The Xational Forests of Arizona 13 



lumbering standpoint, oliers as few engineering difficulties as any 

 similar belt of timber west of the Eocky Mountains. As railroad 

 construction is extended toward the forest, the Kaibab is destined 

 to become one of the important lumber-producing forests of the West. 



Before the forest was created the range now within it had been 

 badly overgrazed and its carrying capacity is, therefore, low. At 

 present only about 5.600 cattle and 3.500 sheep are grazed on this 

 area. This is less than one-third of the stock which the ranges 

 formerly carried. Owing to the increasing numbers of deer on this 

 forest, which includes the Grand Canyon Xational Game Preserve, 

 the numbers of domestic animals have been constantly reduced in 

 order to prevent a possible scarcity of feed for the game, the needs 

 of the game being considered as superior to those of domestic ani- 

 mals. These reductions will be continued as far as possible without 

 depriving local settlers who are dependent upon the range of a 

 reasonable amount of grazing for their stock. 



The Kaibab Xational Forest is beginning to claim much popular 

 attention as a sight-seeing and recreational region for the reason 

 that it lies on the road to the Grand Canyon Xational Park from 

 the north. The canyon itself, with a border varying in width from 

 1 to 5 miles from the rim of the plateau top, is in the Xational 

 Park, and here are the gi'eat scenic attractions of the region, the 

 lookout points from which spectacular views may be had out over 

 the canyon. Less spectacular, yet no less interesting, are the scenes 

 vrhich are in store for the traveler as he passes through the forest. 

 Its stately pines, alternating with grassy parks, in contrast with 

 llie surrounding desert and its animal life, attract immediate at- 

 tention. 



Chief interest lies in the large number of mule deer which range 

 on this plateau, giving it its popular name of " Buckskin Mountains." 

 It is estimated that there are over 25,000 mule deer on the forest, and 

 they are seen in considerable numbers by everyone who passes 

 through this region. Sometimes at dusk they ma}^ be seen by the 

 hundreds at certain favorite places. 



Mountain lions have found this area a paradise, and the region 

 has been famous for lion hunting. Several hunters, employed espe- 

 cially for this kind of hunting, have greatly reduced the numbers 

 of these animals in recent years, but the beasts are still far from 

 extinct in this locality. 



Owing to the isolation of the region it has become tne home, and 

 indeed the only home, of the Kaibab white-tailed squirrel, a gray 

 squirrel with a white tail and tufted ears, which is locally quite 

 common, although entirely unknown elsewhere. 



The whole forest is a Federal game sanctuary and no shooting is 

 allowed at any season. As it lies like a oasis in the desert, the 

 normal drift of deer out of this region is prevented, and under 

 ])rotection their number has increasecl to such an extent that they 

 have become a problem in game management. In order to check 

 the excessive increase of deer, therefore, it may become necessary 

 to issue a limited number of licenses for hunting them on designated 

 areas. 



While the Kaibab Xational Forest offers these attractions, it 

 has one great drawback as a recreation area. It is practically 

 without water. The main highwav strikes the chief waterinjo: 



