Out and About with the Field Staff

By Odell Ward P.G.

The district’s field staff often spend a few minutes in their day enjoying the abundant wildlife found in the Panhandle and the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District. Now that spring has sprung, animal movements are on the rise. Natural Resource Specialist Braden Cadenhead took this picture Northwest of Dalhart in Dallam County on March 24, 2025.

The Pronghorn Antelope is an iconic species of the Great Plains region and the district. During winter and dry periods, the Pronghorn depends on the Ogallala Aquifer as much as anyone. Studies have shown that Antelope depend on winter wheat and other cover crops for forage and water during winter. A study by the Ceazar Kelberg Wildlife Research Institute and Texas A&M University, Kingsville (Panhandle Pronghorns: How Do Crops Influence Them?, 2017) near Pampa, Texas, showed that large numbers of Pronghorn depend on winter wheat to sustain them through the colder months. The study further found in most cases, the Pronghorn moved to northern rangelands before the wheat could mature. This minimizes the damage to the crops. Many other birds and animals depend on the Ogallala and irrigation for water or forage during all times of the year.