202 FOREST OUTINGS 



inaccessible mountain regions of the West or into rougher or swampier or 

 less fertile areas of the East. Always it was a retreat. 



Fully 75 percent of the deer and elk of the West, in early times, was found 

 principally on the plains and foothills. Now they roam high mountain 

 country during part of the year. Bighorn sheep have not always as now 

 made the high mountain fastness their sole abode. The despised coyote 

 likewise was once primarily a plains animal. One of the exceptions is the 

 antelope, which still persists as a plains animal although about one-fourth 

 of the present population has taken to higher land. Thus during more than 

 300 years of American exploration and settlement, many big-game species 

 have gradually been forced from their native range to a somewhat artificial 

 habitat. Their new homes in the public forests, refuges, and parks or simi- 

 lar high country may be entirely satisfactory during the summer season, 

 but they are seriously inadequate when the deep snows of winter cover 

 the browse and other forage upon which the animals must feed. 



In general, big game reached its lowest ebb in the West by the start 

 of the twentieth century, when the greater number of the national forests 

 were being created from the remaining public domain. Hunting for food, 

 market, and economic purposes — clothing, shelter, and articles of trade — 

 had largely ceased because of the general scarcity of game. Hunting for 

 recreation, although in many places sharply limited by scarcity of wildlife, 

 was becoming more popular. 



The national-forest ranges at that period were satisfactory during the 

 greater part of the year for the support of the big-game population at the 

 time. Late spring, summer, and early fall range was plentiful. Even winter 

 range, which is the most critical in the year-long cycle, and which generally 

 was not to be found in the national forests, was usually adequate for the 

 decreased game population. Only here and there at that time was lack of 

 winter range serious. 



But with more effective protection from hunters and predators estab- 

 lished cooperatively by State and Federal Governments, and with wildlife 

 given a definite place in the management of national forests, the numbers 

 of most species of big game on national forests increased. Coincident with 

 such increases was the gradual decline of adjacent winter range. Many 



