Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-05-20

Wild whoops of cowboys per-
iodically punctuating the thunder
of huge herds of cattle numbering
north over the Texas trail to the
grassy plains of Montana were
heard for the last time so years
ago this spring. But within the
next few weeks 100000 cattle and
100000 sheep will be trailed in the
best tradition of the old west from
hundreds of local ranches to sum-
mer ranges in our II national forests.
When the big drive to the national
forests starts as in years gone by ana
years to come tiTne-honored traditions
will still rule. On number Of ranches
the old chuck wagon will be found
rambling on in the lead, and cowboys
riding point, swing and drag will be
keeping the baWling dogleS steadily
rolling along. The plaintive song OF the
might hawk" will remain the same as
that intoned by his brother Of the
Texas trail. And following the flocks
with staff and dogs the immortal
shepherd plods along to the highlands.
In these the spirit of the old west lives
on and on.
At this time of year, just before the
drive to highland summer pastures
begin, saddle and pack horse are being
ShOd, lariats are flying and the hot
iron fills the air with an acrid odor
of smuggling hair and hide as the early
calves are branded, earmarked and
altered.
Millions of acres of the public !
rangers in question are located within
the protective boundaries OF Montana !
and northern Idaho national forests /
Though largely blanketed by the heavy |
SHOWS common to higher elevations of I
the northern Rockies these ranges are I
abundantly productive OF nutritious
forage grasses and shrubs in summer.
Because of the continuous intense
demand for use Of national forest
range on the part OF Stockmen and /
because of the many conflicting inter
ests involved in its use, the manage
ment of forage producing areas in the
national forests has become a highly
specialized phase of national forest adj
ministration.
While striving to obtain the maxi
mum use of all forage produced in the
forests the forest service range mana
ger must also practice extreme care
to prevent too much grazing. OVeruSe
of the range results in damage not
only to the forage plants themselves,
but to the range lands producing the
forage. Where forest slopes are tram
pied or graZed bare of all grasses and
Vegetative cover, erosion of the surface
soil begins, the productiyeneSs Of the
area is lost forever and nothing is left
but an ugly scar to mar the natural
beauty of the landscape.
Before the range manager can de-
termine how many game animals or
game. animals and domestic stock any
given range will support, 1t is obvious
ly necessary for him to know how
much and what kind Of range he has
available In the national forests this
is determined on all forage producing :
areas by means of a detailed range
survey. Under the leadership of an eX-
perienced range examiner crews OF {
college men specialize
ing in range management work are to
be found in the national forests max /
ing range inventories every summer {
season. /
During the winter months the leader
of the survey party with the help of /
forest rangers complies the informa- I
ton gathered in the field and from
this is made a range management r
plan Shown in detail on the manage !
ment plan are types of grasses, weeds, Z
shrubs and trees; available watering 4
places, improvementS-both present :
and needed, elevations, natural shell r
,er for animals and numerous other s
essentials a
While it has been recognized that e
premature use of spring and summer +
'anges is extremely injurious to the :
plants, methods for determining the ?
exact date of range readiness have 4
ong been a controversial topic. Finally, y
however, after measuring, weighing !,
md recording endless range grasses !
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