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Show Committee Recommends Removal Of 3000 Head Of Doe Deer This Year Overgrazing of Forest Endangers Both Deer and Cattle Herds An urgent recommendation for the removal of 3000 doe deer from the Dixie Forest range has been submitted to the Board of Big Game control by a committee com-mittee representing the Forest division, Cattle and Horseman association, and the Washington County Fish and Game federation. This recommendation is made following fol-lowing a survey of the range by representatives . from all of the groups represented. In addition to the above groups men representing Enterprise, Pine Valley, Pinto and Robert Fenton, member of the Big Game Board rode the range on the inspection in-spection tour. In making their report to the Big Game board the committee states in part as follows: "As you know, for a number of years the Forest officers of the Dixie Forest, as well as their superior officers at the regional office at Ogden, have been alarmed alarm-ed at the rapid rate of range depletion which is going on on this portion of the Dixie Forest, and have taken the leadership to place game management on a more logical basis by utilizing the surplus over and above the safe carrying capacity of the range after giving due and fair consideration con-sideration to the forage requirements require-ments of a reasonable number of cattle, upon which industry, many families and institutions in this country are wholly or partially dependent for their economic existence. "While a comparatively small number of female deer have been taken off the range the past few years in comparison to approximately approxi-mately 18,000 bucks which have been taken since 1927, they have increased to a point that is considerably con-siderably in excess of the carry-( carry-( Continued on page eight) Deer Increase (Continued from first page) inn capiwily of the range, and I lii-re is unmistakable evidence that key forage plans are being impaired and a large per cent have already died. Moreover, the process of range depletion is still going on on a large portion of the area. Soil erosion is going on at a rapid pace on large areas". Their n-port to the board also shows that, "deer have increased from about L'0,000 animal months to 170,000 animal months, while callle use (permitted sheep reduced re-duced to fat tie I have decreased from 57,000 animal months to :ir,ooo". The following table is submitted sub-mitted by the group to show that the "animal months' use" has changed considerable since V.C.M: Animal Equivalent Months in Cattle Cattle 32,250 32,250 Sheep 12.1K0 3,040 Deer 170,000 56,f60 Total 91,950 The group further calls attention atten-tion to the clanger to the range as follows: "Hear in mind that deer are on the forest practically all year, and that they are there as soon as plant growth starts, which is a very important point for consideration con-sideration in range management. "The table since 1937 has not heen extended, but it would show the same general trend with some further reductions in cattle. This year two associations have taken non-use for 10 per cent of the permitted cattle, and two more have reduced their season 15 days, all for range protection purposes. "Because of our study of the range in quite some detail as a group for the past two years we are convinced that in order to s.ive the deer from their own destruction through lack of feed in (he future, without consideration considera-tion of other values, that the deer should be reduced considerably beyond the animal increase. "The Forest Service has this year finished an intensive grazing survey of the forest and the information in-formation obtained by this survey, which has been carried through for the past three years, shows that the range is considerably overstocked both by deer and cattle. "Therefore, we recommend that the following action be taken this fall to remove hornless deer from the Dixie unit of the Dixie Forest, in addition to the regular hunt for bucks: 1. That special licenses be issued is-sued for the removal of 3000 hornless deer. 2. That these special licenses be placed on sale at convenient places at least five days before the opening of the hunting season. 3. That hornless deer be allowed allow-ed to be taken simultaneously with the whole season for killing bucks. 4. That fees for special licenses to kill hornless deer be placed at $1.00 for resident licenses and $3.00 for non-resident. 5. That after two days of hunting hunt-ing has elapsed, any citizen may purchase as many as five special permits, if such unsold permits are available. We respectfully solicit your concurrence in this recommendation recommenda-tion to the State Board of Big Game Control. |