The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-01-08
MOVE To SECURE MORE RANGE MONEY
FOSTEREO BY STOCKMENS MAGAZINE

of all in the ways which
will make them of largest service.
1t is their duty to so administer the
grazing use of the forests as to Sc
sure the fullest possible utilization
of the forage resource, but grazing
car be allowed only so long as it
does not interfere with the primary
purposes of timber and watershed
protection.
During the recent meetings of
Grazing Inspector Winkler explained
that the forest service is constantly
trying to redeem its major response
bility of protection and at the same
time allow a full use of the esources.
When a forest is first put under ad-
ministration, the usual plan of de-
termining about how many stock
should be allowed to Craze upon it,
is to allow so many surface acres of
range to the head of cattle or sheep.
This plan. co~ntemplates. of course,
Tat the stock will utilize all the &C
cessible forage upon the whole area.
1t can be readily seer that If stock
are not evenly distributed over the
range and some areas are left un-
touched, there will be other areas,
favored locations, where there will
be too many stock to the acre with
resulting damage through overstock-
ing. 1t is, rs was explained by Mr..
Winkler, the first duty of the forest
service to prevent or stop such dam
age. The easiest way would be to re-
duce the number of stock allowed to
the actual carrying capacity of the
areas which were being used-it be-
ing useless to allow stock to enter
on the basis of range which would
not be used. This would be a means
of redeeming their first RESPONSE
bility-protection. 1t would not, how
ever, result in full use of resources
which is contemplated in their adj
ministration. Consequently, while
bearing in mind that protection must
be secured, the usual endeavor is to
relieve the overcrowding in favored
sections and secure distribution of
stock evenly over all the range with
consequent eve utilization of all
forage. If entire success in this di-
rection can be secured there is usu-
ally no longer a need for range pro-
lection reduction in numbers Of
stock, since then no areas are be-
ing injured. Further, the purposes
for which the area is being admins
for which the erea is being admins
tered are protected and az tho Same
time the range is being
made to serve its highest sarvi.c and
bring the creates. net return to the
individual, the community the state
and the nation. If entire success can
not be secured, at least each advance
helps avoid the necessity for just that
much reduction in numbers.
In handling the problem of cattle
distribution certain points must be
kept in mind. In general, cattle will
not tackle the sleeper hillsides and
the rougher areas without some in
ducement. The inducement should
take into consideration that excessive
handling such as driving, not only
cuts down the weight of the animal,
but also results in the trampling out
of forage plants. The general rule is
to come as close as practicable to
pasture conditions in handling stock
the range.
One of the first suggestions usually
made in the line of securing better
distribution of cattle is to place the
stock salt on the range in such To-
cations as to induce the cattle to go
out to the less favored sections, where
the feed usually is. and away from
the favored areas where the congo
ton is occurring and where the feed
is usually all gone. There can be
absolutely NJ doubt but that If salt
is placed at the watering places and
the COW can get both the salt and
water near her favorite lounging
place there is going to be less in
centive for the cow to leave the
favored area. Judgment must, of
course. he exercised against placing
salt too far away from water in
poorly watered regions, but the rule
of common sense can usually be APP
piled in selecting salt grounds with
the idea of satisfactorily influencing
cattle distribution.
In many cases a combined plan of
sailing and herding has proved sue
cessful, the herder distributing his
stock around the range allotment, so
many to the fork oil canyon. and salt