refuges, mainly for birds, but includ- 

 ing a few big game ranges, under the Bureau of Bio- 

 logical Survey, Department of Agriculture, are far flung 

 in general distribution — from Puerto Rico and the 

 coastal islands of the United States, to the Aleutian 

 Archipelago in Alaska and islands of the Hawaiian 

 group. These Federal refuges are administered with 

 special emphasis on the interests of all the wildlife 

 found on them. The protection of marine mammals, 

 notably the northern fur seal, which breeds on the 

 Pribilof Islands, and the sea otter, is intrusted to the 

 Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Commerce. 



Specialized Refuge Needs for Upland Game: The ideal 

 upland game refuge is a protected area that will favor 

 the rapid increase of game within its borders and from 

 which the surplus may readily spread to suitable sur- 

 rounding territory that may be open to hunting. It 

 need not necessarily be very large, but alone or in con- 

 junction with neighboring refuge units should provide 

 j^ear-long range, ample forage, water, and cover for 

 resident game. This is the type of refuge that has 

 succeeded so admirably in building up the game supply 

 in the State forests of Pennsylvania and other Eastern 

 States, and on Federal and State refuges on the national 

 forests, mainly in the West. ^Mierever game thrives, 

 a surplus representing a game crop may reasonably be 

 expected. It can be removed by hunters, consumed 

 by predatory animals, or allowed to die of starvation or 

 disease. Game management, therefore, calls not only 

 for adequate protection but the prompt and well- 

 planned disposal of all surplus. The national parks 

 serve as great game reservations in which no shooting 

 by sportsmen is allowed. 



Game Refuge Needs on Foreats: Additional refuges of 

 suitable size and distribution should be created for 

 forest game in the forested areas, but are even more 

 urgently needed for restoring mountain sheep, antelope, 

 mule deer, peccaries, sage hens, and other denizens of 

 the more arid parts of the public domain. The un- 

 wieldj' surplus of deer, antelope, and elk that has 

 already resulted from overprotection in certain places 

 should not be taken to mean that the protective prin- 

 ciple is wrong, or that additional refuges are not de- 

 sirable, but should be considered as examples of game 

 mismanagement. 



