California Condor Eben McMillan 8-Aug.1964 Arriving at U.S. Forest Service Hunter Checking Station at 7:50 A.M. I found things comparatively quiet. Tom Hoots, whom I had met before at the Chuchopate Ranger Station, was in charge of this roadside service area that the Forest Service sets up the afternoon prior to the Opening day of Deer Season. Camp fire permits are issued here—maps of the main roads, trails and Campgrounds are issued to those who need such. Tom Hoots said some 2600 cars had been checked into the Mt. Pinos unit that includes Alamo Mt., Frazier Mt., Tecuya Mt., Mt. Pinos-Grade Valley and Mutah Flats. It was estimated that each car held an average of four people or 10,400 hunters in an area of approximately 216 square miles; or 48 hunters per section; or a hunter on each 18 acres of land. Considering that a good portion of the Mt. Pinos district is roadless and rough of terrain, into which only odd hunters ever penetrate, it is easy to see how the above area of 13 acres per hunter could shrink to several hunters on an acre. Tom Hoots estimated, after having spent the entire night checking them in, that 10 percent of the hunters knew where they were going and had been here before, 50 percent were lost and had no conception of where they wanted to hunt, or camp; and the other 40 percent were drunk and didn't give a damn if they camped, hunted, or went back to a bar and got drunker. He thought 20 percent of the hunters had been here before. A group of hunters who had