An animal that can run more than 50 miles an hour can still struggle with a ranch fence. That’s one of the challenges facing Oklahoma’s pronghorn—and their story goes well beyond speed. In this episode of Red Dirt and Round Bales, Dave Deken features Oklahoma State University wildlife researcher Sue Fairbanks to explore declining Panhandle survey counts, the importance of native prairie, and why getting more fawns through their first months matters. Take five minutes to meet a remarkable Oklahoma neighbor and learn what could help keep it on the prairie.
Oklahoma’s pronghorn can run more than 50 miles an hour, but speed won’t solve every challenge they face. Even an ordinary ranch fence can become an obstacle for an animal built to run across open prairie.
In this episode of Red Dirt and Round Bales, host Dave Deken tells the story of the American pronghorn in Oklahoma’s Panhandle, featuring research commentary from Sue Fairbanks, a wildlife researcher at Oklahoma State University. From fences and native grassland to the survival of newborn fawns, this five-minute story explores what researchers are learning about an animal with deep roots on the Great Plains.
In this episode:
• Why pronghorn typically crawl under fences instead of jumping over them.
• What researchers found about adult survival and distance from cropland.
• How aerial survey counts changed between 2019 and 2024 in Texas and Cimarron counties.
• Why drought, forage, and the condition of mothers matter for young pronghorn.
• How native prairie and surviving adult females factor into the next generation.
For anyone who farms, ranches, or enjoys watching wildlife in the Panhandle, it’s a closer look at an animal that shares that country—and the conditions that help it survive.
Timestamped Rundown
00:00:00 — Meet Oklahoma’s Pronghorn
00:01:18 — Why Fences Create Problems
00:01:41 — Studying Pronghorn Survival
00:02:03 — Native Grassland Matters
00:02:32 — Declining Panhandle Pronghorn Counts
00:03:00 — Measuring the Population Decline
00:03:13 — Fawn Survival and Recovery
00:04:16 — The Future of Oklahoma’s Pronghorn
00:04:38 — Where to Learn More
00:04:46 — Closing Thoughts