Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-07-07
.BETTERING CONDITIONS
ON NATIONAL FORESTS
A Review Of the Methods That are Being En-
ployed by Forest Service to Secure Better
Grazing Conditions on Forest Ranges.


visor's Office, Carbon Reserve.l
Competition has been close for tn
use of the range included in the Car
ibou National forest. In spite of thr
fluctuations in the stock business, tht
demand for range in the mountain
has been steadily increasing. Th,
tendency was recognized years ago
in fact, shortly after the rapid rise
in price of cattle, horses and sheer
in the, nineties, far sighted men be
gan to look ahead to a time wher
every available acre of forage woult
be utilized for the production OF
meat, wool and horse flesh. 1t soor
became evident that more systematic
methods would have to be adopted
merely to hold the range in it's nor
NAL condition, and there arose a
vague feeling that the whole matter
of grazing on the open ranges was
something to be studied and put into
shape so that the forage could be
used to the fullest extent without les.
sening the capacity of the range to
produce subsequent crops.
To meet this situation, the forest
service initiated control of stock by
assigning definite areas to certain
classes of stock, dividing the ranges
according to their natural fitness
among cattle men, horse men and
sheep men. This established defi-
mite interest and responsibility in
each area and was great step for
ward in the movement toward the
ideal condition, in which every blade
of grass and every palatable weed
shalf be turned into some product
useful to man; all without damag-
ing the range and without pollution
of streams or subjecting the slopes
to the danger of erosion.
Further steps were taken in CO.
operation with associations of cattle
men, providing for the distribution
of salt on the ridges and the placing
of sufficient bulls with the cattle.
Salt on the ridges will draw cattle
away from the streams and keep cat
tie moving easily and naturally be-
tween salt and water, and water and
salt. AS they drift up and down the
slopes. the cows eat grass that would
be lost If there were no incentive for
them to climb the hills. Grass that
is not utilized during the short sum
mer months is lost forever, as far as
service to the human race is concern
ed. Furthermore. everyone who has
been in the hills is familiar with the
unsightly and repelling condition
of any spring or stream about which
cattle and horses are allowed to
spend most of their time.
Better methods of handling sheep
included the preventing of useless
driving of the animals which had
formerly resulted in the formation
of dust beds on many western hill
and flat, and encouraged the open
herding method, in which the sheep
are allowed to range at will. within
reasonable limits. Nowadays the
most successful sheep men use the
bedding out" system. the animals
being allowed to spend the night
where ever darkness overtakes them
The herder simply follows the sheep
and makes his camp wherever the
herd decides to stop. II is sheep ma
ture to bed on the high ridges and
here the herder throws down his tarp
and blankets. Formerly many herd
er set up his tent In some pleasant
grove along a stream, and forced the
sheep to bed in the same place night
after night, so that, wnen he finally
moved down out Of the hills. the
grove consisted OF collection Of
Scared trees, standing without I'M
derbrush in a barren stretch of filthy
dust. Under the bedding out system,
it Is often difficult to discover where
q herd spent the night a few weeks
before. especially since the gravelly
ridges are well able 20 Withstand the
beating of the sharp hoofs. More
feed is consumed and heavier crops
of cleaner wool. together with the
heavier lambs OF higher quality. re-
ward the modern owner.
With all these improvements. how
ever. there were still range disputes.
unused patches OF forage and un-
equal distribution among the stock