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Show Forest Notes Where Were The Bull Elk? Stockmen from Manti recently report having seen a number of buU elk in the low foot hills east of the Manti Temple. Another bunch of elk were seen in Six Mile Canyon. Both of these bunches of elk were entirely off the usual elk range. It is quite evident that during the hunting season these animals will go where hunters are net to be found. A longer open Gpann umilrl rvarViflnc mnVp. it possible for hunters to locate them. It is quite evident that under un-der ordinary conditions they are able to take care of themselves pretty well. Last Summer Rainfall Ranger Cox reports that the total to-tal precipitation at Mt. Baldy during dur-ing the past summer was for jum .46, July .07, August 1.75 and September Sep-tember 1.25, making a total of 3.53 inches of moisture for the four summer months. The average aver-age for this period for the past nine years is 7.08 inches. The maximum rainfall during the past nine years was 13.28 inches. For 1931 the rainfaU was only 50 per cent, of the nine year average. Forage Production Ranger Cox reports that the forage harvested on a square yard in one of our grazing study enclosures en-closures in Gunnison Valley produced pro-duced during the past season only 65 per cent of the last seven years' average seasonal production. His check on utilization for the same plot showed that only 5 per cent cf the forage remained on the ground where our standards provide pro-vide that not less than 15 per cent should be left on the range that -s properly grazed. In another study plot the harvested har-vested forage was 50 per cent of last year's production. It was however, 63 per cent of the seven year average on the same area. The utilization on the outside check plot showed that 12 1-2 per cent of the forage remained on the ground at the close of the grazing season. The study enclosures showing the greatest improvement this season were located as follows: South Fork of six mile, Red Pine Camp (Twelve Mile Canyon) and the Cottonwoods in Manti Canyon. Can-yon. The study enclosure in the South Fork of Manti Canyon brings out the fact that the herding herd-ing of the cattle in tha locality has not been very effective since the forage was exceptionally good within the enclosure, while it haa been closely grazed on adjoining range outside, during the period when the cattle were supposed to have been kept off the area. The effect of the drouth on blue grass patches was very noticeable within these study enclosures. Near the fences where some shade was provided, blue grass made a very good growth. It made a good growth also around the edges of the sod where such sod covered areas several feet across. Inside the areas the grass was completely burned showing the effect of competition com-petition for moisture where there is a heavy stand of vegetation. Road Work Ranger Andersen tis Just completed com-pleted instruction of a guard rail along the wet dugway north ol ; the Lowry Creek brodge at the i head of Straight Canyon. The j State road workers are putting up similar guard rails on a number of the wet spots along the Straight Canyon road where ice accumulates accumu-lates in the winter. These improvements im-provements will afford much needed protection for the people who have to travel these roads when they are covered with ice. Ranger Thursby reports that (Continued on last page.) Forest Notes (Continued from first page.) the McOornick-Deering tractor wis brought to town and stored for the winter on December 3. It was left near the Pig Pen Sprinsr. as Ranger Thursby had planned to widen the Dahls dug-way dug-way before winter set in, however, the' early snows prevented and it was necessary to bring this equipment to town to properly care' for it during the winter months. Mines Busy Jchn W. Christensen who j owni some coal lands in Huntington Canyon is planning on constructing construct-ing a cabin for the use of his miners min-ers He left Faii-view to go to the mine on December 3. There is a oospibilitv that he may experience some difficulty because of the depth of the snow in getting the work done at this time. Permits Required For Green Oak Some of the rangers have reported re-ported finding where people are cutting green timber without permits. per-mits. Permits for dead timber are not required, however, permits are required for green oak and all other green timber. Aspen poles must be purchasea under timber sale. Oak, however, can be granted grant-ed under free use. Man Convicted Of Setting Fires An Oregon man was recently found guilty of delibcerately setting set-ting a forest fore in the Malheur National Forest last August. He was fined $100 and sentenced to thirteen months in prison. This fire cost the Forest Service $U!.-C79 $U!.-C79 to extinguish. Damage on the burned area is estimated at approximately ap-proximately $85,000. He admitted starting the fire to provide himself him-self with work. |