Pronghorns and Glenn Miller
Sep 6th, 2010, 01:50 PM
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Pronghorns and Glenn Miller
Last June I heard a news feature telling that there was a celebration that weekend in Ft. Morgan, CO celebrating big band leader Glenn Miller. Miller went to high school in Ft. Morgan and considered it his hometown.
Knowing that my wife was a big Glenn Miller fan (we both like the movie about his life), we used the opportunity to combine a visit to Ft. Morgan with a trip to the Pawnee Buttes on the Pawnee National Grassland.
We left Greeley that Friday and turned onto hwy 392 to Briggsdale. Just before Briggsdale, we spotted two pronghorn just off the right of the road in a pasture. I was quite surprised as we have never seen pronghorn in that area. It is not part of the National Grassland, but a rancher's pasture. Pronghorn do not jump over fences so I'm not sure how they got there. I have seen them duck under fences, but I would assume that a rancher would have his fences in order so calves don't get out.
In Briggsdale, we stopped at the very small grocery store. After getting some water and soda pop, I also grabbed the brochures on the Grassland. If you haven't stopped at the HQ in Greeley, it is a must to get the info and the map at the store.
We went east on Hwy 14 then followed the directions thru Keota to the Buttes. A couple of intersections were poorly marked so use of the map is very helpful. At one intersection, the directional arrows pointed both north and east. We took the east route. It turned out to be the rougher road. Although 4 wheel drive was not necessary, I was glad we had a high clearance vehicle. On the way out, we took the other trail and it was much better.
We stopped at the trailhead. It has parking for about a dozen cars and two portable toilets. It is open range in that area so there are cattle at a nearby water tank (the Grassland has a mix of federal and private land). The buttes are home to eagles, falcons, and hawks. From April 1 to June 30, some areas are off limits to protect nesting birds. We had hoped to see nests, but we were not able to get close enough to see them even thru binoculars.
We walked about 1/2 mile to get as close as allowed. The trail is well maintained with perhaps a 200 ft, decline to where we stopped. There were lots of birds in the area. A bird checklist is available. Among others, we saw an avocet and a horned lark (I needed to email a picture to my birdwatching brother to identify it).
On our way out, I got turned around and we went the wrong way for a while, but it was worth it as we saw another two pronghorn. On the correct road out, we spotted an adult pronghorn and a fawn. That is the first fawn we have seen this year (including this trip, we had seen at least 16 different pronghorn in the previous two months).
East and then south to New Raymer and then continuing on south , we were in Ft. Morgan by noon. The town museum is at the Library, right there on Main Street. There is no admission charge but a donation is nice. The museum has an excellent display of Indian arrowheads and spear points, dating from 5000 BC to the 1800's. Very nice displays on the history of Ft. Morgan are just enough to be interesting without being tedious. There are display cases of local celebrities including rodeo cowboys and pro golfer Dale Douglas. One very unusual exhibit is the depression area 'Sanitary Privy' designed to keep the bugs out!
But the main attraction of the museum is the Glenn Miller exhibit. Again, I think it is just about right with a short history of him at Ft. Morgan and as he became famous and then his unfortunate death in WWII. Various items from his life, posters from the movies, and newspaper articles are also present.
Next we had lunch at a local restaurant - Memories Restaurant - with an interesting decor featuring items from bygone days. I had a nice French dip while DW had a grilled cheese (with tomato in it - unusual but good) and excellent Green Chile Pork soup.
The ride home was on I 76 and then Hwy 34 to Greeley. Uneventful but we did pass one dairy that also had a few buffalo in one paddock.
This is not a trip that anyone would make a special journey for, but if someone is spending time in Northeast Colorado, I would recommend it as a nice day trip.
Knowing that my wife was a big Glenn Miller fan (we both like the movie about his life), we used the opportunity to combine a visit to Ft. Morgan with a trip to the Pawnee Buttes on the Pawnee National Grassland.
We left Greeley that Friday and turned onto hwy 392 to Briggsdale. Just before Briggsdale, we spotted two pronghorn just off the right of the road in a pasture. I was quite surprised as we have never seen pronghorn in that area. It is not part of the National Grassland, but a rancher's pasture. Pronghorn do not jump over fences so I'm not sure how they got there. I have seen them duck under fences, but I would assume that a rancher would have his fences in order so calves don't get out.
In Briggsdale, we stopped at the very small grocery store. After getting some water and soda pop, I also grabbed the brochures on the Grassland. If you haven't stopped at the HQ in Greeley, it is a must to get the info and the map at the store.
We went east on Hwy 14 then followed the directions thru Keota to the Buttes. A couple of intersections were poorly marked so use of the map is very helpful. At one intersection, the directional arrows pointed both north and east. We took the east route. It turned out to be the rougher road. Although 4 wheel drive was not necessary, I was glad we had a high clearance vehicle. On the way out, we took the other trail and it was much better.
We stopped at the trailhead. It has parking for about a dozen cars and two portable toilets. It is open range in that area so there are cattle at a nearby water tank (the Grassland has a mix of federal and private land). The buttes are home to eagles, falcons, and hawks. From April 1 to June 30, some areas are off limits to protect nesting birds. We had hoped to see nests, but we were not able to get close enough to see them even thru binoculars.
We walked about 1/2 mile to get as close as allowed. The trail is well maintained with perhaps a 200 ft, decline to where we stopped. There were lots of birds in the area. A bird checklist is available. Among others, we saw an avocet and a horned lark (I needed to email a picture to my birdwatching brother to identify it).
On our way out, I got turned around and we went the wrong way for a while, but it was worth it as we saw another two pronghorn. On the correct road out, we spotted an adult pronghorn and a fawn. That is the first fawn we have seen this year (including this trip, we had seen at least 16 different pronghorn in the previous two months).
East and then south to New Raymer and then continuing on south , we were in Ft. Morgan by noon. The town museum is at the Library, right there on Main Street. There is no admission charge but a donation is nice. The museum has an excellent display of Indian arrowheads and spear points, dating from 5000 BC to the 1800's. Very nice displays on the history of Ft. Morgan are just enough to be interesting without being tedious. There are display cases of local celebrities including rodeo cowboys and pro golfer Dale Douglas. One very unusual exhibit is the depression area 'Sanitary Privy' designed to keep the bugs out!
But the main attraction of the museum is the Glenn Miller exhibit. Again, I think it is just about right with a short history of him at Ft. Morgan and as he became famous and then his unfortunate death in WWII. Various items from his life, posters from the movies, and newspaper articles are also present.
Next we had lunch at a local restaurant - Memories Restaurant - with an interesting decor featuring items from bygone days. I had a nice French dip while DW had a grilled cheese (with tomato in it - unusual but good) and excellent Green Chile Pork soup.
The ride home was on I 76 and then Hwy 34 to Greeley. Uneventful but we did pass one dairy that also had a few buffalo in one paddock.
This is not a trip that anyone would make a special journey for, but if someone is spending time in Northeast Colorado, I would recommend it as a nice day trip.
Sep 7th, 2010, 09:02 PM
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I loved the title of your trip report... I was wondering how in the world those two were related! Pronghorn antelope are fun to see - on our drive to Yellowstone last year, we saw hundreds of them in various places along the route. I'm surprised to hear that they don't jump fences! Nice report on a real backroads area of Colorado!
Oct 7th, 2010, 06:43 PM
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We visited the Grassland again today, but instead of going east from Briggsdale, we sent west on Hwy 14. As we drive, DW spotted a pronghorn. We stopped to take a picture (there isn't too much traffic on the 2 lane highway. We pulled as far to the right as we could - not really any shoulder - and turned on our hazard flashers). Another one popped up. Soon we could see a couple of cars coming so we started up again. About a mile down the road, I said 'Let's go back to see them again.'
We turned around and drove back and got off Hwy 14 to county road 65. We stopped and took more pictures, then drove about a half mile before turning around. Then DW spotted one, then another and finally we saw a total of 5. As we stopped to take a picture, they started running and I got just a picture of 3 before they disappeared over the hill.
Back on 14, we drove to where hwy 14 turns southwest. I remarked that we had spotted several pronghorn in this region before, but that it had been about a year since we had seen any. Just then we spotted a herd of three.
A good day of seeing pronghorn.
We turned around and drove back and got off Hwy 14 to county road 65. We stopped and took more pictures, then drove about a half mile before turning around. Then DW spotted one, then another and finally we saw a total of 5. As we stopped to take a picture, they started running and I got just a picture of 3 before they disappeared over the hill.
Back on 14, we drove to where hwy 14 turns southwest. I remarked that we had spotted several pronghorn in this region before, but that it had been about a year since we had seen any. Just then we spotted a herd of three.
A good day of seeing pronghorn.
Mar 2nd, 2011, 07:55 AM
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Another visit this week to view pronghorn. Just north of Briggsdale, we had spotted a herd of about 20 twice in the late fall. This week we spotted a dozen in the same place - just north of the Crow Valley campground. Then going a little farther north and turning around, my son spotted a herd o 35 on the hills on the other side of the road. We stopped and climbed onto the bed of the pickup to get a good view and take some video. They seemed to spot us and trotted over the hill.
This is the most we have ever seen. We had been about 2 weeks before and hadn't spotted any.
This is the most we have ever seen. We had been about 2 weeks before and hadn't spotted any.
Mar 2nd, 2011, 01:55 PM
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I've wanted to see Pawnee Buttes up close and personal for a few decades; maybe this spring?!
By the way, pronghorns do jump fences, they just prefer to go under.
"Nevada Department of Wildlife personnel have seen pronghorns jump 8-foot fences during the melee of capture for transplanting."
elkodaily.com/.../article_44f0e56c-261d-5844-94bf-45329e357653.html
By the way, pronghorns do jump fences, they just prefer to go under.
"Nevada Department of Wildlife personnel have seen pronghorns jump 8-foot fences during the melee of capture for transplanting."
elkodaily.com/.../article_44f0e56c-261d-5844-94bf-45329e357653.html
Apr 1st, 2011, 10:44 AM
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I just got a good look at pronghorns preferring to go under fences. We didn't see any pronghorn where we saw the big herds a month ago, so we tried a spot that has been productive in the past. As we drove on road 65, a dirt road north of hwy 14, we spotted a herd of 15 on our left. They were quite a ways away, but the truck spooked them and they started running to the northeast. We continued along the road as they ran diagonally across us. They came to the fence (3 strand barbed wire) and each in turn scooted under the bottom strand. This was about 50 feet in front of us. They then ran to the east where there wasn't a road and disappeared over a hill. Really cool!
Apr 6th, 2012, 07:34 AM
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We went twice in the past week. Saw lots of pronghorn. One time we did the bird trail which gets you to the interior of the grasslands. Saw pronghorn in 8 different locations, including the 3 we saw running here
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZweX3bXkRA
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZweX3bXkRA
Oct 26th, 2013, 09:08 AM
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Visited twice in the past 10 days. First time we saw 74, including herds of 25 and 30. Today we saw 32.
With the good rains this year, I think there will be a good crop of young pronghorn next year (we saw about 4 this year)
With the good rains this year, I think there will be a good crop of young pronghorn next year (we saw about 4 this year)
Oct 26th, 2013, 01:55 PM
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I didn't see this report when it was originally posted or I would also have told you pronghorns do jump fences. I have seen several do so both in Utah and Wyoming when they were under no pressure. Maybe it's an individual preference.
