THE FOREST

The forests of our country are the home and breeding grounds of
hundreds of millions of birds and game animals, which the forests
provide with food and shelter. If we had no forests, many of
these birds and animals would soon disappear. The acorns and
other nuts that the squirrels live upon are examples of the food
that the forest provides for its residents.

In the clear, cold streams of the forests there are many
different kinds of fish. If the forests were destroyed by cutting
or fire many of the brooks and rivers would either dry up or the
water would become so low that thousands of fish would die.

The most abundant game animals of forest regions are deer, elk,
antelope and moose. Partridge, grouse, quail, wild turkeys and
other game birds are plentiful in some regions. The best known
of all the inhabitants of the woods are the squirrels. The
presence of these many birds and animals adds greatly to the
attractiveness of the forest.

Predatory animals, such as wolves, bears, mountain lions,
coyotes and bobcats also live in the forest. They kill much
livestock each year in the mountain regions of the Western States
and they also prey on some species of bird life. The Federal and
some State governments now employ professional hunters to trap
and shoot these marauders. Each year the hunters kill thousands
of predatory animals, thus saving the farmers and cattle and
sheep owners many thousands of dollars.

Sportsmen are so numerous and hunting is so popular, that game
refuges have to be provided in the forests and parks. Were it not
for these havens of refuge where hunting is not permitted, some
of our best known wild game and birds would soon be extinct.
There are more than 11,640,648 acres of forest land in the
government game refuges. California has 22 game refuges in her 17
National Forests. New Mexico has 19, while Montana, Idaho,
Colorado, Washington and Oregon also have set aside areas of
government forest land for that purpose. In establishing a game
refuge, it is necessary to pick out a large area of land that
contains enough good feed for both the summer and winter use of
the animals that will inhabit it.

[Illustration: A FOREST RANGER AND HIS FOREST CABIN]

Livestock is sometimes grazed on game refuges, but only in small
numbers, so that plenty of grass will be left for the support of
the wild game. The refuges are under the direction of the Federal
and the State game departments. To