The Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest is located in the north-central Sandhills region of the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....

. Created on October 15, 1971 (the forest has been some type of protected area since 1902), the forest is named after former Governor Samuel R. McKelvie

Samuel R. McKelvie

Samuel Roy McKelvie was a Nebraska Republican politician best known for being the 19th Governor of Nebraska. He was also the Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska from 1913 to 1915 and a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1936 and 1944. In On April 15, 1922 he helped break ground for...

. Encompassing an area of 115,703 acres (468 km²), the forest is a combination of prairie

Prairie

Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...

 grasslands and pine

Pine

Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...

 forest "islands". Most of the existing forested sections were manmade, planted by hand over the past 75 years. The protein

Protein

Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...

 content of the native grasses is among the highest found anywhere in the world and numerous lease options are provided to local ranchers. Planted trees include Eastern Juniper

Juniperus virginiana

Juniperus virginiana is a species of juniper native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Great Plains...

, Scots Pine

Scots Pine

Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...

 and Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine

Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...

 which continues to need replanting as it is harvested

Forestry

Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...

 but has also managed to spread throughout the region independently.

Indigenous wildlife such as pronghorn

Pronghorn

The pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl mammal endemic to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or simply antelope, as it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World and...

, white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...

, mule deer

Mule Deer

The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...

, coyote

Coyote

The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...

 and fox

Fox

Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...

 are plentiful. Of the 150 species of birds known to inhabit the forest, pheasant

Pheasant

Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...

, grouse

Grouse

Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...

, hawk

Hawk

The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...

 and turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

 are the more commonly found.

The forest has a small campground. Immediately to the south and east of the national forest is Merritt Reservoir, a dam on the Snake River

Snake River (Nebraska)

The Snake River is a tributary of the Niobrara River. Entirely located within the Sandhills of north-central Nebraska, the Snake River rises near the eastern edge of Sheridan County. It flows eastward into Cherry County and passes along the southern edge of Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest. ...

. The reservoir is stocked with sport fish; it is considered one of the better fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

 destinations in Nebraska. Merritt Reservoir is managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is a public agency of the government of the State of Nebraska in the United States. The commission is charged with stewardship of the state's fish, wildlife, state park, and outdoor recreation resources. The commission is also charged with issuing of state...

. The forest is managed by the Forest Service together with Nebraska National Forest

Nebraska National Forest

The Nebraska National Forest is a United States National Forest located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The total area of the national forest is ....

 and the Buffalo Gap

Buffalo Gap National Grassland

Buffalo Gap National Grassland is a National Grassland located primarily in southwestern South Dakota, United States. It is also the second largest National Grassland. Characteristics of the grasslands include mixed prairie and chalky badlands. The grassland is managed by the U.S. Forest Service...

, Fort Pierre

Fort Pierre National Grassland

Fort Pierre National Grassland is a United States National Grassland in central South Dakota, south of the capital, Pierre. It is primarily a short grass prairie. It has a land area of 115,890 acres . In descending order of acreage it lies in parts of Lyman, Stanley, and Jones counties. Part of the...

, and Oglala

Oglala National Grassland

The Oglala National Grassland is a United States National Grassland in the northwest corner of Nebraska. It is in northern Sioux and northwestern Dawes counties, on the borders with South Dakota and Wyoming...

 National Grasslands from common offices in Chadron, Nebraska

Chadron, Nebraska

Chadron is a city in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 5,851 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dawes County. Chadron is the home of Chadron State College....

. There is a local ranger

National Park Ranger

National Park Service Rangers are among the uniformed employees charged with protecting and preserving areas set aside in the National Park System by the United States Congress and/or the President of the United States...

 district office located in Nenzel

Nenzel, Nebraska

Nenzel is a village in Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 13 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Nenzel is located at ....

.