Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-03-06

Recently the Herald read a state
ment to the effect that there were
thousands of acres of good grazing
land going to waste in the national
forests of northern Idaho. AS this
paper is interested in promoting in
every way the stockraising industry
in Boundary county, it wrote to
and Kootenai national forests and
asked if the statement was true, and
if there were opportunities here for
grazing stock in the national for
visor Fitzwater of the Pend Oreille
forest writes:
"The statement regarding grazing
land going to waste is largely true.
On the Pend Oreille forest we have
one year, but last year, for example,
we grazed no sheep at all.
"The question is not so much that
of our range being suitable. The
factor which has most influenced the
bringing of sheep into this coun-
try has been the unsettled condition
of the freight rates in other local
tiles. Most of the Oregon and
Washington sheepmen have been able
from year to year to get range pref
ty close to home, but some years,
when a change in the freight rates
is made to their usual summer range,
they have had to look elsewhere for
range, and in this way we have
the odd times, got the overflow from
the grazing country to the west.
Many Sheep This Year.
"This year, however, from all ap-
pearances things are going to be
different. The livestock industry in
the vicinity of the national forests
in Oregon and Washington is in such
excellent condition that there is a
considerable number of sheep for
which range cannot be found. Judg-
ing from the inquiries we have re-
ceived from sheepmen and from the
freight departments of the Northern
Pacific and Spokane international
railway, a fairly large number of
sheep will be brought into the Pend
Oreiile forest during the coming sum-
mer.
ain Boundary county we have the
Grouse mountain range, near Naples.
This range, we figure, will support
5000 ewes with their lambs. We
have range near Dawson Lake for
1900 ewes with their lambs. This
range can be reached from Boomers
Ferry by trailing nine miles. The
Buckhorn range, near Snyder, will
support 1000 ewes with their lambs
There are unloading pens at Snyder
on the Spokane International rail
way which can be used in connec-
ton with this range. The Queen
mountain range, also near Snyder
supports 1000 ewes with their lambs
This range can also be reached by
way of the S. l. to Snyder. Either
the Buckhorn or Queen mountain
range could be used by shipping to
Boomers Ferry and trailing about
10 miles north, along the government
road to the range.
"Without viewing the present sit.
uation too optimistically, l believe
it will be safe to say that a large
portion of our available range vii
be utilized during the coming sum
mer."
Room for Much More Stock.
Supervisor Glen A. Smith of the
Kootenai national forest, in his reply
said:
at is true that there is consider
able good cattle and sheep range il
the national forests in northern
Idaho and western Montana, whicl
at the present time, is going t.
waste. Regarding the exact loca
ton of these ranges ] am unable t
give you any information except re
garding the Kootenai national for
est of which am in direct charge
at is estimated that we have Of
the Kootenai national forest room
for 1900 head of cattle and. 1906
head of sheep and goats. At tn
present time there are only abou
$50 head of cattle and horses grace
on the forest and no sheep. Mos
of the range on the forest is wei
adapted to either sheep and goat
or cattle and horses, but l feel tina
the majority of it is best adapte'
to sheep on account of the prevail
ence of weeds and brouse.
"The grazing periods and fees
which will be in effect on the Koote