What the National Forests Mean to Montana 



21 



Few towns in central or western Montana are too far from na- 

 tional-forest areas to prevent people from reaching woods, streams, 

 lakes, and mountains easily. Many obtain permits for summer- 

 home sites from the Forest Service on lakes or streams and put up 

 cabins and cottages (fig. 13.) Seeley Lake, on the Missoula Na- 

 tional Forest, has a summer colony formed mostly of citizens of 

 Missoula. Many of the people of Great Falls have leased summer- 

 home sites along Belt Creek on the Jefferson National Forest, and 

 feel amply repaid for an automobile ride of 60 miles by spending a 

 day or so on the banks of a mountain stream. Bozeman is fortunate 

 in having the valley of the West Gallatin River near by, and the 

 Forest Service has been called on to lease many home sites in this 



Fig. 14. — Mule or Rocky Mountain black-tail deer. One of the finest game animals 



of Montana 



locality. The Beartooth National Forest satisfies the wants of 

 Billings in this respect and gives the people of that city a place 

 where they may enjoy the out-of-doors. 



WILD LIFE 



One of the important duties of forest officers is the protection 

 of wild life, as provided for by the State game laws, which apply 

 on the national forests exactly as in other places. (Fig. 14.) 



A large herd of elk makes its home within Yellowstone Park 

 near its northern boundary, and during the season of deep snows 

 these animals are driven to feed in the lower country of the ad- 

 jacent Absaroka and Gallatin National Forests. The Sun River 

 Game Preserve, located on the Lewis and Clark Forest, contains 

 an elk herd estimated at 3,500 animals. Elk are also scattered 

 through the forests of the western part of the State. A favorite 



