natural but totally unscientific management is practiced, and the 
healthy natural forces:of depletion are abolished, there first oc~ - 
curs a rapid increase in the nerd, whether it be deer on the Kai- 
bab Forest (and in half 2 mmdred other locelities), moose on Isle 
Royale, or antelope on the Coconino National Forest. There follows 
swiftly an almost total destruction of the food supply, or vegetative 
base. Starvation then sets in, accompanied by disease and malformations, 
dwarfing of stature, and general ruin of the species, The carrying 
capacity is permanently lowered and ths public deprived of the sight 
of even the normal inumber of animals for decades to come. As foresters 
we speak not from theory but from experience, Had, it been possible 
in any other way than by such horrible examples to overcome the ob-— 
Stacles of single-minded opposition by neture lovers, State control 
of game laws by politicians, and jealous guarding of universal rights 
of citizens to kill to the bag limit, the practice of regulated 
kills on such areas would have prevented these debacles without in-~ 
voking the terrific reprisal of outraged. nature, when her age-old 
balences are rudely upset by well-meaning but ignorant idealists. 
One thing hes, however, been demonstrated. Given proper pro- 
tection, especially during the breeding season, and an adequate food 
supply, even such large animals as deer, elk, moose, antelope, and 
bear will increase at an astounding rate, and may thus be made to fur- 
nish both spectacle and sport for our entire nation perpetually, if 
rightly managed. The same is true in even greater proportion for small 
ame. 
The forester's responsitility lies not in. the general field of 
State game laws or regulations, nor in technical research, but rather 
in the management of forests directly under his control, whether this 
be: National, State, or private. In this domain he can'evoid the 
"deserts" caused by large even-aged stands of conifers, for instance, 
by resorting, as he would for other sound reasons, to the breaking 
up of age classes, and the creation of all-aged forests and stands. 
Coniferous plantations while lecking in food, provide indispensable 
protective cover and, when of small area and dispersed among hardwood 
forests, greatly increase the game total of botn large and small species, 
Forest margins and openings and many species of food bearing trees 
and shrubs can be favored with no loss to commercial production of 
timber, An adequate mumber of "coon" trees per square mile might 
easily be spered in improvement cuttings, but no one need worry about 
Squirrels! These end many other relationships are easily and reodily 
worked out on any forest area over which the forester has CONE LONG 
including the indispensable game sanctuaries of proper size to permit of 
protection without creating the havoc of overproduction. 
The other side of the picture is worth a glance. Game, both 
for recreation (sight) and sport offers a direct satisfaction to the 
individual of his need for relaxation, and as such possesses the enor- 
mous emotional eppeal thet a two weeks! vacation offers as contrasted 
with fifty weeks of grinding office toil. So strong is this senti- 
ment that, were it not for the contest between the sight-seers and the 
killers, on the one hand, and the fact that practically every game 
enthusiast is a dogged individualist in his Opinwon, on the other, che 
force of the geome interests in public affairs would be well nigh 
eye 
