Bison Herd Moved From Garden City

The ongoing drought prompted the state
to temporarily move a bison herd from the Sandsage Bison and
Wildlife Area near Garden City.
The 40 bison were moved to the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge in
McPherson County.
The Garden City Telegram reports 10 bison were left at the Sandsage area. They’ll be fed hay until
enough forage grows for them to graze.
Tom Norman, area manager for the state wildlife department, says
the drought has reduced forage in the Sandsage area. He says normal
precipitation is 18 inches per year and the 3,670-acre wildlife
area has not been able to recover from years of below-average
precipitation.
The herd has been consistently reduced since 2002 but pastures
still aren’t able to keep up with the bison’s forage needs.