West Custer Township near Pringle in Custer County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Early Game Preserve
Wind Cave National Park
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2023
1. Early Game Preserve Marker
The valley in front of you is the site of the Wind Cave National Game Preserve, which was established in 1912 to reintroduce bison to the area. About 4,000 acres were enclosed to receive 20 bison from the New York Zoological Society and Yellowstone National Park. Soon Rocky Mountain elk and pronghorn antelope arrived. As the bison and elk herds increased, lands were added to the game preserve. In 1935 Congress combined the preserve with the National park, and the Civilian Conservation Corps moved the fences to the park boundary. Since then the park staff has had two missions: Protect the prairie, forest, and wildlife, as well as the cave.
The propagation of the [pronghorn] antelope is difficult… the only way this can be accomplished is by setting aside large tracts of land…. [They] will not thrive in confinement.
—A.P. Chambers, game warden, 1928
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Charity & Public Work • Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 43° 34.527′ N, 103°
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Life in a Prairie Dog Town (approx. 0.2 miles away); Paha Sapa Limestone (approx. 1.4 miles away); Home on the Range (approx. 1½ miles away); Stephen Tyng Mather (approx. 1½ miles away); The CCC's Enduring Legacy (approx. 1½ miles away); Vanishing Prairie (approx. 2.7 miles away); Bringing Back the Bison (approx. 3.1 miles away); Civilian Conservation Corps Camp (approx. 3.8 miles away).
Also see . . . Wildlife Management (National Park Service). Excerpt:
It was not until the late 1800s when the debate over the demise of the bison was raging that habitats were discussed. People like Teddy Roosevelt and William Hornaday knew that to save an animal from extinction one had to create sanctuaries for them. Their newly created American Bison Society began searching for a preserve for these "ungainly beasts" and discovered Wind Cave National Park's mixed-grass prairie.(Submitted on October 19, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Through their efforts Congress established the 4,000 Wind Cave National Game Preserve in August of 1912.
2. Marker detail: Pronghorn AntelopeThe game warden soon realized that pronghorn antelope needed space to escape predators.Because the practice of raising wild game animals under semi-natural conditions was relatively new, A.P. Chambers, the first warden of the preserve, experienced many challenges creating healthy, wild herds. In 1935, when the game preserve became part of Wind Cave National Park, the Civilian Conservation Corps tore down the interior fences creating a larger range for all the animals. The Custer Recreational Demonstration land was acquired in the 1940’s and by 1964 the park had grown to more than 28,000 acres with a population of 300 pronghorn.
3. Marker detail: Park Ranger Inspecting Game
From his perch, a ranger inspects a herd grazing on the prairie.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2023
4. Early Game Preserve Marker
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2023
5. Early Game Preserve Marker
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2023
6. As if on cue, a Pronghorn Antelope happens by...
Credits. This page was last revised on October 19, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 19, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 71 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 19, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
