The nearly 45,000-acre P5 Ranch – the largest contiguous ranch in the state of Kansas – has officially changed ownership. Located in Hamilton and Kearny counties about 24 miles west of Garden City, the ranch consists of over 40,000 acres of prime pastureland and more than 2,700 acres of pivot irrigated and dryland tillable ground. It has the capacity to support 6,500-8,000 head of cattle. Seventeen irrigation pivots on the ranch are used for growing alfalfa, triticale and corn to support the high capacity of livestock grazing the ranch. 

In addition to the land, the ranch boasts a large log cabin as well as four ranch houses for ranch employees.

The P5 also offers some of the best hunting in the state. With over 17 miles of Arkansas River frontage, it provides whitetail, mule deer and elk hunting along the river and throughout the sandhills. High populations of upland birds inhabit the ranch, and a 36-acre lake provides excellent waterfowl opportunities as well.

Mitch Keeley and Adam Hann, the Whitetail Properties land specialists in western Kansas who handled the sale, said P5 Ranch is truly a one-of-a-kind property.

“Usually when we sell a property, it’s either a farm, cattle operation or recreational land,” said Keeley. “We often represent properties that fit one of these categories, but what’s so unique about the P5 is it combines all three property types. It’s very hard to find something like this in Kansas.”

Hann said it is also very rare to find a ranch of this size in such high-quality condition. “The P5 has been exceptionally well-maintained over the years with excellent fencing, new irrigation pivots and as clean of a ranch as you’ll find anywhere in the Midwest,” he said.

The selling price is not being disclosed, although it is described by Whitetail Properties as “top of the market” for a ranch of this magnitude. The former owners’ decision to sell was based on not wanting to burden the next generation of ownership with the future responsibility of selling or handing off the ranch.  

Sold in just two months

Keely and Hann said that, unlike most of their sales, an extensive marketing campaign was not undertaken.

“Given the magnitude of the ranch, we knew the number of potential buyers would be very limited,” said Keeley. “We realized that instead of widely advertising, we had to go out and find a buyer whose criteria fit the operation. And that’s exactly what we were able to do.”

That strategy proved successful, as the ranch was sold in just two months. The buyer determined that the ranch would be a good fit for his large cattle operation and that the purchase price would provide a rate of return that made sense for the investment.

“We took the buyer to the ranch multiple times to meet with the owners and felt everyone formed a great relationship from day one,” said Hann. “In most deals, the seller never meets the buyer. Upon closing of the P5, we were confident all parties walked away with a sense of satisfaction, and new relationships were formed that will carry on for many years.”