77-6-201. Appraisal of grazing lands. (1) The department shall appraise the grazing lands owned by the state as to their animal-unit-month carrying capacity and make and preserve records thereof in its office and from time to time reexamine these lands as to their animal-unit-month carrying capacity so as to keep the records thereof in its office reasonably accurate.
     (2) In appraising these grazing lands the following factors shall be taken into consideration:
     (a) inventory of the forage resources--kind, amount, and location of vegetation;
     (b) accessibility and usability of this forage resource as influenced by topography, availability of stock water, and season of usability;
     (c) condition of soils--the erosion situation;
     (d) other and related resources such as timber, game animals, need for watershed protection;
     (e) record of needed improvements and facilities--fuel and stock water, revegetation, rodent control, trails, fences, and the like;
     (f) pertinent facts and figures submitted by stockmen living in the area and directors of state grazing districts including the land or in its vicinity;
     (g) carrying capacity set for similar land in a state grazing district in which the land is situated.

     History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 207, L. 1945; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 428, L. 1973; R.C.M. 1947, 81-404.