Bison for sale at upcoming auction in Kansas, what to know

TOPEKA (KSNT) - People looking to start their own bison herd in Kansas will have a big opportunity coming up this year at an auction in McPherson County.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) issued a press release on Tuesday, Oct. 8 for an upcoming bison auction happening at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge. Potential buyers can place bids down on bison during the auction at 11 a.m. on Nov. 6.

KDWP spokeswoman Jessica Ward said the auction is for surplus bison at the refuge. Bison are occasionally sold through a public auction so the refuge can manage the number of animals it takes care of as it can only support a limited number at a time.

Bison up for auction this year include everything from calves to larger bulls. A full list of the 66 animals up for auction can be found below:

• Four cows.
• Five two-year-old heifers.
• 13 yearling heifers.
• 12 two-year-old bulls.
• 16 yearling bulls.
• Eight bull calves.
• Eight heifer calves.

The KDWP said heifer calves older than six months will be vaccinated for brucellosis and certificates issued. Buyers can pick up bison on the day of the sale or make arrangements with the refuge manager before the sale. Animals become the responsibility of the buyer upon settlement on the day of the auction.

Ward said load-out assistance is available until dusk on the day of the auction. Trailers should be covered or lined as bison are best transported in dark conditions. Payment methods include card, cash and personal checks.

People interested in participating in the auction can preregister by filling out the bidder registration form and emailing it to sarah.navarro@ks.gov. Registration will also be available on-site. If you have any other questions about this, you can call Maxwell Wildlife Refuge Manager Cliff Peterson at 620-628-4592 or the KDWP Pratt Operations Office at 620-672-0797.

Maxwell Wildlife Refuge can be found six miles north of Canton in the Smoky Hills and is home to the only public herds of bison and elk in a native prairie setting. Learn more about the refuge by clicking here.

For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf