The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1940-06-27
What To Do
With Game
Is Problem
Increase in Wild. Life
Population Too Great For
Available Range.
SAID TO DOUBLE
EVERY TEN YEARS

increased to a point where wild
life slums' are developing on some
of the National Forests were re-
ported today by the Forest Serv-
ice, U. S. Department of Agricul-
ture, in its annual big game cen
sus."
Eighty-four of the 161 National
Forests each report more than 5000
deer while 40 National Forests had
more than thousand elk each and
80 had more than 500 black bear
each. The estimate included $4,000
antelope, $4,000 black bear, 700 griz-
Fly and 4.500 Columbia blacktail
deer, $4,000 elk, 1900 moose, 49,
900 mountain goats, $3.50 Bighorn
$500 peccary or javelina, and 78C
European wild boars. These esti-
mates make total of 100000 big
game animals-an increase since
1924 of more than 275 per cent. AS
the census was made during the
early winter of 1930-4O the figures
do not include the spring crop OF
fawns, calves, kids, and cubs which
would bring the total to more than
two million animals. The estimates
include peccary and wild boar for
the first time This year.
Doubles Every 10 Years
On the average, the deer popula-
ton of the National Forests has
doubled every ten years since 1908,
according to DR.. H. L. Shantz, chief
of the division of wildlife manage
ment of the Forest Service. It has
reached stage of over-crowding
and resulting starvation on a num-
Der of ranges, for even with grass
knee high, there is sometimes NO
food for deer, since they subsist
mainly on brush and browse plants
Doctor Shantz said that wildlife
specialists throughout the country
and state conservation Departments
fn general Az 1ivfng more and
more attention to management oil
the big game herds and are es-
tablishing open seasons on both male
and female animals where necessary
to prevent starvation, while restrict
ing the take of poachers, and such
predators as mountain lions, wolves,
bobcats, coyotes and stray dogs.
Properly controlled hunting renders
highly useful service to wildlife
management in maintaining healthy
and Well-kept game herds, Doctor
Shantz says. The income from
sportsmen is also an important eco
nomic consideration in some COM
munities.
OF last years deer increase, the
forest service estimates that about
three-quarters Of a million hunters
took some $4,000 deer on National
forest lands but that probably 300,-
900 were taken by poachers or died
in the woods. 1t is estimated that
a mountain lion may kill a hun
dred pounds of deer a week, or
enough venison to equal the meat
diet of from is to IS people.
Many Killed by Autos
Automobiles kill mahy deer Sew
eral hundred deer killed by cars
were reported on one large eastern
National forest, the Allegheny in
Pennsylvania.
On a few well-managed forests
hunters are taking from rs to IS
per cent of the deer population each
year, SO that the remaining herd
does not increase beyond the linn
its of its food supply, but on some
forests hunting takes only small
percentage of the annual increase.
Too great deer or elk population
for the area to support may thus
result. Big game slums develop,
with decrease OF browse plants such
as aspen and bitter brush which the
animals need. Starvation and di-
sease which results from malnu-
triton follow.
In nearly all cases, big game ami
mails and domestic livestock in rea-
sonable numbers can use the same
range without food conflicts. This
is due in part to differences in food
preferences between domestic stock
and wild game.
Artificial feeding of hay in win
ter in most cases only tends to ag-
gravate a situation of big game ov-
er-population because more ami
mails are carried over to overgraze
steadily diminishing food crop
thus tending to destroy their ma
tural winter, spring and fall range
and possibly their summer range.
The need to take does as well
as bucks in meeting problems Of
over-populated areas has influenced
a number of state game depart.
ments to try experimental hunt:
covering both sexes on Nationa
and other forests, the Forest Serv
ice says. On the Allegheny Nationa
Forest in Pennsylvania last year
$4,000 animals were taken during
an open season on antlerless dee
only but more than $1,000 deer ar,
left and the increase will probabl,
make another antlerless deer sea
son necessary in the near future
The state of Utah authorized tn
killing of 1000 does to contro
population Of overcrowded area
and has worked out a plan to con
troll elk numbers.