The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1909-06-08
LATE SPRING ON
THE RANGES
Especial to Silver State News.)

western stockmen the present spring
has been one of the most trying IN
many years. This is epecIaily true OF
the Rocky mountain region where the
season has been unseasonably late with
severe snow storms long after the or
binary period. On many of the lamb
ing grounds there the snow was so
deep that it was impossible to reach
them, and, in consequence, the Landing
operations were transferred to other
locations where the surroundings were
not altogether satisfactory.
The extremely cold, windy weather
has also kept the green grass from
starting as early as usual, in conse-
quence of which, the ranges have been
fully a month late. When the usual
time arrived for turning the stock onto
the open ranges from the feed lots
there was very little grass available,
and as the stockmen had used up all
their supply of hay, the stock, es-
p~ecially the cattle, suffered somewhat
for want of feed.
In New Mexico the sheepment made
a strong plea to the forest service to
allow them to take some OF their herds
into the Pecos national forest which
has been closed against sheep grazing
forest to sheep was owing to the water
shed interests involved, together with
the question of protecting the young
growth of timber which is coming
forward on that forest. However, the
condition was so serious that after
carefully weighing the question, the
forester suspended for a time the pro
hibition against sheep and $4,000 sheep
will be allowed to enter that forest to
Craze until such time as the conditions
on the outside ranges become normal,
which is hoped will be as soon as the
summer rains set in early in July.
The stockmen using the public ranges
adjoining several other national for
ests in New Mexico nave made urgent
lC4uC6tCb " II OiCotCl W OS w
to take their herds into these forests
for feed. AS those forests are already
stocked to their full capacity, the re-
quests could not be granted lest those
already using them would be injured
and their supply of food cut short.
In several forests in Wyoming and
Colorado the fees for lambing privi-
leges or national forests will be refund
ed to the sheepmen because of their
inability to use the Landing grounds.
In addition to this the season will be
extended a month later in several in
stances so as to make up, as far as pos
sible, for the enforced reduction in the
early spring period.
On all the forests where the winter
and spring losses have reduced the
~stockmen's herds below the number for
which they lave been granted a permit,
and they do not desire to purchase
other stock to make up their number,
they will be allowed to amend their APP
plication for the exact number they
will Craze without prejudicing their ap-
plications in the future.
1t will, therefore, be readily seen
that the regulations of the forest ser
vice for handling grazing matters are
sufficiently flexible to take care of
emergencies and meet all unusual con
ditions which may occur from time to
time. Further than this, the manner
in which the officers of the forest SER
vice nave taken hold of this matter
proves that they are always alive to
the interests of the stockmen and more
than willing to do all in their power to
protect them from losse-.
A pleasing illustration of the care
was noticed in a recent trip of forest
officers over some of the ranges in
Colorado and Wyoming. The sheep had
beer sheared at the usual time, but,
as the season was very backward and
the animals in rather poor condition,
to meet unusual storms many of the
%sheepmen had provided small canvas
blankets or covers for the sheep. After
shearing, these covers were fastened to
the sheep in such a way as to protect
their backs and sides which, in a
measure, took the place of wool which
had been taken from them. Thus they
were better able to withstand a severe
storm and the use of such blankets has
been the means of saving many thous-
ands of dollars to the sheep owners