elk and moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, 
and bear—and roughly one-fourth of the lesser 
game and fur-bearers live in forested areas. Bird 
life abounds in most woodland. And _forest- 
sheltered streams and lakes are the habitat of 
trout and many other fine game fish. 
The public has a great and growing interest in 
forest wildlife. The main values are social and 
esthetic. But forest game also has real economic 
value. 
For one thing, it supplies large quantities of 
food which supplements the American diet, par- 
ticularly that of low-income rural people. In 1942 
forest game supplied an estimated 104 million 
pounds of dressed meat and about 200 million 
pounds of fish, along with large quantities of fur 
and hides—all valued at about 150 million 
dollars.?° 
Moreover, sportsmen, who held some 21 million 
fishing and hunting licenses in 1946, spend a large 
sum annually on licenses, equipment, and services, 
much of it in taking fish and game in forest areas. 
Most forest wildlife has persisted despite heavy 
slaughter and destructive forest practices. Fire, 
timber cutting, and forest clearing have greatly 
altered wildlife habitats—often adversely. Locally, 
some forms of wildlife have disappeared or have 
been pushed back with the receding old-growth 
timber. But generally, the more open, less ex- 
tensive forests of today afford better food and 
cover than the original virgin stands. They can, 
however, be greatly improved for wildlife. 
America’s 215 million acres of public forests— 
the main areas to which people have ready access 
—puts about one-tenth of the total land at the 
disposal of the general public for hunting, fishing, 
and other wildlife uses. ‘These widely distributed 
key areas should be proving grounds for new tech- 
niques of wildlife management, and serve to dem- 
onstrate them to private owners. However, pub- 
lic forests cannot wholly supply the demand for 
wildlife development. 
The 409 million acres of private forest land 
could produce much more game than the public 
forests. Practical means should be found to foster 
wildlife on them. 
As yet game management, even on public forests, 
has gone little beyond protection. Improvement 
of the forest habitat is a neglected phase which 
can often be accomplished as a part of other forest 
*° Forest Service estimates based, in some particulars, on 
reported statistics of the total take of meat and furs. 
uses and activities. ‘Timber management is an 
especially important tool for improving game food 
and cover. For example, rather heavy selective 
cutting or clear cutting in blocks is, on the whole, 
beneficial since it increases the food supply, yet 
affords plenty of dense cover for escape and shel- 
ter. Timber-stand improvement and other meas- 
ures also aid habitat improvement, if carried out 
with suitable regard for wildlife needs. Other 
forest uses, too—including grazing use by live- 
stock—can be guided so as to complement and 
avoid conflict with wildlife management. 
There are many reasons for slow progress in 
wildlife management. Some stem from the di- 
vided jurisdiction over land and game. Power to 
regulate hunting and fishing rests in the States 
whereas game management itself depends largely 
on the landowner. Without active landowner 
participation in wildlife programs there will be 
only incidental crops of fish and game to regulate. 
And few owners will attempt game management 
as long as they exercise only limited control of the 
harvest. 
One reason why most private owners are little 
concerned with wildlife and are slow to adopt 
management is that game may damage timber or 
farm crops, and other values. Another is the 
increased forest-fire hazard and nuisance aspect of 
hunting and fishing. ‘The small size of most pri- 
vate forest properties is an important deterrent. 
However, the major reason is lack of financial 
incentive. So far, States and sportsmen alike have 
resisted paying forest owners for hunting or fishing 
on their land. 
Private owners should have more technical ad- 
vice and assistance from public agencies in wild- 
life management. There is particular need to 
reach industrial forest owners more effectively and 
to do a better job of educating the general public 
on the value of wildlife and how to foster and 
harvest it. Financial returns, however, will do. 
most to promote wildlife management in private 
forests. 
Inadequate State game laws also hamper prog- 
ress. Some involve a maze of local laws applicable 
to individual counties which all but defeat good 
game management. In some States, skilled admin- 
istrators are lacking and in about 25 there is inad- 
equate authority to administer wildlife resources. 
Frequently local courts are unwilling to enforce 
game laws. 
Overstocking on both public and private lands, 
76 Miscellaneous Publication 668, U. 8. Department of Agriculture 
