the Black Hills Forest Reserve and consulting with 
Supervisor Paul D. Kelleter, I discovered that owing 
to patented lands, mining and timber claims, there was 
only one locality worth consideration. 
THE BALD HILLS 
The Bald Hills, situated south of Pactola at an 
altitude of 4,459 feet, consist of innumerable small hills, 
draws and ravines, surrounded by open pine timber. 
It would be a nice location for a small game reserve, 
but there is not enough open grazing country with 
buffalo grass to maintain a large herd of animals. In 
fact, this spot does not contain more than a third as 
much of the grazing land as is found on the Wind Cave 
prospect. 
It is adapted to the wants of buffalo, elk, deer, 
antelope and mountain sheep. 
Permanent water in springs and spring creeks— 
flowing or standing—is quite evenly distributed over the 
entire region, but most of these springs are small; never- 
theless, when dug out and run into troughs, would un- 
doubtedly furnish a sufficient supply. 
In order to obtain water on Rapid Creek, several 
miles of open timber country would have to be included. 
Throughout the timber is a good growth of grass 
suitable for summer feed, and to a certain extent winter 
oerazing; but as the first severe frosts kill it, stock feed 
on it only as a last resort. 
The chief food is found on the Bald Hills proper. 
Much of it is buffalo grass and there is also an abundance 
of “alkah’’ grass—a very nutritious grass equaling buf- 
falo grass in strength, and much sought by cattle. This 
grass must not be confounded with the so-called ‘alkali’ 
grass growing so extensively in the alkali marshes in 
western United States. 
The grass on this range was in worse condition than 
that on the Wind Cave prospect, although about the same 
number of cattle and horses were grazing on both ranges. 
This undoubtedly was due to the fact that stock has 
been feeding on the Bald Hills for the past twenty-five 
8 
