RANGE MANAGEMENT ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 81 



The best conception of the utilization of the forage and the dis- 

 tribution of cattle for the current season can, of course, be gained 

 during the latter part of the grazing period. For this reason, when 

 an inspection is made for the primary purpose of determining the 

 degree of utilization on each unit, the work should be done as late 

 in the season as possible. Utilization classification for past seasons 

 can ordinarily be made with a fair degree of accuracy very soon after 

 the opening of the field season. The value of this information for 

 the current season will depend largely upon whether or not the 

 numbers of stock or the methods of management have been changed 

 recently to any extent. 



Where an inspection is made in the early part of the season, care- 

 ful observations should be made for cattle signs of the previous sea- 

 son. Tracks are often reliable indicators, but the amount of manure 

 left on the range is better evidence of the extent to which cattle have 

 grazed the range the previous season or seasons. 



When the matter of grazing periods is to be considered the in- 

 spector should be on the ground a short time before and during the 

 time that the stock are coming on the range, in order to make obser- 

 vations relative to the amount of snow, if any, the condition of the 

 soil, and the growth of the plants at this critical period. However, 

 very reliable information can usually be gained from the local officers 

 and stockmen relative to the condition of the range at the beginning 

 of the grazing season. 



COOPERATION OF STOCKMEN. 



The successful application of the data obtained through a range 

 inspection will ordinarily depend to a great extent upon whether or 

 not the stockmen are willing to cooperate in making the resulting 

 plans effective. It is seldom that a thorough inspection will not 

 reveal changes which should be made, involving either redistribu- 

 tion of stock, readjustment in division or allotment lines, changes in 

 grazing periods, or reduction or increase in numbers of stock. When- 

 ever convenient, during the progress of the work, stockmen concerned 

 should be informed that work of this character is being done. They 

 will then be better prepared to receive whatever recommendations or 

 plans result from the inspection. 



The findings and recommendations resulting from the inspection 

 can be presented and explained to the stockmen most, effectively 

 through the advisory board of the stockmen's association, where an 

 association has been recognized by the Forest Service. If an entire 

 forest or a large portion of a forest involving more than one associa- 

 tion has been inspected as a unit, recommendations by the examining 

 officer might be presented at a joint advisory board meeting. 

 111479°— Bull. 790—19 6 



