KANSAS pronghorns. Where to see? (McPherson, Ellsworth: house, live, title)

[KSinmyrearviewmirror]

Kansas traded turkeys for Wyoming pronghorns ~ 1978. We would spot them in the same area, year round, until someone built a house ~ 5 miles down the road. This is a gravel road from Bazaar (once nation's largest cattle shipping railroad stop, prior to trucking) to Madison.

Jan - Mar, '79, there was sufficient snow to X-country ski this open grazing land & see WY antelope every time. Kansas is 98% private property, 49th/50th in per capita public lands. We had a lock on that title until Rhode Island gained population (KS lost pop).

Ranchers tolerated trespassers in the Flint Hills; until William Least Heat-Moon's PrairyErth came out in 1991 & brought hordes who littered/left gates open/etc.

I believe KDW&P claims pronghorns can be seen on Turnpike @ Bazaar Cattle Crossing.We don't travel that stretch much anymore. Can anyone rec an area to frequently see Pronghorns?

[AnywhereElse]

I wondered, so did some checking:

https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-G...ine%20counties.

"The western Kansas reintroductions were successful. There are about 2,000 pronghorn in the westernmost two to three tiers of counties. A few pronghorn roam Barber County, and 50 or so remain in the Flint Hills, which was the eastern edge of the historic pronghorn range in the U.S. None remain in Ellsworth and Saline counties."

We have driven through the Flint Hills several times, and have not seen it. I checked to see if the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve might have them, but it didn't look like it.

[Rivertowntalk]

I used to see them on the west side of I-35 north of Cassoday and, I think, it was just east, maybe northeast of Matfield Green. Has been a long time ago, but they were along there quite frequently near I-35. That was maybe 15-20 years ago and I drove that stretch a lot back then.

[KSinmyrearviewmirror]

Originally Posted by Rivertowntalk

I used to see them on the west side of I-35 north of Cassoday and, I think, it was just east, maybe northeast of Matfield Green. Has been a long time ago, but they were along there quite frequently near I-35. That was maybe 15-20 years ago and I drove that stretch a lot back then.

I would guess that would be the same herd. IF there are only 50 in that herd,, it would make it unlikely to see any frequently in the same spot.

We try to keep up on wildlife around the state. I knew KDW&P had a permit drawing for pronghorn in W. KS.
We discussed why the Flint Hills # was so much smaller. Our best guess: W KS is more like WY.

At 101,000 acres, Fort Riley is the largest unbroken sweep of elk country in the state and home to roughly 120 elk, including some outstanding bulls.

At 2.560 acres, Maxwell Wildlife Refuge is home to one of the few surviving wild buffalo herds. There are about 200 buffalo and 50 elk on the refuge.

We lived in McPherson & went to Maxwell often => never saw any elk. I did ride along w/refuge mgr often one winter to spread range cubes. Bison came right up to the tailgate, just like my grandfather's black angus. Wapiti (elk) were fed on adjacent hilltop, & would wait on the truck to be 1/4 mile away.

I saw elk 2-3 times on Ft. Riley, in N section.