NORTH PACIFIC REGION - U. S. FOREST SERVICE 
                     REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS, PORTLANTD, OREGON 
                                    FOREST NENS 
                                                                       R-6
Y-11 
(Information concerning the National Forests and the work of the Forest Service)

 
 
    NEW WILD LIFE ESTIMTES MADE 
 
 
           Wild life population on the nine million acres of national forests

 
    in Washington is for the most part holding its own or increasing, accord-

 
    ing to U. S. forest service 1936 estimates announced this week. Forest

 
    rangers have estimated a population of 12,000 elk, 5,500 mountain goats,

 
    27,000 mule deer, 17,000 black tail deer, 1,650 white tail deer, 7,000

 
    black bear, and less than a dozen big horn sheep on the national forests

 
    of the State. Coyotes are reported increasing and other predatory Enimals,

 
    including cougar, wild cats and timber wolves, are also believed to be

 
    slightly on the increase. Among the fur bearers estimated are more than

 
    9,700 beaver, 1,000 foxes, 19,000 marten, 9,000 mink, 200 fisher, 500
otter, 
 
    2,600 racoon, 12,000 muskrat and 900 badger. 
 
           The forest service points out that although these estimates cannot

 
    be entirely accurate they are carefully made. Rangers make comparisons

 
    each year of game seen by hunters, trappers, woodsmen and forest service

 
    men. Tracks and other signs are taken into account indicating new areas

 
    frequented by wild animals and abandonment or lessened use of other ranges.

 
    This information is checked against systematic counts of certain species.

 
    Over a period of years these annual estimates give a varying chart, ex-

 
    tremely valuable in pointing evidences of game depletion and the need
for 
 
    restoring naturets balance which is held important to the general welfare

 
    of wild life as a state resource. 
 
    Y-11, W