As part of the settlement process, Mormon pioneers believed it was their duty to make the land “better” than they found it. This meant introducing a variety of exotic plant and animal species to Cache Valley and overhunting native predators and wild game. Settlers’ efforts to remove certain species and introduce others often resulted in the decline or extirpation of native species. The sources in this section provide information on hunting, predator control, exotic plant and animal introductions, and the decline of wild game in Cache Valley and the Bear River Range.