December 2022 - 41

two-year absence his wife sold the ranch
because she thought her husband died.
The ranch changed ownership several times
until 1929 when Harry and Sadie Taylor purchased
the property for their Y Quarter Circle
Ranch. In 1967 Sadie's stepson, Orville " Doc "
Bunnell, the ranch manager and local veterinarian,
was expanding cattle corrals when
he uncovered a previously unknown trove of
archaeological artifacts.
" Ever since Byron Wickwire owned the
place, the Indian rock art on the sandstone
cliff behind the ranch house had been known, "
notes the Hyattville History Committee.
But, " while leveling the corrals, Doc Bunnell
exposed a truly amazing archaeological site.
Investigated by Dr. George Frison and the
University of Wyoming from 1969 through
1973 ... in one of the largest archaeology digs
of that time, the 30-foot-deep pits excavated
revealed 60 levels of human cultural evidence
dating back 10,000 years. The information
obtained from this dig has been a vital component
in understanding the prehistory of
the Big Horn Basin. "
Harry passed away in 1959. When Sadie
offered the ranch for sale in the early 1970s,
the Game and Fish Commission saw a great
opportunity.
" The Taylor ranch, near Hyattville, was
discussed at length as a possible acquisition, "
reads minutes from the Game and Fish Commission
meeting on Jan. 21, 1971. " It was
stated this ranch furnishes exceptional winter
range for elk because of its location and the
distribution of deeded, BLM and forest range.
The Department has been interested in this
particular land for several years. "
Commissioners Reg Bafford, Harry Barker
and William Krueger were selected to visit
the property.
At their next meeting on March 2, Krueger
updated the Commission on negotiations
for the ranch. The next day the Commission
voted to approve the purchase of 2,062 acres
and took possession of the property in 1972.
ELK EMERGENCE
The area's healthy elk population came in
part from relocation efforts that occurred in
several areas of the Bighorn Mountains more
than a half-century earlier, including near
the WHMA.
In early 1914, through the combined
efforts of local ranchers, Game and Fish and
the U.S. Forest Service dozens of elk were
trapped and transported from Gardiner,
An elk shed found on the Medicine Lodge WHMA. Elk can be found here due in large part to relocation efforts several years
ago. (Photo by Ashley Umphlett/WGFD)
Montana. Four carloads arrived by train on
April 4. At Greybull 27 were unloaded. A
couple days later those elk were driven to
the mountains by horsemen along the Bighorn
River.
The remaining 20 elk were unloaded at
Manderson and overnighted at the Ralph Mercer
ranch. They were then driven to the Dave
Allen ranch and the following day released into
Paintrock Canyon, a short distance from the
current south entrance to Medicine Lodge.
" At the time these elk plants were made,
it seemed to be the opinion of all the people
living in the vicinity of Manderson and
Shell that there were few, if any, elk in the
Bighorn Mountains, " wrote Game and Fish
Wildlife Biologist Calvin King, in his book
'Reestablishing Elk in the Bighorn Mountains
Wyoming Wildlife | 41
The area's healthy elk population
came in part from relocation
efforts that occurred in several
areas of the Bighorn Mountains
more than a half-century earlier,
including near the WHMA.

December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2022