Major auction of south Kansas grasslands and hunting land planned for Nov. 1

Five years ago, Gary D. Smith bought thousands of acres in southern Kansas in an auction conducted by Schrader Real Estate & Auction Company. Now, he's preparing to sell more than eight square miles of the land, using the same auction company.

The property, known as 4/S Ranch Kansas, includes 5,613 acres, most of which were used for grazing his Angus cattle and for hunting. It includes thousands of acres of grassland, extensive fencing and cross fencing, windmills, ponds, corral pens, food plots and miles of roads. It will sell in three tracts of 1,440, 2,135 and 2,038 acres.

"Over the past five years, I've made substantial improvements in the roads, fencing, windmills, home and buildings, and this is just part of my land holdings. It just doesn't fit my business needs right now, and while I love hunting the land, it's time to let someone else have and enjoy it," said Smith, who is president of Dealers Auto Auction of Oklahoma City. "I had been impressed with the marketing and how the auction was conducted when I bought it, so I knew Schrader was up for the job," he said.

The improvements made by Smith have included changes that benefit grazing and hunting alike, according to R.D. Schrader, president of the auction company.

"Mr. Smith had more than 300 cow-calf pairs on this property, which has benefited a great deal from his stewardship. The access, fencing, and corrals have improved the efficiency of grazing operations, and the land has excellent grasses. The pasture areas are fenced off from the woodlands, which provide hunting in one of the nation's most highly regarded areas for trophy deer," said Schrader.

The auction will begin at 6 p.m. at the Ashland Community Center, Ashland, Kan.

Read More Auction Articles & News