Archaeological Report
Harney County Oregon, Range Seeding Projects

Buck Mountain seeding consists of two approximately equal-sized tracts of land at the foot of Buck Mountain, and together cover some 1,650 acres or 660 hectares. The westernmost tract is in an area of rolling hills and ridges varying from 3700 to 4100 feet in elevation. Coyote Creek passes through the eastern portion of the tract and other ephemeral drainages flow into Coleman Creek from the western side. The eastern tract is a less steeply sloping area overlooking the valley of the South Fork of the Malheur River. Elevation ranges from just over 3400 feet to 3600 feet. Both areas are predominantly covered by sagebrush. One major spring occurs within the western tract along Coyote Creek.

The Buck Mountain seeding was apparently surveyed by Thomas, Morrison, Horning and Grunbaum. The eastern tract seems to have been surveyed on August 29, 30 and perhaps September 2, 1980, while the eastern tract was done September 8, 1980 and perhaps other days. A total of six lithic scatters and six isolated tools were recorded.

The western tract was the most productive with five sites and three isolated finds. The isolated material consisted of one projectile point, one biface fragment and a piece of groundstone. Three of the five sites were less than one hectare in extent, ranging from .01 hectare to .3 hectare with a mean of .178 hectare. Thirteen tools were recorded from these three sites: five projectile points, seven bifaces and one piece of groundstone. All three sites were within a couple hundred meters of Coyote Creek. Two of these sites were rated S-2 in significance and one was rated S-3. Of the two large sites in the western tract, one covered about three hectares and the other 7.5 hectares. The three-hectare site was found along an ephermeral drainage that leads into Coleman Creek. It contained ten projectile points, at least five bifaces, three unifaces and five or more pieces of groundstone. The largest site is located adjacent to a spring along Coyote Creek. Ten projectile points, eleven bifaces and two unifaces were recorded and what was described as a "moderate amount" of groundstone was present. Both of the large sites were rated S-l in significance.

The eastern tract contained only one small site and three isolated finds. The isolated material included one projectile point and two bifaces. A single projectile point and one biface were found at the site, which covered about .09 hectare in area. The site was given an S-3 significance rating.