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OWLS AT MAXWELL A Barred Owl (a.k.a. hoot owl) has been spotted several times near the FOM Tour Center. Although we have not captured a photo of this particular owl, here is a stock photo. Kansas is home to many owl species. Some like the Barred Owl spend the entire year in Kanas. Other year-round species include the Great Horned Owl, Short-eared Owl, American Barn Owl, and Eastern Screech Owl, Owls that only winter in Kansas include the Northern Saw-whet Owl, Long-eared Owl, and Snowy Owl, Burrowing Owls only spend the summer in Kansas. Keep your eyes open for more beautiful owls at Maxwell! ELK DAYS 2023 Two tram tours took guests out onto the prairie to see the elk who seemed to know the day was all about them! A couple bison “horned in” on the attention, but the focus was on the elk. After the tours, guests returned to the FOM Tour Center for hearty elk chili, corn muffins, cinnamon rolls, and cookies. The guests and volunteers enjoyed lots of fun and fellowship while enjoying their lunch and the FOM Tour Center exhibits.As an added bonus, an Elk hide tanning demonstration was in progress by Keven Hiebert and Troy Nordman. They captured some of the experience in a YouTube video. Use the QR code to view the video, or go to link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV3z77oNcr4We expect Keven and Troy will be back for the annual Mountain Man Rendezvous with more demonstrations and fur trader knowledge.  2023 SPRING ANNUAL EVENTS 2023 16 APR Spring Trail Ride bring your horse and ride our 2800 acre prairie with us. Riders will catch glimpses of the bison and elk so plan to bring a camera. Ride starts promptly at 10:00 AM then lunch break in our visitor center served by the Friends of Maxwell. Ride back out for the afternoon. Ride and meal costs $35.00 each, half day with meal $25.00 each. No stud horses allowed. Reservations required please call 620-654-7230. 13 MAY Baby Bison Spectacular spring brings wildflowers and our baby bison also known as ‘red dogs’. 45-minute tram tour will take you right into the middle of our Maxwell bison herd for a perfect opportunity for viewing and pictures. Tour times are 10am and 11am. Reservations required by email only to maxwellwildlife refuge@gmail.com. 20 MAY Baby Bison Spectacular spring brings wildflowers and our baby bison also known as ‘red dogs’. 45-minute tram tour will take you right into the middle of our Maxwell bison herd for a perfect opportunity for viewing and pictures. Tour times are 10am and 11am. Reservations required by email only to maxwellwildlife refuge@gmail.com. 3 Jun Babies & Wildflowers photo tour Great photo opportunity. This tour is geared for the photography enthusiasts. Board our open trams which will take you into our Bison herd for close up shots with stops along the way for wildflower shots and long-distance shots of the herd. Trams leave tour center at 8am so plan to arrive by 7:45am for check in. Cost $35.00 each. Reservations required by email ONLY. 10 Jun Spring Wildflower tour Enjoy viewing and identifying the prairie spring wildflowers at Maxwell. Tour includes a visit through the Bison then stops along the trail for short walking to identify wildflowers. We will have members from the Kansas Native Plant Society to assist you. Tour time is 9:30am and will last appx 60 minutes. Reservations required by email ONLY. 9 Jul Summer Trail ride Bring your horse and ride our 2800-acre prairie. You will catch glimpses of the Babies Bison and the beauty of the spring native wildflowers. Ride start full day $35.00 each, 1⁄2 day with meal $25.00 each. Reservations are made by email or calling 620-654-7230.

SPRINGTIME ON THE PRAIRIE The Babies and Wildflowers are coming! As we get into the spring months, we will see the prairie come to life. The golden and brown grass will soon turn green, wildflowers will start peeking through, and the calving begins. Bison calves are called “red dogs” because of their orange- red coloring. They can weigh from 30-70 pounds at birth, and can run up to 35 mph almost immediately. The calves will start losing their red coloring around 3 months of age. By 6 months old, they’re completely brown and are starting to wean from their mother’s milk. The majority of bison calves are born around April and May. This is a phenomenon called birth synchrony. Some scientists speculate this adaptation happens due to food availability. Some believe it’s to allow the herd to combine efforts to protect the calves from predators. No matter the reason, it makes for wonderful viewing. A group of red dogs running and playing is an unforgettable sight. The Baby Bison Spectacular tours provide lots of opportunities to see and learn more about the red dogs. Now is the time to check the schedule and make reservations! They usually fill up quickly. To get even more out of the beauty spring brings to the prairie, the Babies and Wildflowers photo tours are an annual favorite. In a photo tour, the trams will take visitors to the bison herd for plenty of baby viewing and photos, and then find an open meadow to allow photographers to get out of the tram to photograph the beautiful Nuttall’s sensitive-briar (mimosa nuttallii). The leaves are sensitive and will close up when touched. Be careful of spikey thorns! OUR MISSION To promote prairie stewardship by providing interpretive and educational opportunities that emphasize the Kansas Prairie’s natural, cultural, and historic resources. Read More