A rare hybrid minnow resides in the wetland waters as well. In short, Pine Butte Swamp is a wildlife bonanza. Traces of History Pine Butte is also rich in history. Drawn by the abundance of prey, pre-Columbian peoples frequently occupied the area. The Great North Trail, trod by Mongols who had migrated across the Bering Sea land bridge, cuts through the preserve.
Tipi rings testify to the presence of prehistoric plains dwellers.
A buffalo jump, used before the advent of the horse, and drive lanes of a buffalo mire have been uncovered. Scant remains of homestead structures dot the preserve,while ranching activities continue as they have for the past century. Much earlier the preserve was home to vast herds of plant- eating dinosaurs. Eighty million years of geologic folding and erosion have brought thousands of these dinosaurs' bones to the surface. Many nests, eggs, hatchlings, and juveniles have been unearthed here.